MARTIN LUTHER.
The Book of Psalms.
The heart of man is like a ship out on a wild sea, and driven by storm-winds blowing from all the four quarters of the world; now impelled by fear and care for coming evil, now disturbed by vexation and grief for present misfortune, now urged along by hope and a confidence of future good, now wafted by joy and contentment. These storm-winds of the soul teach us how to speak in good earnest, to open our hearts and to utter their contents. The man actually in want and fear does not express himself quietly, like a man who only talks about fear and want; a heart filled with joy utters itself and sings in a way not to be imitated by one who is all the time in fear; “It does not come from the heart,” men say, when a sorrowful man tries to laugh, or a merry man would weep.… Now of what does this book of Psalms mostly consist but of earnest expressions of the heart’s emotions—the storm-winds, as I have called them? Where are finer expressions of joy than the Psalms of praise and thanksgiving? There you look into the hearts of the saints, as if you looked into a fair and delightful garden, aye, or into heaven itself—and you see how lovely and pleasant flowers are springing up there out of manifold happy and beautiful thoughts of God and all His mercies.… But again, where will you find deeper, more mournful and pitiful words of sorrow than in the Psalms devoted to lamentation? I conclude then that the Psalter is a hand-book for religious men, wherein every one, whatever may be his condition, may find words that will rhyme with it; and Psalms as exactly fitted to suit his wants as if they had been written solely for his benefit.—From the Preface to Luther’s Book of Psalms.
Light in Despondency.
When the sky is black and lowering, when thy path in life is drear,
Upward lift thy steadfast glances, ’mid the maze of sorrow here.
From the beaming Fount of Gladness shall descend a radiance bright,
And the grave shall be a garden, and the house of darkness light,
For the Lord will hear and answer when in faith his people pray;
Whatsoe’er he hath appointed shall but work thee good alway.
E’en thy very hairs are numbered, God commands when one shall fall;
And the Lord is with his people, helping each and blessing all.
Our Defense.
A strong tower is the Lord our God,
To shelter and defend us;
Our shield his arm, our sword his rod
Against our foes befriend us.
That ancient enemy—
His gathering powers we see,
His terror and his toils;
Yet victory with its spoils
Not earth but heaven shall send us!
Though wrestling with the wrath of hell,
No might of man avail us,
Our captain is Immanuel,
And angel comrades hail us!
Still challenge ye his name?
“Christ in the flesh who came”—
The Lord, the Lord of Hosts!
Our cause his succor boasts;
And God shall ne’er fail us!
While mighty truth with us remain,
Hell’s arts shall move us never;
Nor parting friendship, honors, gains,
Our love from Jesus sever:
They leave us when they part
With him a peaceful heart;
And when from dust we rise,
Death yields us as he dies,
The crown of life forever!