Pentecost—from the Greek word for fiftieth—is the last day of Eastertide (aka The Great Fifty Days). On this day, Christians celebrate God's gift of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the Christian church. The order of worship for Pilgrim's 15-minute online service follows here; and, as always, it's best to watch it in full-screen mode.
00.00 Chimes
00.25 Prélude: Come Down, O Love Divine (Williams)
02.32 Welcome
02.54 Call to Worship: from Psalm 104
03.17 Opening Prayer
03.31 Scripture: Acts 2:1-8
04.21 Meditation
08.26 Pastoral Prayer*
09.40 Communion Prayer
11.13 Lord's Prayer
11.59 Institution/Sharing the Bread & Cup
12.45 Benediction
13.11 Response: Go Now in Peace
*Apologies for the peacefully snoring Boston Terrier heard in the background.
And now, O Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.
Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool.
—Psalm 39:7-8
This little passage calls for an experiment. The next time I am anxious; the next time I find myself waiting for a situation to resolve itself; the next time, even, that I wait for the worst to happen: I will instead ask myself, "What are you waiting for?" And then—no matter what my answer is—I will wait for God. Will I find any reassurance in knowing that God is part of all things, and that "all things work together for good" (Rom. 8:28)? Maybe I won't always be able to say, unequivocally, Yes. But knowing what my goal is will better
Though admittedly I don't remember ever spending much time looking for one, I was pleased to find my first 4-leaf clover (ever!) this morning.
I know a place where the sun is like gold,
And the cherry blossoms burst with snow,
And down underneath is the loveliest nook,
Where the four-leaf clovers grow.
One leaf is for hope, and one is for faith,
And one is for love, you know,
And God put another in for luck —
If you search, you will find where they grow.
But you must have hope, and you must have faith,
You must love and be strong — and so,
If you work, if you wait, you will find the place
Where the four-leaf clovers grow.
—Ella Higginson
Or there's always Mort Dixon's tried-and-true interpretation with music by Harry Woods (here sung by Chevy Chase, accompanied by Ken Shapiro—it ends up being very moving)...
I have to admit that I find it a bit tedious when the psalmist protests her or his innocence, all the while pointing fingers at the wicked. "Help me, God, because I'm righteous and they're not," I read over and over again. But here suddenly we have Psalm 38, in which the psalmist points the finger at the very one doing the complaining. "I've done this to myself. I confess my sin. I'm sorry."
The Bible makes it abundantly clear that the righteous can judge the wicked for their wickedness. If this weren't the case, no prophet would ever arise, no works of justice would ever be carried out, no wrongs would ever be righted. But the Bible also makes it clear that no one is altogether righteous. As Mark Knopfler put it in the song Solid Rock (1980): "When you point your finger 'cause your
But it is for you, O Lord, that I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
—Psalm 38:15
There's something to be said for hope. And, as I've said recently (see my morning devotion for May 4) waiting and hoping are closely tied together, both theologically and linguistically. To wait can be boring and tedious and angst-ridden. But to truly wait for God is active and hopeful. To understand the difference, compare a child waiting for Christmas to an adult in the waiting
I have seen the wicked oppressing, and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.
Again I passed by, and they were no more; though I sought them, they could not be found.
—Psalm 37:35-36
I love the phrase "wicked oppressing"—probably because of the hymn We Gather Together. But I especially like the context of the verse it comes from. Here's my paraphrase: I've seen the wicked oppressing, and they seemed to me bigger than life. But then, when I returned to the same spot a while later, there was no sign of them.
The message is that the scary stuff—regardless of how long it seems to last—
I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
They are ever giving liberally and lending, and their children become a blessing.
Depart from evil, and do good; so you shall abide forever.
—Psalm 37:25-27
I am bothered by this portion of Psalm 37, since—in today's world, at least—the righteous and their children are all too often found among those who go hungry. I see, however, that I am in good company, since a commentator no less respected than Calvin himself found this verse perplexing. He goes on to relate verse 27 to verse 25 in this way:
Although daily experience shows us that the children of God do not
as yet inherit the earth, yet, according to the measure of our faith, we
feel how efficacious the blessing of God is, which, like a spring
that cannot be drained, flows continually.
If you're intent on proving the Bible to be untrue, then Calvin can say nothing
Today's crisis is probably the worst since the Second World War. And it's to that period that my mind wanders when I think of Psalm 37:24—
Though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.
