When we think of the Brookly Tabernacle Choir I suspect most see “the now” without knowing “the then.”
In his 1997 book, ‘Fresh Wind; Fresh Fire’, Jim Cymbala tells the story:
“It was 1972…I was struggling… The Brooklyn Tabernacle—this woeful church that my father-in-law had coaxed me into pastoring—consisted of a shabby two-story building in the middle of a downtown block on Atlantic Avenue… The ceiling was low, the walls needed paint, the windows were dingy, and the bare wood floor hadn’t been sealed in years. But there was no money for such improvements, let alone a luxury such as air-conditioning.”
Fifteen people. And a building falling down around itself, desperately in need of repair, without AC. (I’ve been in NYC in July. The heat and humidity can be stifling.)
Ever feel like your life is “falling down around yourself, in need of repair”? Me too. All the time.
Over time, Jim became so discouraged he confesses,
“Every weekend seemed to carry with it a new challenge. The burner went out on the heating system and would cost $500 to repair… I thought more than ever about quitting. I’m not cut out for this, I told myself.”
Jim was right – he couldn’t do this. But God could.
(Despite crippling discouragement or paralyzing fear, there’s no safer place to be than in the center of God’s will.)
Later in his story, Cymbala includes a very short – almost parenthetical – statement about his wife, Carol:
“Carol started a little choir with a grand total of nine voices.”
That “little choir” eventually grew to 300 voices and, to date, has won 16 major music awards, including seven Grammy’s. God has used their 40 albums (many of the songs written by Carol) to give comfort, hope, and inspiration to millions.
This morning, I was in Psalm 3 – a cry for help from the ancient king, David, while running for his life after being betrayed.
Carol took Psalm 3 and wrote “Thou, O Lord.” I’ve led two choirs over the years in this song. It’s one of the most powerful choral songs I’ve ever heard. Like Handel’s Messiah, the text is virtually word-for-word from scripture. I’ve linked the video from its debut at the end this post.
Below is the text used in the song, primarily from the KJV no doubt due to its beautiful Shakespearean language.
By the way, the word “Selah” is believed by scholars to be a musical term (which makes sense since the Psalms are songs) that means “Pause and think about that.” Sort of like a “rest” in a musical score.
One last thing: the Psalms fall under the literary genre of poetry (as well as a full third of the rest of the Bible.) They are prayers – guttural prayers – put to music. Why? How do children more easily memorize? By putting things to music i.e. the “A.B.C.’s”
Further, when people tell me, “I don’t really know how to pray,” I reply, “That is not a problem. God has included 150 prayers in the middle of your Bible. Just read those. Make them your prayer.” Then I remind them of Exodus 33:11…
“…the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.”
Just talk to him. That’s what God desires. That’s what David did during a very stressful time in his life.
Thou, O Lord (lyrics)
Many are they increased that troubled me
Many are they that rise up against me
Many there be which say of my soul
There is no help for him in God (Selah)
But thou, oh Lord are a shield for me
My glory and the lifter of my head
Thou, oh Lord are shield for me
My glory and the lifter of my head (Selah)
I cried unto the Lord with my voice
And he heard me out of His holy hill
I laid me down and slept and awaked
For the Lord sustained, for he sustained me (back to chorus)
