Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Psalm 91: The Shelter of the Most High

I stay close to the side of Jesus
I stand in His presence
He is my safe haven
He is my shelter
I trust in Him

He will deliver me from my troubles
From enemies, sickness and death
He will cover me with His hands
I will be safe with Him
He is the Faithful One

When I am afraid
When I am harassed
When others may fall into temptation and sin
But I will be safe in Him
He is my Guard

I will still sometimes be hurt
I will still have problems over problems
Just hold fast to my love for Christ
He will deliver me, He will protect me
He is my Owner

Call to Him, He will answer
Call to Him, He is here
He will save me
He will honour me
He is my Salvation

Monday, December 25, 2006

Isaiah 9: A Light in Our Desperation

We were walking in darkness
But in the distance, You hinted a light.
We wept, feeling our way to nowhere
Then You came, and shone full on us

You made Your church a nation of the living
You turned our tears to joy
We rejoice in Your Light
As wage-slaves rejoice in a year-end bonus
As day traders party
After a big kill.

Like the victory at Appomattox
Your birth shattered
The shackles that enslaved us
The chains that bound us
The whips of those who oppressed us.

Every device that deceived us
Every false hope for which we bled
You will save for burning
With them You fuel the fires of hell

Your brightness put on flesh
When to us the Son was given
All government descended upon Your shoulders
We learned to call Mary's Son
Wonderful Advisor, God Over All
Everlasting Sire, Warlord of Peace.

Your government grows, century after century, in power and quietness
Endlessly
You reign from the eternal Throne
Lord of Your Father's kingdom
Indwelling us and supplying us
Forgiving us and making us true
From the day You rose until the day You return
Your righteous ambition
Accomplishes all this.

Friday, December 22, 2006

Psalm 23: The Lord is my owner

The LORD is my owner
I have everything in place
He prepares what’s good for me
He puts me in his storehouse

He assures me of who I am
He leads me to live my life for Him

Even though sometimes I am unwanted
I will not be affected by it
Because he still owns me
His words and His presence assures me

You prepare everything I need in the presence of my world
You call me your child, I am so blessed

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Psalm 121: God, Our Provider

I lift my eyes to the cross-
All my help flows from that hill.

Jesus is my Help
This Man that made heaven and earth.

He will make you stand firm, too-
God, Who suffered for you, will not sleep;

Ever. He saw your need
And He roused Himself to deliver you

He sees you struggling through the desert-
And He shades you from the midday sun

The blazing furnace will not burn you
Nor the night madden you.

Jesus will keep you from all harm-
He will guard your life

Our Shepherd will protect you, coming and going
Today and tomorrow and forever.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Psalm 124 - Christmas is True

If Messiah did not come and God walked not among us-
Let the church remember and say -
If the Child had not been born to us -
When they who hated Him rose up
Then they would have buried our joy in His advent
When they vented their spleen against Him
Their rage would have drowned our praise
Their flood of correctness would have silenced our songs
Diversity would have buried our souls

But Emmanuel came,
We see Him, and are delivered for praise
He preserves us from their rending lies
He shields our hearts from ambush
From their hatred we are freed
Freed to love our Master
His nativity we proclaim!
Our salvation is in the Babe with no bed
He was born to redeem heaven and earth and us - His own.

Saturday, December 2, 2006

God Over America (Psalm 138)

Jesus, I love you with all my heart.
In the face of wealth and power and politics, I will praise You

I will bow myself to heaven, where You are my temple
And I will praise the Name of Emmanuel
Your love brought You to me, and You finished Your work
You kept Your Promise to save your People
And Your work is more famous than fame

Before I ever called on You, You ransomed me
You encouraged my heart. I could not stay away

May all the CEOs of the earth praise you, Jesus
When they hear what you have done

May they sing how You worked salvation by Your Blood
And the glory of Your resurrection

The Word is exalted as God, and yet He suffered for the lowly
But did not come near the proud

Though I walk in the midst of greed,
You renew my life as a fountain
You stretch out Your hand against those who plot for my heart
By the strength of Your weakness and death You save me

Jesus will prove His church true
Your Love will never waver
Do not abandon Your kingdom, Jesus