First are the sisters Corrie and Betsie ten Boom from Haarlem in the Netherlands. They were committed Christians who helped hide Jews during the Nazi occupation of their country. They ended up in Ravensbrück Concentration Camp where Betsie died in December 1944. But just a few days before her death, she told Corrie, "There is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still." Then there's a German pastor named Arno Pötszch. At the age of 17, he
My Great-Uncle Fred's dog tag after nearly 65 years buried in the sand of New Guinea.
Both my grandfathers served their country during World War 2. My mother's father worked in a steel mill. Though he wasn't in the armed forces, he was definitely an important part of the war effort. My father's father was in the US Navy, his service, of course, no one questions.
In that same generation, there were many others in my family who were in the armed forces. Dad (who served in the Air Force during the Korean War) had at least one maternal uncle who also served in the navy—he made a career out of it.In addition, I am aware of at least five great-uncles who served in the army. One never came home. The other four were profoundly changed.
Mother had two uncles on her father's side in the war in Europe. Her Uncle Ed
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to kill those who walk uprightly; their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
—Psalm 37:14-15
We don't often see weapons such as swords, bows, and arrows used to bring down the poor and needy these days—at least not in this country. Yet they are no less vulnerable, especially now that unemployment is so high and disease so rampant.
Yet the psalmist promises that the very tools that are used to bring down the poor will be the downfall of their persecutors. What is happening now is not
The title of this book means Prayers for the Worship Service, and it's one of the books you can see behind me when I do my Sunday morning videos. I like to adapt its prayers for English language worship, and I used it on May 24 for a benediction, which I thought worked nicely with both the Ascension and Memorial Day themes. Here's my translation, which actually took fewer liberties with the wording than usual:
It’s up to you the footprints you leave behind.
It’s up to you
whether those close to you cringe in fear
or breathe deeply.
It’s up to you
whether your many gifts are used for yourself alone
or for the community.
It’s up to you
whether you help people discover their true worth,
In our tradition, we usually celebrate the Ascension of Christ (which always falls on a Thursday) on the Sunday before Pentecost. I have talked about the stardust aspect of the Ascension in the past, but I thought it would appropriate to do it again this year. We need a message of hope that affirms both our faith in God and our belief that science is real. Here's the order (and remember, as always, it's best to watch the video in full-screen mode):
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
—Psalm 37:8
I am good at fretting. I know firsthand that fretting leads to ingratitude, unholy worry, acrimony, unspoken accusations. Indeed, fretting leads only to evil: the kind of evil that is chronic and insidious. I thank God that I am quickly delivered of fretting through the grace of forgiveness received and given. I also thank God that I'm not good at finishing what I start... especially when it comes fretting.
I am especially thankful that the recent period of social isolation has not been a time of negativity for me. I could certainly have put my alone time to better
God of all mystery,
if in the presence of death
our thoughts are startled
and our words flutter like frightened birds,
bring us stillness
that we may cover the sorrow of our hearts
with the folded hands of prayer.
Give us grace to wait on you
silently and with patience.
You are nearer to us than we know,
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
He will make your vindication shine like the light, and the justice of your cause like the noonday.
—Psalm 37:5-6
If I commit my way to God, then my way and God's way are one. Only then can my cause ever be vindicated—not because it's my cause, but because it's God's will.
May the path I follow this day be your path, O God. May my desires and priorities align with your will. Thus may your light, shining in and through me, give guidance to others; in Jesus' Name, who taught me to pray: Our Father...
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
—Psalm 37:4
The second half of this verse is the part that catches my eye. I want God to give me the desires of my heart. On the surface, I think about how easy my life would be if that happened. But of course I shouldn't really read the second half of the verse until I've given thought to the first half. Those who live lives of ease or selfish pleasure are not generally those who "take delight in the Lord." Clearly, then, if I truly delight in God, then the desires of my heart will not be
How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
—Psalm 36:7-9
The image of the fountain as the source of life is not a common one in the psalms. It occurs here in Psalm 36:9, and later, God is referred to as Israel's fountain (68:26). Elsewhere in the Bible, it's used twice by Jeremiah. But John Calvin loved this image in relation to God and used it frequently in his writings. So here's an excellent example. Though he doesn't refer to any particular passage of scripture, it seems as though he might be writing about today's
My devotional this morning reminded me of the Song of Samwise in the Orc Tower from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Return of the King (Vol. 3 of The Lord of the Rings trilogy). It's always seemed to me to be a very liturgical poem—so much so that I have often read it at the end of my Good Friday service in church. So this morning I set it to the hymn tune Amberley and made a video:
Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.
