Folklore speculation states that the hymn “Rock of Ages” was allegedly written following a sudden and severe thunderstorm, that the author, Augustus Montague Toplady witnessed while being forced to take shelter under a rocky cliff. Although this composition was completed in 1776, it remains to be a source of inspiration for a multitude of people today. Salvation is the prime ingredient to this poetically constructed song, Toplady systematically captures biblical translations that masterfully support his concepts. The message he artistically conveys is simple, without God, more importantly, without the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, the human soul cannot be salvaged. Therefore, only by the grace of God can we enter freely and forgiven into his kingdom of heaven. Although the tone Toplady presents throughout his sentimentally driven work may be considered humbly somber it also provides an equally optimistic and triumphant significance.
The first two lines of the hymn can be attributed to the dialog God had with Moses in the tabernacle. As Toplady stresses “Rock of
…show more content…
Poem, hymn or combination of the two, “Rock of Ages” is a brilliantly designed and masterfully executed recipe for salvation. Whether a person is in the prime of life or on the brink of death, this work of art was intended to serve everyone. It touches on the unapproachability of God apart from a mediator, it brings up double imputation, it shows the futility of our own works in securing salvation, it foretells God’s righteous judgment on the last day and in the end it provides hope in salvation. In conclusion, as Toplady would agree, Christ is the rock and in his cleft, we find salvation. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (The Holy Bible, John.
...ing that there may just be something truly holy out in the world under the guise of a common sight. Just as “Holy Thursday” from Songs of Experience is not just brutal honesty and looking at the world without a veil, there is still a message of hope in the last stanza. Where the speaker declares that some where there is a place where the sun shines, rain falls, and poverty does not exist. That type of hope only comes from experience, where one has seen enough to openly speak on what is truly happening and knows that there is always some place better.
Without the use of stereotypical behaviours or even language is known universally, the naming of certain places in, but not really known to, Australia in ‘Drifters’ and ‘Reverie of a Swimmer’ convoluted with the overall message of the poems. The story of ‘Drifters’ looks at a family that moves around so much, that they feel as though they don’t belong. By utilising metaphors of planting in a ‘“vegetable-patch”, Dawe is referring to the family making roots, or settling down somewhere, which the audience assumes doesn’t occur, as the “green tomatoes are picked by off the vine”. The idea of feeling secure and settling down can be applied to any country and isn’t a stereotypical Australian behaviour - unless it is, in fact, referring to the continental
Houser Hamm, Marilyn. “Singing our salvation.” Vision (Winnipeg, Man.) 7, no. 1 (2007): 54-60. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed November 19, 2013).
For example, one line, “Soon our pilgrimage will cease; Soon our happy hearts will quiver, with the melody of peace,” which is saying that one day we will die, and you can’t stop that. “Lay we every burden down; Grace our spirits will deliver, and provide a robe and a crown,” also reveals that you should appreciate what we’ve had, and what was given to us. This song is telling you, in every line, that you can’t live forever, but appreciate what you have, while you
Hughes writing in this story is very visual and enriched with figurative language. “And the whole building rocked with prayer and song”(Hughes 229). Hughes personifies the building and depicts an overwhelming amount of prayer and song. Another example of figurative language is found when he pretends he has seen Jesus. “Suddenly the whole room broke into a sea of shouting as they saw me rise” (Hughes 232). This metaphor sheds light on the intensity of the church at that moment. Comparing the room to a sea, an immense untameable body, exaggerates the situation he was in and portrays him as almost drowning in his
Some people never get satisfied with what they have. In the stories, "Amir", and, "Gold Mountain Poems", The life lesson is to be happy for what you have. In both stories the main characters are immigrants coming to America. In the story, Amir just moved here from India and is upset with the people. In the poem the speaker is taken to an immigrant island instead of being released to go live in America. In both stories they are grateful for what they have.
..., but still pleads for God to "take me in" (ll. 41), and promises to "pay...in happiness" for mercy. Once again, the speaker demonstrates the same desires for physical treasures that he expresses in the first stanza as he asks God to "give mine eye / A peephole there to see bright glory's chases" (ll. 39-40). Even in the God's kingdom, the speaker reveals his humanity as he focuses on ornamentation which starkly contrasts with God's divinity as He has the ability to show love even for sinners.
