BEFORE YOUR TEMPLE

Meaning in Psalm 136

Alfred D. Byrd

OTHERS may speak of gods that are false,
But I will bow down to You, my God.
With thanks within me for what you've done,
I'll bend my knee before Your temple,
Holding, concealed in its heart, the Throne
On which Your cloud of light is resting.
Nothing can hurt us when You're around.

YOUR NAME is too great for lips of flesh,
But by it You've sealed a pact with us —
A promise, keeping what You've made Yours.
Recalling Your word, I walk unfazed
Through troubles making my flesh grow weak.
I call on You, and You hear my pleas;
You give me courage to face my foes.
You are, my Maker, Yourself the shield
That keeps the foe from taking my life —
My life, You're holding within Your hand.

ALTHOUGH You sit enthroned in the heights,
You see the humble, observe the proud,
And give to each what's just by Your Law.
A day will arrive for all to see
Your Glory unveiled, a sight of awe.
The kings of the earth will praise Your Name
Because You kept Your promise to us.
They'll sing of You, our God and our King,
"The Glory of God? Too great for words!
The love of God goes on forever,
Keeping secure the lovers of truth."

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THE NAME IS AWESOME

Meaning in Psalm 135

Alfred D. Byrd

SERVANTS of God in the House of God,
Give praise to the Name, the One Who is.
Our God is good; the Name is awesome,
Greater than any called gods by men.
Our God created all else that lives.
Whatever there is on land, on sea,
In heaven, on earth, in depths below,
Exists by the thought and speech of God.
Our God is truly the god of storm.
The clouds ascend, the lightning flashes,
And the rain comes down because our God
Has set a cycle running through time.

THE GODS of nations that live in fear
Are idols, empty of life or aid.
They gleam, perhaps, with silver or gold
And bear the features of lives like ours,
But have no breath in mouths that smile,
No image in eyes, no sound in ears.
They speak no thoughts of their own to us,
But priests and prophets speak them for them.
The ones who make the idols become
As empty as they, devoid of hope.

OUR GOD has called a remnant to serve
The Source of all truth, the One Who is.
The remnant began as slaves who groaned
Beneath the lash of tyrant Pharaoh.
Our God remembered the cries of slaves
And sent a prophet, Moses, to bring
Oppressive Egypt wonders and plagues
To break the chains that bound a people.
Fleeing their past, they recalled a home,
Delightful Canaan, fertile and fair.
Allured by hope and spurred by their God,
They made their way despite contention.
Rulers of nations halted their march,
But God would let the people conquer
Sihon of Amor and Og of Bashan,
Mighty enemies, helpless to God.
The exiles would find their home enslaved.
A cult of idols, a cult of lust,
A cult of infants slaughtered for gods,
A cult of gods called many, not one,
Opposed the people, but fell in time:
A king of peace achieved a temple.

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A PLACE OF HOPE

Meaning in Psalm 134

Alfred D. Byrd

PRAISES belong to our God, the King,
The One Who made both heavens and earth.
Our God is farther away than stars;
Our God is as near as life itself.
Our God has chosen to live with us.
On heights there sits the house of our God,
A place of meeting, a place of hope.

TO THE HOUSE of God, we've come to serve.
By day and by night, let's raise our hands
In praise for light, in thanks for blessing.
Gratitude aptly answers the King.
Our God is good for being the light;
Our God is good for giving to all
The light, the life, the law, and the love.
Our God remembers; our God is here
To give and receive the fruit of love.

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THE SOURCE OF THE LAW

Meaning in Psalm 132

Alfred D. Byrd

DAVID, the shepherd summoned by God,
Endured misfortunes, but kept his faith
In the One Who meant for him to rule
A people chosen to serve the King.
He set the King above his kingship:
Ruling, to David, called him to serve
The One Who is the Source of the Law.
The shepherd made king confirmed a vow
With an oath that bound his life to God:
"I'll take no rest and enjoy no food
Until I've made a place for my King
To rest secure among my people."

DAVID recalled a blessing now lost,
A chest that held the Law of Moses.
Israel prospered, having the chest,
But groaned when it fell in war to foes
Who worshiped idols and scorned the One.
The shepherd made king brought home the chest.
He made the priests of Levi dress up
In robes of linen that said, "We're pure!"
He dressed himself as one of the priests
And danced among them without restraint
As they brought the chest with songs of joy
To fill the City of Peace with hope.

THE KING remembered David with love.
The One by Whom the people had sworn
Would swear an oath to stand forever:
"David, your son will receive your throne,
A throne that I give to light the world.
My promise, renewed this day, is sure.
Your heirs, if they keep My Law with zeal,
Are sure to form a line unbroken."

SOLOMON founded for God a house,
A temple for God to meet with us.
Our God, accepting the house, called out,
"I'll rest within these walls forever.
Surely, I'll give the Land what it needs.
The hungry will eat; the priests will serve
By singing with joy their love for Me.

"IN DAYS to come, I'll send Anointed,
Bearing My Spirit of light and strength,
To purge the earth of foes of the truth.
When they bend their knees and bow their necks,
Anointed, David's offspring, will wear
A crown of glory to tell the world,
'The light of God is your hope of peace.'"

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WHAT'S FAIR

Meaning in Psalm 133

Alfred D. Byrd

LIVING together justly in peace
Is what God wants the children to do.
To think as one, to sing with one voice,
And to do as one what's fair and pure
Is to bring to life the love of God.
That love is like the dew that settles,
Making things green in the cool of dawn,
On lives awaiting the light of day.
That love is like anointing from God —
Like oil of olives falling on one
Who stands before the altar to be
A bridge between a sinner and God.
A life that's free from shame is offered,
Taking the place of lives gone astray.
The blessing of God removes our sin
And makes us able to live in joy
A life restored to God in wholeness.
Any who takes what's offered receives
The life eternal that runs in God.

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HIDDEN BEYOND OUR SIGHT

Meaning in Psalm 131

Alfred D. Byrd

HIGHER than eyes can see is the Throne
On which our God considers secrets.
Many may tell you, "We know these things,"
But much lies hidden beyond our sight
To keep us from pride that knows no bounds
And calls our neighbors liars and fools.
Conceit is hateful to God, our King,
And boasting poisons the well of trust.
Our God supplies us with minds to search,
As well as hearts to love and accept.
We should learn as much as sight reveals,
But come to rest untroubled in God.
A child that seeks a mother's embrace
Is wiser than one engulfed in pride.
The hope of those called out by our God
Is mercy and grace, the gift of love.

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OUR CHANGE OF HEART

Meaning in Psalm 130

Alfred D. Byrd

SOMETIMES, we feel that we've lost our hopes
And lie in darkness without a friend.
When we're done with thoughts of wrong to us,
We think of all the wrongs that we've done
And ask ourselves, "Can God forgive us?
No one could face the judgment of God
If it meant, 'Each sin will get its due.'"

FROM DARKNESS, we cry, and God will hear
Our plea for mercy — our change of heart.
Our God forgives whoever will turn
From darkness to light without deceit.
The sinner who turns should walk in awe
Of the One Who gave and keeps the Law,
Yet makes a way away from judgment.

SLEEPLESS at night, let's watch for dawn.
Our light will arise; the Light is God.
There's hope for you, for me ‐ for the line
That's chosen by God to live the Law.
The Law is love, for our God is love,
The spirit of truth above all lies —
The Spirit Who saves the lost from sins
And changes their death to life in God.

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