The Master Potter

The master Potter scraped His wheel
     And threw a lump upon it;
The Earth Son and the Spirit watched
    As Heaven's chords responded.
        His fingers fashioned out of Nothingness
            The Mysteries of Life
        And from the empty Void
             Brought Light from out of Night.
                He thought of all the laughter
                    That would fill the empty space;
                He thought then of the one with Sin
                     Who'd ravage like a mace
                            The fragile vessels He created.
                He thought of all the sorrow
                    That would fill the lonely world
                And how at His own Son
                    They'd hate and malice hurl.
        He pondered then these broken pots,
            Shattered beyond recognition,
        Responding to His healing Fire—
            Fit vessels once again!
So then He picked the lump up
    And placed it in His Hand;
Then breathing gently in its mouth,
    He created man.

- D. Benning

Wings of Flight

The inspiration for this poem came from my appreciation of George Herbert's poem of a similar title: "Easter Wings." (Click the title to view his poem.)

So one evening, I was contemplating his poem and wondering if it could be set to music.  I couldn't do it.  I couldn't accommodate the various syllabifications and varying accents within the two verses.  So I toyed with writing my own poem based on his structure.

That worked.  It worked very well.

But there it sat.  For fifteen years.  Until I had the opportunity to arrange it four four female voices and record it.  You can find a recording of this song here.
Direct link to the mp3 here.

Wings of Flight

Sov'reign Creator of the rolling spheres,

Foolishly we have gone astray:

Decaying more till fears

Are all our days

And years.

With Thee

I long to rest

From sin's dread tyranny

And lean my soul upon Thy breast.

Vanquishing fear Thy rest is flight to me.

O Lord, from birth my life hast always been

Filled with affliction, grief and care;

Looking for life in sin

But nothing there

Again.

But see!

Thy love hast borne

For me a guarantee

Of Life in Thine eternal morn.

Thy Love for me hast put the flight in me.

Thy Love and Grace hast risen in my soul,

Risen with healing in Thy wings.

Father of Lights, control

So from me springs

Thy goal.

From Thee

How could I haste?

Where could I go or be?

Thy Words alone my life have graced.

Capture my heart and set Thy flight in me.

How soon shall time dissolve and fly away,

Carrying Thy sons away to Thee?

Risen then shall this clay

No longer be

Astray.

To Thee

I then shall fly

And taste Thy victory

And all my longings satisfy.

Then shall Thy Cross be wings of flight to me.

 

- D. Benning

O God, the Rock of Ages

I love this hymn, a retelling in verse of Psalm 90.  It was originally written by Edward Bickersteth in 1860.  I felt that somehow it was forgotten—especially when used with the tune NEW WEDLOCK from J. T. White's The Sacred Harp collection of 1844.  I rearranged the words and updated it to a bit more modern language and added choruses.

The result?
You can view the music and listen to an mp3 of it here: O God, the Rock of Ages.

O God, the Rock of Ages
Alt. version, 2012, with added choruses.

O God, the Rock of Ages,
Who evermore hast been,
What time the tempest rages,
Our rest and peace within;
O Lord, the same as ever

Before creation’s chord,

To endless days forever,

The Everlasting Lord!

Our years are like the shadows
On sunny hills that lie,
Or grasses in the meadows
That blossom but to die;
A sleep, a dream, a story
By strangers quickly told
An unremaining glory
Of things that soon are old.

      Teach us our days to number

      So when our years are o’er,

      We then in final slumber

      May wake on Heaven’s shore!

O You, who cannot slumber,
Whose light grows never pale,
Teach us aright to number
Our years before they fail;
On us Your mercy lighten,
On us Your goodness rest,
And let Your Spirit brighten
The hearts that You have blessed.

Lord, crown our faith’s endeavor
With beauty and with grace,
Till, clothed in light forever,
We see You face to face:
A joy no language measures,
A fountain brimming o’er,
An endless flow of pleasures,
An ocean without shore.

      O Lord, our Lord forever,

      Our portion without end;

      O Love that none can sever,

      What bliss Your Grace portends!

      O Lord, our God and Savior,

      Your mercy and Your Love

      Here rest on us with favor—

      Bring us to Heav’n above!

- D. Benning