God Will Make a Way

Isaiah 43:18, 19

Remember not the former things,
    nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert.

^~^~^~^~^~

Isaiah 41:13

“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

*+*+*+*+*

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.  

Because he  loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;

    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

^~^~^~^~^~^~^

Graves Into Gardens
Elevation Worship

I searched the world
But it couldn't fill me
Man's empty praise
And treasures that fade
Are never enough

Then You came along
And put me back together
And every desire
Is now satisfied
Here in Your love (Hey)

Oh, there's nothing better than You
There's nothing better than You
Lord, there's nothing
Nothing is better than You (Oh)
(Yes, I know it's true)
(Come on, stand up, hey)

I'm not afraid
To show You my weakness
My failures and flaws
Lord, You've seen them all
And You still call me friend

'Cause the God of the mountain
Is the God of the valley
There's not a place
Your mercy and grace
Won't find me again (Come on, now)

Oh, there's nothing better than You
There's nothing better than You
Lord, there's nothing
Nothing is better than You
(I know it's true)

Oh, there's nothing better than You (Somebody testify)
There's nothing better than You
Lord, there's nothing
Nothing is better than You

You turn mourning to dancing
You give beauty for ashes
You turn shame into glory
You're the only one who can (Come on)
You turn mourning to dancing
You give beauty for ashes
You turn shame into glory (Tell 'em now)
You're the only one who can (Let's turn the graves)

You turn graves into gardens
You turn bones into armies
You turn seas into highways
You're the only one who can (He's the only Lord)
You're the only one who can

Oh, there's nothing (Come on, choir), better than You
Oh, there's nothing better than You
Lord, there's nothing
Nothing is better than You (Search and not found)

Oh, there's nothing better than You
There's nothing better than You
Lord, there's nothing
Nothing is better than You

Oh, come on, if He turned your grave into a garden, say

You turn graves into gardens
You turn bones into armies
You turn seas into highways
You're the only one who can (Turn to graves)
You turn graves into gardens (Turn bones into an army)
You turn bones into armies (He's makin' waves through the seas)
You turn seas into highways
You're the only one who can
You're the only one who can
You're the only one who can

Somebody give Him praise in this house

I don't think we're finished yet, come on
I think He's turning some things over tonight

You turn my mourning into dancing, come on

You turn mourning to dancing (Yeah)
You give beauty for ashes (Shame into glory)
You turn shame into glory
You're the only one who can (Oh, He's turnin' my grave)
You turn graves into gardens
You turn bones into armies (He's makin' waves through the seas)
You turn seas into highways (You're the only)
You're the only one who can (Come on, one more time)
(You turn my grave into a garden)

You turn graves into gardens (You're resurrectin' bones)
You turn bones into armies (You're makin' waves through my sea)
You turn seas into highways (Shout it out, You're the only)
You're the only one who can (You're the only)
You're the only one who can (You're the only)
You're the only one who can

Jesus, You're the only one
Come on, give Him one more shout of praise

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Christopher Joel Brown / Steven Furtick / Brandon Lake / Tiffany Hammer

Graves Into Gardens lyrics © Be Essential Songs

Psalm 91 - God's Poetry & Comfort

Psalm 91Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God

91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 91:3 That is, one who catches birds in a trap or snare

Frenzy by Anne Sexton & Psalm 91

Frenzy

By Anne Sexton

I am not lazy.

I am on the amphetamine of the soul.

I am, each day,

typing out the God

my typewriter believes in.

Very quick. Very intense,

like a wolf at a live heart.

Not lazy.

When a lazy man, they say,

looks toward heaven,

the angels close the windows.

Oh angels,

keep the windows open

so that I may reach in

and steal each object,

objects that tell me the sea is not dying,

objects that tell me the dirt has a life-wish,

that the Christ who walked for me,

walked on true ground

and that this frenzy,

like bees stinging the heart all morning,

will keep the angels

with their windows open,

wide as an English bathtub.

******************************

Dear God,

I have been a razor poised

on my own delicate wrists

and I have pushed until

my brilliant red blood trickled

like crimson tears

down my arm onto the filthy

floor.

I have been the bleeding arm

and the tear-stained,

copper-tasting blood.

I have been without hope and

emptier than an atheist’s soul.

I have laid me down to sleep

and prayed for death and not

to wake.

And yet you came.

You came when I cried out,

alone, hopeless & dying

and you gave me hope

and washed me with your

gentle love,

bandaging my broken,

barely beating heart with

your most tender words & then

hiding me under your wings

like a mother bird

until the world felt safe

once again.

How can I not be heartbroken

& so fucking sad when others

who've never known

your salvation---the hardcore,

life-saving kind---

disregard you and spit

in your face?  But then,

I guess you're used to that.

I will always love you

and worship you

as if my life depends on it---

because it does.

Marion 12/4/11

_____________________

Psalm 91

 ¹ Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
      will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
 ² This I declare about the Lord:
   He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
      he is my God, and I trust him.
 ³ For he will rescue you from every trap
      and protect you from deadly disease.
 ⁴ He will cover you with his feathers.
      He will shelter you with his wings.
      His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
 ⁵ Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
      nor the arrow that flies in the day.
 ⁶ Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
      nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
 ⁷ Though a thousand fall at your side,
      though ten thousand are dying around you,
      these evils will not touch you.
 ⁸ Just open your eyes,
      and see how the wicked are punished.
 ⁹ If you make the Lord your refuge,
      if you make the Most High your shelter,
 ¹⁰ no evil will conquer you;
      no plague will come near your home.
 ¹¹ For he will order his angels
      to protect you wherever you go.
 ¹² They will hold you up with their hands
      so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
 ¹³ You will trample upon lions and cobras;
      you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
 ¹⁴ The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
      I will protect those who trust in my name.
 ¹⁵ When they call on me, I will answer;
      I will be with them in trouble.
      I will rescue and honor them.
 ¹⁶ I will reward them with a long life
      and give them my salvation.”