—Psalm 36:5-6
I love this part of Psalm 36. It speaks of the vastness of God's love, faithfulness, goodness, and justice. But I usually think of it out of context. Before I get to the beauty of verses 5-6, I first encounter the first four verses:
Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; there is no fear of God before their eyes.
For they flatter themselves in their own eyes that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit; they have ceased to act wisely and do good.
They plot mischief while on their beds; they are set on a way that is not good; they do not reject evil.
—Psalm 36:1-4
So I suppose there's an intentional comparison of heaven and earth. Or, more to the point, our present reality in time and God's reality in eternity are being
You have seen, O Lord; do not be silent! O Lord, do not be far from me!
Wake up! Bestir yourself for my defense, for my cause, my God and my Lord!
Vindicate me, O Lord, my God, according to your righteousness, and do not let them rejoice over me.
Do not let them say to themselves, “Aha, we have our heart’s desire.” Do not let them say, “We have swallowed you up.”
Let all those who rejoice at my calamity be put to shame and confusion; let those who exalt themselves against me be clothed with shame and dishonor.
Let those who desire my vindication shout for joy and be glad, and say evermore, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant.”
Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all day long.
—Psalm 35:22-28
When the proud look at the meek, what they see is opportunism. How can I take advantage? How can I take revenge? How can I make myself look good? How can I humiliate? How can I profit? But "God also sees and takes notice of the cruelty and malice of those who
feel a pleasure and gratification in seeing others afflicted and in
trouble" [Calvin].
Throughout the psalms, there's a contrast drawn between the viewpoint of those who oppress or take advantage, and God—whose "seeing" brings wholeness to the downtrodden. Nothing better demonstrates the fall of Adam than this example of how the image of God has been marred in humanity: When God sees, the oppressed are lifted up; when the wicked see, it is with a
Then I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.
—Psalm 35:18
"I can commune with God much better alone in nature than I can in a church with all those hypocrites." I can't tell you the number of times I've heard that one. And though most people aren't communing with nature, they've certainly had enough alone time recently—including most Christians who previously gathered with other members of the body of Christ on a regular basis. And all this isolation from the hypocrites of the church has proven to most of us imperfect people just how much we need all those other imperfect people.
My expectation during this period of sheltering in place was that we would be
During this morning's 15-minute worship service, we'll briefly explore what it might mean to "sing a new song" to God. The order is below, and, as always, it's best to watch the video in full-screen mode.
00.00 Chimes
00.39 Welcome
00.55 Call to Worship—Psalm 33:1-5
01.26 Opening Prayer
01.44 Scripture Reading—Hebrews 10:24-25
02.06 Meditation
07.30 Prayer
08.23 Song—In His Time
09.48 Communion Prayer
11.16 Lord's Prayer
11.45 Words of Institution/Sharing the Bread & Cup
Then my soul shall rejoice in the Lord, exulting in his deliverance.
All my bones shall say, “O Lord, who is like you? You deliver the weak from those too strong for them, the weak and needy from those who despoil them.”
—Psalm 35:9-10
If bones could talk, what would mine say? The psalmist's faith is so deep, that her or his bones extol God. Not just in body, but in the very frame that upholds the body, the psalmist praises the Defender of the weak and needy.
Today's faithful seem very far removed from the words of this psalm. Instead of being encouraged to share our plenty with those who have nothing, people in my culture are taught to expect even more—"blessings" that the vast
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them from them all.
—Psalm 34:19
I wonder what the "name-it-claim-it" preachers of the prosperity gospel do with this passage? It's nice to believe in deliverance from difficulties. But if I actually deny the existence of difficulties, then what exactly am I being delivered from? Or if I believe the difficulties occurred in the first place due to a lack of righteousness or faith, then what makes my deliverance any different from a wicked person experiencing a run of good luck?
Troubles are real. And so is God's deliverance. To deny the existence of one is to render the other pointless at best, and nonexistent at worst. But woe to
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit
—Psalm 34:18
It's popular these days to ask, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" But the Bible answers a different question. As Eugene Peterson wrote: "the wicked experience suffering as utter despair, the complete destruction of all that is important; the righteous experience it in nearness to God, who preserves his children through every adversity."*
In other words, "good" people shouldn't expect only good things to happen. But the twofold promise of God is that we (and seriously, how dare we call ourselves good?) will never be alone when we experience difficulties, and that
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
—Psalm 34:14
This morning, I notice that there's movement in this verse. Evil is a place. To do something good or kind or even productive, I need to hightail it out of evil. Only then can I hunt for peace—an entity which, by definition, exists outside of evil. But just seeking it isn't enough. I must follow where it leads. It must become my goal.
