Just Pondering
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Rick Branan |
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly armies.
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of the earth,
young men as well as young women, old and young together.
Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted.
His majesty covers heaven and earth.
Psalm 148:1-3, 11-13 (CSBBible)
Stopford Augustus Brooke, M.A., was born at Letterkenny, Donegal, Nov. 14, 1832, (died 1916), and educated at Trinity College, Dublin, graduating B.A. 1856; M.A. 1858. He carried off the Downes prize and the Vice-Chancellor's prize for English verse. On taking Holy Orders he was successively Curate of St. Matthew's, Marylebone, 1857-59; of Kensington, 1860-63; Chaplain to the British Embassy at Berlin, 1863-65; Minister of St. James's Chapel, York Street, London, 1866-75; and of Bedford Chapel, 1876. He was also appointed Chaplain in Ordinary to the Queen, in 1872. In 1865 he published the Life and Letters of the late F. W. Robertson; in 1874, Theology in the English Poets; in 1876, Primer of English Literature, &c. On seceding from the Church of England in 1881, he published for the use of his congregation, Christian Hymns, a collection of 269 pieces.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Let the Whole Creation Cry
Let the whole creation cry,
"Glory to the Lord on high!"
Heav'n and earth, awake and sing,
"God is good, and God is King!"
Praise Him, angel hosts above,
ever bright and fair in love;
sun and moon, lift up your voice,
night and stars, in God rejoice!
Warriors fighting for the Lord,
prophets burning with His Word,
those to whom the arts belong,
add their voices to the song.
Kings of knowledge and of law,
to the glorious circle draw;
all who work and all who wait,
sing, "The Lord is good and great!"
Men and women, young and old,
raise the anthem manifold,
and let children's happy hearts
in this worship bear their parts;
from the north to southern pole
let the mighty chorus roll:
“Holy, holy, holy One!
Glory be to God alone!”
Written by Stopford A. Brooke
Our psalm opens and closes with “Hallelujah!” This is a Hebrew term that means, “Praise the Lord.” It is a compound word: “Hallelu” meaning to praise or boast and “Jah,” the shortened form of Yahweh. The psalmist was exhorting all creation to praise God. The psalmist begins with angels, sun. moon, and stars, moves through animals, and finishes with all peoples. What a glorious sound when all creation sings “Hallelujah!” We see this same picture in Revelation 4, “Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.”
Stopford Brooke expands the people to include prophets, artists, teachers, lawyers, even the common workers. In our time, the “educated” often ignore God but all will face judgement. The question is whether you will receive “well done and welcome” or “so sorry.” Make the decision “to the glorious circle draw.” Then share the Good News with family, friends, and neighbors.
Just pondering . . . Bro. Rick