The Gourd
As once for Jonah, so the Lord
To soothe and cheer my mournful hours,
Prepared for me a pleasing gourd,
Cool was its shade, and sweet its flow'rs.
To prize his gift was surely right;
But through the folly of my heart,
It hid the Giver from my sight,
And soon my joy was changed to smart.
While I admired its beauteous form,
Its pleasant shade and graceful fruit;
The Lord, displeased, sent forth a worm,
Unseen, to prey upon the root.
I trembled when I saw it fade,
But guilt restrained the murm'ring word;
My folly I confessed, and prayed,
Forgive my sin, and spare my gourd.
His wondrous love can ne'er be told,
He heard me and relieved my pain;
His word the threat'ning worm controlled,
And bid my gourd revive again.
Now, Lord, my gourd is mine no more,
'Tis thine, who only couldst it raise;
The idol of my heart before,
Henceforth shall flourish to thy praise.
poem by John Newton
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Related quotes
Bible Stories: Jonah (Part IV)
Chapter 4:
What God had done, displeased Jonah;
In angry mood, he prayed,
‘I knew You’ll show clemency, Lord,
That’s why at first, I fled! ’
‘You’re a gracious, merciful God,
You’re slow to punish men;
And this is what I had said then;
You’re slow to anger, Lord! ’
‘Lord, take away my life from me,
’Tis better, I be dead! ’
God asked him, ‘Is your anger just? ’
Jonah had not replied.
He left the city to its east,
And built him small a hut;
And in its shade, waited to see,
What happened to men, beast!
God made a gourd plant grow over,
To give him more of shade;
Jonah was happy with cover,
His discomfort did fade!
Next day, God sent a worm to kill
The plant which withered fast;
The scorching sun then made him ill,
To faint, he turned almost.
The sun made Jonah angry more,
‘Better I die, ’ he said;
When God asked him, he thus replied,
‘The plant’s death made me sore! ’
And then the Lord explained Jonah,
‘You feel for gourd, not own.
You neither sowed the seed, nor raised,
The plant that lived one night! ’
‘Concerned are you, about a plant
For which you labored not;
And when it perished over-night,
You’re angry enough to die! ’
‘Oh, should I not show concern for
Great Nineveh city?
One twenty thousand men live there,
And beasts- what a pity? ’
Copyright by Dr John Celes 4-25-2007
poem by John Celes
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Harvest Hymn
Mens Voices:
LORD of the lotus, lord of the harvest,
Bright and munificent lord of the morn!
Thine is the bounty that prospered our sowing,
Thine is the bounty that nurtured our corn.
We bring thee our songs and our garlands for tribute,
The gold of our fields and the gold of our fruit;
O giver of mellowing radiance, we hail thee,
We praise thee, O Surya, with cymbal and flute.
Lord of the rainbow, lord of the harvest,
Great and beneficent lord of the main!
Thine is the mercy that cherished our furrows,
Thine is the mercy that fostered our grain.
We bring thee our thanks and our garlands for tribute,
The wealth of our valleys, new-garnered and ripe;
O sender of rain and the dewfall, we hail thee,
We praise thee, Varuna, with cymbal and pipe.
Womens Voices:
Queen of the gourd-flower, queen of the har- vest,
Sweet and omnipotent mother, O Earth!
Thine is the plentiful bosom that feeds us,
Thine is the womb where our riches have birth.
We bring thee our love and our garlands for tribute,
With gifts of thy opulent giving we come;
O source of our manifold gladness, we hail thee,
We praise thee, O Prithvi, with cymbal and drum.
All Voices:
Lord of the Universe, Lord of our being,
Father eternal, ineffable Om!
Thou art the Seed and the Scythe of our harvests,
Thou art our Hands and our Heart and our Home.
We bring thee our lives and our labours for tribute,
Grant us thy succour, thy counsel, thy care.
O Life of all life and all blessing, we hail thee,
We praise thee, O Bramha, with cymbal and prayer
poem by Sarojini Naidu
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Black will take no other hue
Bitter gourd is bitter in taste
Coating of sugar is of no use
Bitter gourd is always bitter.
