Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Our God, our help in ages past

I woke up this morning and this hymn pierced through my memory:

Our God, our help in ages past,

Our hope for years to come,

Our shelter from the stormy blast,

And our eternal home.


Under the shadow of Thy throne

Thy saints have dwelt secure;

Sufficient is Thine arm alone,

And our defense is sure.


Before the hills in order stood,

Or earth received her frame,

From everlasting Thou art God,

To endless years the same.


Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,

“Return, ye sons of men:”

All nations rose from earth at first,

And turn to earth again.


A thousand ages in Thy sight

Are like an evening gone;

Short as the watch that ends the night

Before the rising sun.


The busy tribes of flesh and blood,

With all their lives and cares,

Are carried downwards by the flood,

And lost in following years.


Time, like an ever rolling stream,

Bears all its sons away;

They fly, forgotten, as a dream

Dies at the opening day.


Like flowery fields the nations stand

Pleased with the morning light;

The flowers beneath the mower’s hand

Lie withering ere ‘tis night.


Our God, our help in ages past,

Our hope for years to come,

Be Thou our guard while troubles last,

And our eternal home.


By the way, it's my birthday.

Celebrate with me.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Encapsulated

At times when I think of what my work does to me and my blog, it makes me feel like ........