Sacred Snowfall

Psalm 103
Be Still My Soul
Precious to me
are this psalm and hymn!

Both blanket my soul with a calming
like tiny snowflakes
silently dropping
draping
until all is
peaceful
white
still

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Psalm 103

¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. ² Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: ³ Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; ⁴ Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; ⁵ Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶ The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. ⁷ He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel. ⁸ The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. ⁹ He will not always chide: neither will He keep His anger forever. ¹⁰ He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. ¹¹ For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. ¹² As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. ¹³ Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him. ¹⁴ For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. ¹⁵ As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. ¹⁶ For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. ¹⁷ But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children; ¹⁸ To such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do them.

¹⁹ The LORD hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all. ²⁰ Bless the LORD, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word. ²¹ Bless ye the LORD, all ye His hosts; ye ministers of His, that do His pleasure. ²² Bless the LORD, all His works in all places of His dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

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Be Still, My Soul

by Catharina von Schlegel, 1697-1797
Translated by Jane Borthwick, 1813-1897

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.
Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

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About the title: I chose the title “Sacred Snowfall” because the snowfall is silent and produces a hush on the land, invoking a spirit of reverence, like entering into the sanctuary in a spirit of worship to the Lord.

“Be Still, My Soul” is in the public domain. Lyrics from the Lutheran Hymnal

Photo taken in Chesapeake, Virginia, 2011.