pramsay posted on October 26, 2006 13:20 1261 views

Have you ever tried writing a poem? I’ve tried once or twice but really poetry isn’t my thing. I hope no band ever approaches me to be their song writer. I’d be given my walking ticket the day I was hired! But I was reading some lyrics this morning that really impressed me. The first few lines went like this:

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom He has redeemed from trouble.

Eugene Peterson paraphrased it this way:

“Oh thank God, He’s so good!
His love never runs out.
All of you set free by God, tell the world!
Tell how He freed you from oppression…”

Some of you are smiling – you love this song too. You’re trying to figure out when and where you first heard it. Was it when you were driving back from the beach and your radio was blasting out the Top Ten hits? Or maybe it was the background music at the ski lodge or bowling alley or shopping mall … OR was it one evening when you were reading your Bible and you came across the song? And then you read the next few lines:

Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works towards the children of men!
For he satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

I think the latter scenario is more likely. Just in case you can’t pinpoint where you came across these lyrics – it was in Psalm 107. And I know why the words stuck with you – they are just those kind of words. Not shallow like the Top Ten hits in the world usually are. This song is deeply spiritual, reverential and full of praise and thanks. It’s the opening poem in the fifth volume of poems in the Psalms. Which pen-person did God choose to write this poem? Ummm….I’m not sure. And we can’t be sure of the occasion that gave birth to these lyrics – although some educated guesses have been made. That’s not the point here. Just enjoy the Psalm as it relates to you today.

What struck me when reading the lyrics was the fact that IF I feel this way about the Lord – IF it’s really so, then I should be saying so. Quietly living it isn’t enough – I need to say so in words too. IF the Lord really is good and I’ve experienced his goodness, then I should say so. A little later in the same poem, after giving examples of the kindness and mercy of the Lord, the poet says it again: “Declare His works with rejoicing!” (vs.22) Or as someone else paraphrased it: “Tell the world what He’s done – sing it out!”

Has the Lord satisfied your soul? Did He fill your hungry soul with goodness? Did He set you free from your sins? Have you been redeemed? If so, say so.

You can say so in a conversation with your friend today online or as you woof down a burger in the cafeteria. You can say so in your journal or as you compose a song today. There must be Christian lyricists out there!! Get at it. Give us a new song today! You can say so today as your professor mocks. Tell the person beside you on the bus. Ask the Lord to give you courage to say so. Ask Him to help you select the best words for the occasion. But the bottom line is: if it’s so, say so!

Today when somebody asks you: “Hey man, how’s your day going?” Give them slightly more than they were expecting. Try responding at least once today with: “I’m having a good day. I’m really enjoying God in my life. He’s so real!” Stop there and see what happens.

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