"Good Tidings of Great Joy" : The King James Bible

On this day in 1965, according to the Associated Press, "'A Charlie Brown Christmas,' the first animated TV special featuring characters from the 'Peanuts' comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, was first broadcast on CBS." Here is the poem that is, as Linus, after reciting it, said, "what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."


GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY
from the Bible: Luke 2:8-14 (King James Version)

And there were in the same country
Shepherds abiding in the field,
Keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
And the glory of the Lord shone round about them;
And they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, "Fear not:
For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,
Which shall be to all people.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David
A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

"And this shall be a sign unto you;
Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
Lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel
A multitude of the heavenly host
Praising God, and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace,
Good will toward men."

"Hush, All Ye Sounds of War" by William H. Draper : Christ in Poetry

In the King James Version of the Bible Isaiah 9:6 reads: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Here is a poem about the nativity of Jesus Christ, who is the Prince of Peace.


HUSH, ALL YE SOUNDS OF WAR
by William H. Draper

Hush, all ye sounds of war,
Ye nations all be still,
A voice of heav'nly joy steals over vale and hill,
O hear the angels sing the captive world's release,
This day is born in Bethlehem the Prince of Peace.

No more divided be,
Ye families of men,
Old enmity forget, old friendship knit again,
In the new year of God let brothers' love increase,
This day is born in Bethlehem the Prince of Peace.


Source: Christ in Poetry (1952), an anthology compiled and edited by Thomas Curtis Clark and Hazel Davis Clark

Morning Prayer in Time of War

According to the Associated Press, "On Dec. 7, 1941, Imperial Japan's navy launched a preemptive attack on the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, one of a series of raids in the Pacific. The United States declared war against Japan the next day."

The following "Morning Prayer in Time of War" is from A Pocket Prayer Book and Devotional Guide, compiled by Ralph Spalding Cushman and published in 1941 by The Upper Room:

     "O Lord God Almighty, who from Thy throne dost behold all the dwellers upon earth, look down with pity upon those on whom have fallen the miseries of war. Have compassion on the wounded and dying; comfort the brokenhearted; assuage the madness of the nations; make war to cease; give peace in our time, O Lord, we ask it in the name of Him who is the Prince of Peace, even Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

"Poem on Reputation: A Good Name" : The King James Bible

POEM ON REPUTATION: A GOOD NAME
from the Bible: Proverbs 22:1 (King James Version)

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,
And loving favor rather than silver and gold.

John Denver sings "Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days Are Stone)" (Remastered)

"The Sixty-seventh Psalm" by John Davies

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Here, for Thanksgiving Day, is a Biblical poem, Psalm 67 as rendered by poet John Davies (1569-1626). This Biblical poem is "A Psalm or Song" exhorting the nations to praise God.


THE SIXTY-SEVENTH PSALM
by John Davies

Show us thy mercy, Lord, and grace divine;
Turn thy bright face, that it on us may shine,
That all the men on earth enlightened so,
Their own salvation, and thy ways may know.
O let thy people praise thy blessed name,
And let all tongues and nations do the same,
And let all mortal men rejoice in this,
That God their judge and just his judgment is.
O let thy people praise thy blessed name,
And let all tongues and nations do the same,
Then shall the earth bring forth a rich increase,
And God shall bless us with a fruitful peace;
Even God shall bless us and his holy fear
Possess the hearts of all men everywhere.


Source: The Poets' Book of Psalms (1995), Compiled, Edited, and Introduced by Laurance Wieder