Put some alum
In to the dirty water
And see what is here.
It is different
How far it is useful
It is not different
How far we are
To play the fool.
poem by Gajanan Mishra
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Bible Stories: Jonah (Part III)
Chapter 3:
The word of God to Jonah came,
A second time and said,
‘Set out to Nineveh, announce
The message, I give you! ’
So, Jonah went to Nineveh,
As per the Lord’s command;
It was a very large city;
It took him three full days!
And Jonah walked throughout the place,
And told what God bade him,
‘In forty days more, Nineveh
Shall be a destroyed town! ’
When people heard Jonah’s message,
Their faith in God improved;
Both great and small, they wore sack-cloth,
And fasted much and prayed!
The king too sat in ashes, dressed
In sack-cloth and much prayed;
He decreed that none should eat, drink-
No man or any beast!
They called to God in loud a voice,
And vowed to give up sin;
They hoped that God would forgive them,
And let them not perish.
The Lord was pleased by what they did;
He saw their change of heart;
His wrath was put under the lid,
As Jonah did his part!
(4-25-2007)
poem by John Celes
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Sonnet: Forgive Them God, Lord
Forgive them God, they know not what they do;
Forgive them Lord, they know not what they say;
Forgive them God, they are my siblings too;
Forgive them Lord, they seem just bad today!
Forgive them God, they were all born with me;
Forgive them Lord, they suffered really;
Forgive them God; they were so good truly;
Forgive them Lord, they have done their duty!
Forgive them God, the tempter has them prey;
Forgive them Lord, they were so sad most days;
Federal been God and send your guardian fay;
Forgive them Lord, they have innocent face!
Forgive them God; I’ll pray for them instead;
Forgive them Lord; better You strike me dead!
28-5-2001 Perundurai, ERODE. T.N. INDIA
poem by John Celes
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Bible Stories: Jonah (Part I)
Chapter I:
To Jonah, came the word of God,
The son of Amittai,
“Go to city of Nineveh
And warn them that their wickedness
Has come before the Lord! ”
But Jonah tried to flee from God
And boarded fast a ship;
He paid the fare to reach Tarshish,
To escape from the Lord!
God raised a tempest on the sea
That tried to break the ship;
The mariners got frightened much,
‘Each one cried to his God! ’
They threw the cargo in the sea,
While Jonah lay asleep;
The captain rudely told Jonah,
‘Pray God, we mustn’t perish! ’
They cast lots to detect the one,
Who brought them misfortune;
Poor Jonah turned to be culprit!
They questioned his business.
Then Jonah told them, ’I’m Hebrew,
My God’s the Creator!
He is the God of Heaven, earth,
And made the land and sea.’
When Jonah told he fled the Lord,
The men were seized with fear;
The sea was turning turbulent;
At stake were their lives dear.
So, Jonah told them, ‘Pick me up;
Throw me into the sea;
The storm was on account of me;
Perhaps, it could calm be.
The men rowed hard but saw no land;
The sea grew furious;
They prayed to God to forgive them,
And hurled Jonah in sea!
To their surprise, the sea turned calm;
May be, they did right thing;
They offered sacrifice to God
For, they were struck by fear!
(4-25-2007)
poem by John Celes
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Bible Stories: Jonah (Part II)
Chapter 2:
The Lord then sent a mighty fish
That swallowed Jonah whole;
And in its belly dark, he stayed,
For three days and three nights.
And from the belly of the fish,
Jonah prayed to the Lord:
‘In distress great, I call You God:
I cry to You for help! ’
Into the heart of sea, You cast
Me forth and flood covered;
I thought I was forever lost;
Would I see your temple?
The swirling sea threatened my life;
Sea-weeds clung to my head;
I plunged into the sea-abyss;
You brought me from the pit!
A giant fish then gulped me whole,
My soul fainted in me;
I prayed to You for mercy, Lord,
You heard my plaintive voice.
I praised You, Lord with all my heart
And vowed to sacrifice;
Deliver me from fish, O God:
Jonah was spat ashore!
