I memorized the Twenty Third Psalm and most of the other Psalms as a child in the King James version. The Twenty Third has always been my favorite. It was the prayer I said on 9/11 before I went outside to walk to work around the corner from my house. It was the prayer that gave me courage when I felt the awsomeness of the silent sky underneath several airplane paths slightly north of my home. "I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever" is the reason I think I have found myself in churches for one reason or another all my life. Although, I am a convert to the Catholic Church, I love the Protestant hymn, which is also sung in a Catholic shrine near me -- The King of Love My Shepher Is. In the lovely but small working class Methodist church where I went as a chld there was an altar with flowers and and a golden cross with candles on the two sides. That is also why I love the passage in the Traditional Latin Mass that says, "I will go in unto the altar of God. To God Who giveth joy to my youth." Charles and John Wesley did not know it, but they set me up to become Catholic and to remain, by God's grace, in the House of the Lord forever. Some dislike going to church, but I have always loved it.
What a lovely comment. Yesterday I found myself singing that hymn as well. I also love it. Another hymn that resonates with me and one I find often on my lips when I behold some great natural beauty is How Great Thou Art. Sometimes you just have to express yourself through music or poetry and beautiful hymns combine both.
I memorized the Twenty Third Psalm and most of the other Psalms as a child in the King James version. The Twenty Third has always been my favorite. It was the prayer I said on 9/11 before I went outside to walk to work around the corner from my house. It was the prayer that gave me courage when I felt the awsomeness of the silent sky underneath several airplane paths slightly north of my home. "I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever" is the reason I think I have found myself in churches for one reason or another all my life. Although, I am a convert to the Catholic Church, I love the Protestant hymn, which is also sung in a Catholic shrine near me -- The King of Love My Shepher Is. In the lovely but small working class Methodist church where I went as a chld there was an altar with flowers and and a golden cross with candles on the two sides. That is also why I love the passage in the Traditional Latin Mass that says, "I will go in unto the altar of God. To God Who giveth joy to my youth." Charles and John Wesley did not know it, but they set me up to become Catholic and to remain, by God's grace, in the House of the Lord forever. Some dislike going to church, but I have always loved it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely comment. Yesterday I found myself singing that hymn as well. I also love it. Another hymn that resonates with me and one I find often on my lips when I behold some great natural beauty is How Great Thou Art. Sometimes you just have to express yourself through music or poetry and beautiful hymns combine both.
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