Ode to Love

Lord you are my rock Faithfully defending me And rescuing me I would be long gone Swept away beneath the earth If not for your aid They had laid a snare Conceptually flawless But none can match you It failed before set You had long since disarmed it Before I fell in Let them be amazed At how often they have failed To silence your ward May it be a sign That you are interfering To show your glory Make clear your presence Step forward in the daylight Removing the veil I will claim your name Then, now, and as I have done All glory to you

You make the tense past To free us slaves from bondage This dust given life Not just of contempt Though you bring that to an end You grant us free will This must be a gift Freedom not given simply Carefully provided For if you claim it We would be forced to comply Is then freedom free? Is the cistern free From the architect's purpose Or from its design? So choice is balanced Guided carefully for us By our master's hands Each day you mold me Unbinding this, freeing that While leaving me whole So that I might stand With the heart that you gave me And soul all my own 

My heart rejoices I go to the house of God I will not look back I enter gladly Immersed in its elegance Surrounded by grace The beauty persists For its strong foundation Allows for great things Wonderful people They let me shed my troubles Now left at the door Glorious structures Imagination made real Real made marvelous Oh those sand castles How could they ever compare To these solid things? As a welcome guest I call for the host by name I finally see Majesty unmatched Visage near unbearable In its perfection 

You watch my steps Lord My vigilant protector The eye of the storm The storm that rages Everywhere around me now Does not threaten me For you are my God And I am your faithful man The eye will not shut I lift up my eyes My help comes from the mountain I am unshaken I will finish this I will see your plan fulfilled Despite their scheming The moon shines brightly And while the sun still beats down Your shade cools my skin Even the worst days Are not unmanageable For your graciousness Let your blessings bloom For all those ready for them With perfect timing 

These men call for war So addicted to violence They buy it with gold How can I persist? I have lived with them too long Without sense of peace Bolster me with hope To remind me of myself And why you sent me To calm these lost sheep Salvation is meant for us all Even rabid dogs They hear not my words How am I supposed to reach Those that do not hear? Graven images Idols and makers alike Senseless creations This will take wisdom I set my heart on you God To show me the way Speak of what you need What is required of me How they might be reached 

120:1 I call on the  Lord  in my distress,      and he answers me. 120:2 Save me,  Lord ,      from lying lips      and from deceitful tongues. 120:3-4 What will he do to you,      and what more besides,      you deceitful tongue? He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,      with burning coals of the broom bush. 120:5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,      that I live among the tents of Kedar! 120:6 Too long have I lived      among those who hate peace. 120:7 I am for peace;      but when I speak, they are for war. 121:1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—      where does my help come from? 121:2 My help comes from the  Lord ,      the Maker of heaven and earth. 121:3-4 He will not let your foot slip—      he who wat...