Note that if it's my goal, peace is in control of me. I cannot dictate my terms for peace, but I must accept peace on its own terms. Making peace, then, isn't expecting others to conform to my idea of what peace is, but to invite others to experience something defined by God, demonstrated by the example of Christ, and animated by the Spirit.
Grant me peace, O God—not as the world offers it and not as my limited mind envisions it, but your peace, which surpasses my understanding; in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Top chefs place a great deal of emphasis on the way they present food because they say that we first taste with our eyes. Strangely, though, the psalmist says the reverse is also true: We first see with our taste buds.
O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.
✙ Psalm 34:8 ✙
As is the case with most people, I've always interpreted this verse as telling me that by tasting, I will be able to sense God's goodness. But in meditating on it, I suppose it's also possible that the psalmist is telling me to taste God's goodness and also see God's goodness... in other words, a person of faith should use their senses (probably not just taste and sight, but all the others as well) to know of the goodness of God.
As it turns out, this interpretation works well with Calvin's comment on the same
O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his Name together.
—Psalm 34:3
"Magnify" here is, in Hebrew, גָּדַל, a verb which means to make greater or even to become, or to grow up. This made me think about the audacity of humans thinking they can magnify God, than whom none can be greater, and whose greatness was before time began and will continue after time is no more. Even less would it be possible for the Ancient of Days to grow up or mature.
And yet, I think this is not only what happens, but what is called for. I say this
Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
—Psalm 33:20
Waiting is hard, but here the psalmist wants us (not me alone) "to quiet the heart in waiting God’s leisure" [Thomas Manton]. There's something important about the thrice repeated "our" in this verse. Charles Spurgeon calls this threefold our (our souls, our help, our shield) "three firm clasps, three strong holdfasts." When I pray on my own—whether in blissful solitude or in frightened loneliness—I know that I am not alone. And when I am with others, I am in such union with them that it is not "our souls" but "our soul" that have one help
Today's service isn't really a Mother's Day service. Instead the theme of the meditation is images of the Divine. And in place of a benediction, worship closes with a prayer for families. Here's the complete order:
00.00 Chimes
00.52 Welcome
01.13 Opening Prayer: Psalm 31:1-3
01.39 Song: I Love You, Lord
03.16 Meditation on Images for the Divine
07.32 Prayer on Images for the Divine
08.32 Communion Prayer
09.22 Lord's Prayer
09.51 Words of Institution/Communion
10.34 Closing Prayer
for Families
12.11 Response: Go Now in Peace
As always, it's best to view the video in full-screen mode:
A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save.
Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
—Psalm 33:16-19
The United States has the largest military budget in the world. It's not even close. Of course it would be naïve to think that we should not invest in our nation's defense. But perhaps it was naïve to think that that national defense made us safe. After all, it isn't an army or a bombing raid that has imprisoned us all to our homes and shut our businesses. Perhaps a fraction of our defense budget could have been spent on healthcare or invested in how we might
The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind.
From where he sits enthroned he watches all the inhabitants of the earth—he who fashions the hearts of them all, and observes all their deeds.
—Psalm 33:13-15
Words written over three centuries ago by a biblical scholar named Matthew Henry give me insight into these verses of the 33rd Psalm*:
God still molds our hearts, turns them as rivers of water, however he pleases, to serve his own purposes. He darkens or enlightens people's understanding, stiffens or bows their wills as he is pleased to make use of them. He that fashions our hearts fashions them all. And our hearts are like our faces: though there is a great difference, and such variety that no two faces are exactly alike, so no two hearts are exactly of the same temper—yet there is such a similarity that, in some things, all faces and all
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.
Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.
—Psalm 33:6, 12
Genesis 1 tells us that God spoke, and the universe was created. John 1 tells us that that Speaking—that Word—which was in the beginning, was God, and was the means of creation. And in between, in Psalm 33:6, there is this beautiful confirmation of the biblical doctrine of the creative power of the word: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
And this is the theological basis for God's awesomeness. If God spoke, and
Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
—Psalm 33:3
There are many places in the psalter where we are exhorted to "sing a new song" to God. Why all this novelty?
Calvin maintains that "new" means a rare or choice song. But we might also take "new" more literally, and accept that the song we sing to God is indeed a new one, one that has not been presented to other beings or powers, one that is premiered, as it were, for God first and God alone.
