A few years back I was hit by a pretty severe disease which, due to a late diagnosis, had its way with me for a long while before leaving me in pretty bad shape.
I remember nights where my wife and I would feel a deep desperation due to lack of answers and direction. But as those moments invariably ended in very fervent prayers, we came to feel some of the power that comes from sincere pleadings before the Lord. We came to feel the strength that comes through the Atonement of the Savior.
"Redeemer of Israel, our only delight..." There is a claim made in that first line, and cause for that claim that bares evaluating in our own songs. Wouldn't we be right to delight in the God who redeems us?
Then the song progresses and becomes a prayer, "On whom for a blessing we call" (1-2 line). This is just the first taste of a desperate yearning that saturates this hymn. Do you feel the beginnings of that plea taking shape in the language?
The verse then includes allusions to historical instances of God delivering his people, Israel. Then in the 2nd verse Phelps writes of anticipation for Christ's coming. His question hits the reader and singer hard, "For why in the valley Of death should they weep Or in the lone wilderness rove" (lines 5-6)?
He Restoreth My Soul, Walter Rane (King David writing Psalms)
But this question becomes all the more poignant with the next wrenching verse. Here the force of the plea is most fervent, most desperate:
How long we have wandered as strangers in sin And cried in the desert for thee!
But since souls adrift in this world find anchorage in their belief and faith in God, so in fitting conclusion to that soul-wrenching line we find an outlook of hope and solace in the words, "Israel will shortly be free" (line 9)
If you look closely at this hymn, you realize every other verse is a direct prayer to God, which continues until in the final verse, that desperate prayer is answered. That is a beautiful element of this powerful piece, and it gives hope and a promise to every pleading soul. We can all find secure anchorage in Christ.
1 comments:
This is absolutely one of my most favorite hymns. I love your analysis and thoughts on it. I really began to appreciate this hymn on my mission and reading your blog post was a very touching and spiritual experience for me. Thank you!
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