One poet who was found immense success in the last twenty years in Elizabeth Alexander.An African American woman, Alexander published her first collection of poetry in 1995 and has continued to produce outstanding works since then. Elizabeth Alexander is well known for her poems because of the skillful use of techniques such as diction, enjambment, and asyndeton. In addition, Alexander has garnered attention by adhering to traditional topics such as family, motherhood, and love. Yet, her work does not fit all of the conventional expectations of poetry. Alexander defies expectations by the lack of rhyme or consistent structure in her poems. Nevertheless, I personally find Elizabeth Alexander’s poems of witnessing and stream of consciousness
Verse 1 begins with the psalmist expressing a longing to be with God. The palmist paints a very graphic picture to convey how God’s presence is desired. The statement, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God,” suggests that not only does the psalmist long for the very presence of God, but also the protection from enemies. A deer enjoys drinking water, uses it for protection, and needs it for survival. When a deer is being hunted it uses the water as a place of refuge. The deer will get into the water and submerge itself so that the hunter’s dogs will not be able to trace its sent. The deer’s nose is the only part of its body that is left unsubmerged. This allows the deer to detect when the danger has subsided. The psalmist is articulating a strong yearning to be in the presence of God, and a feeling of vulnerability to danger. The psalmist’s inability to be in the presence of God is personal. The words ‘me’ and ‘I’ have a fixed presence throughout the text.
Folklore speculation states that the hymn “Rock of Ages” was allegedly written following a sudden and severe thunderstorm, that the author, Augustus Montague Toplady witnessed while being forced to take shelter under a rocky cliff. Although this composition was completed in 1776, it remains to be a source of inspiration for a multitude of people today. Salvation is the prime ingredient to this poetically constructed song, Toplady systematically captures biblical translations that masterfully support his concepts. The message he artistically conveys is simple, without God, more importantly, without the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, the human soul cannot be salvaged. Therefore, only by the grace of God can we enter freely
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing has recently become a modernized hymn. It is the same hymn that was written in the eighteenth century just revamped. The only difference is the tempo, the Grammy winning artist, and now instead of sanctuaries it is blasted through Christian radio stations all over the United States. It has become a song that seasoned churchgoers know by heart, and a hymn my generation has brought back to life. The song is full of grace and mercy. It has become a timeless testament of the Christ that came to save every man. For this reason I believe that Robert Robertson, in an evangelical state of mind, wrote the hymn “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”.
“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.” Here is the classic English translation of the first two lines of Martin Luther's famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.“ Indeed, it is famous among Christians who unashamedly identify themselves with the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, which until today continually inspires them to appreciate their roots in the ancient paths (Jeremiah 6:16) of biblical Christianity over against that which is only built on man-made traditions.
Writer and member of the 1920’s literary movement, Langston Hughes, in his autobiographical essay, Salvation, elucidates the loss of innocence and faith due to the pressure of accepting a concept that he has yet to acknowledge. Hughes’ purpose is to describe his childhood experience of the burden to be saved by Jesus, resulting in his loss of faith. He adopts a solemn, yet disappointing tone to convey his childhood event and argues the unqualified religious pressure.
Bibliography Ashton, Joseph N.. Music in Worship. Boston: Pilgrim Press, 1943. Johansson, Calvin M.. Discipling Music Ministry. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1992. Snydor, James Rawlings. Hymns and Their Uses. Carol Stream: Agape, 1982. www.infoplease.com for information on the church history background
The first stanza begins by stating, The children go forward . They are leaving their mothers behind, going to a place inaccessible to them. At the moment the children are on their way to school, but as they progress, they will begin to move past the achievements of their parents. Instead of becoming resentful, the mothers do all they can to ensure this progress continues. All morning the mothers have labored . They exert themselves strenuously for the benefit of their children. They put forth much time and energy at manual labor. The mothers labored in giving birth to their children, and are laboring to raise them to adulthood. They sacrifice themselves so that their children may have a future better than their own.