This might mean two things, both of which seem important.
In the midst of one of the Bible's most depressing books—appropriately
Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
—Psalm 32:10 (NRSV)
Many sorrows shall come to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him.
—Psalm 32:10 (Geneva Bible)
Two ways of life are compared here Psalm 32:10: First the wicked, then the good? No, not the good, but simply those who trust God. And two corollary harvests: First torments (sorrows might be a better translation of the Hebrew, and is the word found in the old Geneva Bible), then blessings? No, wrong again. This time it's חֶסֶד*—a word that the NRSV translates as steadfast love, but which used to be translated as mercy. Kindness, goodness, and grace are
Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.
You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
❦ Psalm 32:1-7
I suppose this morning I'm going to sound like a fundamentalist, because in my now 30+ years as an ordained minister, I've noticed a shift in attitude—a shift
Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.
—Psalm 31:24
In my devotions a week or so ago, I read the end of the 27th Psalm and meditated on what it means to wait for the Lord—how it wasn't indicative of a passive faith, but requires an active stance. We see it even more succinctly in Psalm 31:24. In this case, it's hard to say if strength and courage precede the waiting, or if the waiting produces strength and courage. But somehow strength and courage cannot be separated from the commandment—repeated throughout scripture—to wait for the Lord.
So the relationship between waiting and hoping becomes important. In Germanic languages we don't necessarily see it. Look at a couple of verses in
The Fourth Sunday of Easter is Good Shepherd Sunday—a day when we always read the 23rd Psalm. Good Shepherd Sunday seems especially meaningful this year, and I think it's especially comforting for us to think of the Lord as our shepherd today.
The order for today's online worship video is:
Chimes
Welcome
Call to Worship (Isaiah 40:9, 11)
Opening Prayer
Hymn: Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us
Scripture Reading: John 10:1-11
Meditation
Song (My Shepherd Will Supply My Need)
Psalm 23 (unison)
Prayer (incl. Communion Prayer)
Sharing the Bread & Cup
Benediction (Hebrews 13:20-21)
Response: Go Now in Peace
As always, it's always best to watch the worship video full screen.
Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.
—Psalm 31:16
When I lived in Colombia, I encountered a culture that was more acutely aware than the one I grew up in of what it means to turn one's back on another person. Perhaps it wasn't a huge deal, but people seemed nonetheless more aware in conversation of who was at their back and how that might be perceived as impolite.
When God does this in the Bible, of course, the implication goes far beyond discourtesy. For God to turn away from a person or a people is to ignore them
What we look forward to every year on the first Saturday in May won't be happening this year because of the lockdown... at least not in May. But there are lots of alternatives, including this very special remote performance by 100 students from 13 commonwealth colleges and universities.
My favorite version of the song will always be this one, by Linkin' Bridge.
I will be glad and rejoice in your loving-kindness, For you have seen my affliction. You have known my soul in adversities. You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a broad place.
—Psalm 31:7-8
Here's that broad place again—the old savanna where our species evolved, the one which still lives somewhere deep inside each human being. It's the place where we're able to feel both freedom and safety, the place where God frequently sets the feet of those who write the psalms.
Here in the middle of Psalm 31, the freedom and safety have come about because God—the richest of the rich and the famousest of the famous—has taken notice of one who thought him- or herself beneath notice. And I love the way I'm told this: God sees the affliction of the afflicted, and God knows them in their troubles—and not just the them they show to others, but who they are
I remember as a kid reading an article in the Ashland Daily Independent (my hometown newspaper) about a place called Beckham County. This had reïnforced a story my grandmother had once told me about this ghost of a place. I'm not sure she told me its name—only that Olive Hill, the second-biggest town in Carter County (the county in which my mother was born) was briefly a county seat. She may or may not have gone into much detail. I don't remember. But I do remember specifically reading with a great deal of interest the newspaper article about the life and death of Beckham County years later.
Beckham County was created the 120th [1] county of Kentucky in 1904, more
In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me.
Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.
You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your Name’s sake lead me and guide me.
—Psalm 31:1-3
A rock is seemingly a cold and unmoving image to use for the Divine. But I can stand on a rock to avoid being overwhelmed by the flood—or even to stand out as I celebrate God's deliverance. I can duck behind a rock to avoid being seen, or in order not to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. My soul can be hidden in the cleft of a rock for shade in the heat of injustice. The rock is used in both the Old and New Testaments to call forth the image of a spring
