I know, I know. It's been a while. Summer has been busy, to say the least, and when I was concerned with my blogs, the only one I was concerned with was STOP and LISTEN, at www.radicallistening.blogspot.com. I'm going to jump back into cyber world with a post on one of my favorite hymns, which was sung beautifully by a lady in the church for the Offertory this morning.
"This Is My Father's World" is taken from a longer poem entitled "My Father's World," written by Maltbie Davenport Babcock, a minister from New York. When he lived in Lockport, he would often take hikes along the Niagara Escarpment to enjoy the breathtaking views of upstate New York and Lake Ontario. As he left for these hikes, he would often tell his wife that he was "going out to see the Father's world." Hence the title for the poem, set to music by Franklin L. Sheppard.
I absolutely love the tune for this hymn. The tune is so beautiful! It really expresses the sereneness that Babcock must have seen during his long walks. It seems to personify what the earth must have been like before the Fall of Man. Ah...I'm not sure how to explain it, but somehow Sheppard managed to combine the beauty of God's creation, the depravity of the Fall, and the hope of Christ all in one tune. I never realized it until today, but if you listen to the tune again, I'm sure you'll hear it too. Another, completely unrelated reason I adore this tune is because it was used in the Lord of the Rings movies as the theme of the Shire. In case you haven't noticed, watch the film again. Variations of it are used a lot throughout the first film, as Frodo and Sam struggle with leaving the Shire and giving up themselves for the sake of Middle-earth. It's hard to notice the theme again, but it comes out strong at the end of the second film, I believe (haven't seen it in a while myself), as Frodo is confronting the Black Rider, and is very noticeable towards the end of the last film. When Frodo and Sam have finally destroyed the ring, and are lying on a rock in a sea of lava, expecting to die soon and reflecting on the Shire, that tune arises to tug at your heartstrings. I'm sorry, I just love music and enjoy dissecting the tunes in movies and when they are used, especially when it comes from my favorite series, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
Enough about music now; I went far to long down that rabbit trail. The words are really what is important and beautiful here.
First stanza: This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears, All nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres. This is my Father's world, I rest me in the thought, of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; his hand the wonders wrought.
Isn't that wonderful? This IS my father's world. As a musician looking at Creation, I see the personification of music. And it is amazing. I love the line "his hand the wonders wrought." Don't we too often forget that? The beauty of Creation surrounds us everyday and yet we pass it by with out a second thought about its beauty or the Creator who brought it into being.
Second stanza: This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise, the morning light, the lily white, declare their maker's praise. This is my Father's world, He shines in all that's fair, in the rustling grass I hear Him pass, he speaks to me everywhere.
All Creation sings His glory!! The birds, the sky, the flowers, all declare who their Creator is and sing His praises. Surely God is revealed to us everywhere through Creation, if only WE would take the time to look.
Third stanza: This is my Father's world, O let me ne'er forget, that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father's world: why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! God reigns; let the earth be glad!
Today this verse really comforted me. Reminded me that "thought the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet." I forget that so much. Don't we all? I panic about the sin in the world, or the way the economy is going, or who is in control, but GOD IS RULER YET. Why should my heart be sad? The LORD is KING! I should be singing His praises and trusting in Him, Ruler and Creator of this world.
I hope you're satisfied with this ridiculously long post after a ridiculously long break. :) I don't have the energy left to give you a youtube link, so if you don't know the hymn or want to hear it again, go look it up. This is my Father's world!! Rejoice!