(4-25-2007)
poem by John Celes
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The party in power, like Jonah's gourd, grew up quickly, and will quickly fall.
quote by Davy Crockett
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Pleading For Mercy
In mercy, not in wrath, rebuke
Thy feeble worm, my God!
My spirit dreads thine angry look,
And trembles at thy rod.
Have mercy, Lord, for I am weak,
Regard my heavy groans;
O let thy voice of comfort speak,
And heal my broken bones!
By day my busy beating head
Is filled with anxious fears;
By night, upon my restless bed,
I weep a flood of tears.
Thus I sit desolate and mourn,
Mine eyes grow dull with grief;
How long, my Lord, ere thou return,
And bring my soul relief?
O come and show thy pow'r to save,
And spare my fainting breath;
For who can praise thee in the grave,
Or sing thy name in death?
Satan, my cruel envious foe,
Insults me in my pain;
He smiles to see me brought so low,
And tells me hope is vain,
But hence, thou enemy, depart!
Nor tempt me to despair;
My Saviour comes to cheer my heart,
The Lord has heard my prayer.
poem by John Newton
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Of Love To God
When I do this begin to apprehend,
My heart, my soul, and mind, begins to bend
To God-ward, and sincerely for to love
His son, his ways, his people, and to move
With brokenness of spirit after him
Who broken was, and killed for my sin.
Now is mine heart grown holy, now it cleaves
To Jesus Christ my Lord, and now it leaves
Those ways that wicked be; it mourns because
It can conform no more unto the laws
Of God, who loved me when I was vile,
And of sweet Jesus, who did reconcile
Me unto justice by his precious blood,
When no way else was left to do me good.
If you would know how this can operate
Thus on the soul, I shall to you relate
A little farther what my soul hath seen
Since I have with the Lord acquainted been.
The word of grace, when it doth rightly seize
The spirit of a man, and so at ease
Doth set the soul, the Spirit of the Lord
Doth then with might accompany the word;
In which it sets forth Christ as crucified,
And by that means the Father pacified
With such a wretch was thou, and by this sight,
Thy guilt is in the first place put to flight,
For thus the Spirit doth expostulate:
Behold how God doth now communicate
(By changing of the person) grace to thee
A sinner, but to Christ great misery,
Though he the just one was, and so could not
Deserve this punishment; behold, then, what
The love of God is! how 'tis manifest,
And where the reason lies that thou art blest.
This doctrine being spoken to the heart,
Which also is made yield to every part
Thereof, it doth the same with sweetness fill,
And so doth sins and wickednesses kill;
For when the love of God is thus reveal'd,
And thy poor drooping spirit thereby seal'd,
And when thy heart, as dry ground, drinks this in
Unto the roots thereof, which nourish sin,
It smites them, as the worm did Jonah's gourd,
And makes them dwindle of their own accord,
And die away; instead of which there springs
Up life and love, and other holy things.
Besides, the Holy Spirit now is come,
And takes possession of thee as its home;
By which a war maintained always is
Against the old man and the deeds of his.
When God at first upon mount Sinai spake,
He made his very servant Moses quake;
But when he heard the law the second time,
His heart was comforted, his face did shine.
What was the reason of this difference,
Seeing no change was in the ordinance,
Although a change was in the manner, when
The second time he gave it unto men?
At first 'twas given in severity,
In thunder, blackness, darkness, tempest high,
In fiery flames it was delivered.
This struck both Moses and the host as dead;
But Moses, when he went into the mount
The second time, upon the same account
No fear, nor dread, nor shaking of his mind,
Do we in all the holy Scripture find;
But rather in his spirit he had rest,
And look'd upon himself as greatly blest.
He was put in the rock, he heard the name,
Which on the mount the Lord did thus proclaim:
The Lord, merciful, gracious, and more,
Long-suffering, and keeping up in store
Mercy for thousands, pardoning these things,
Iniquity, transgressions, and sins,
And holding guilty none but such as still
Refuse forgiveness, of rebellious will.
This proclamation better pleased him
Than all the thunder and the light'ning.
Which shook the mount, this rid him of his fear,
This made him bend, make haste, and worship there.
Jehoshaphat, when he was sore opprest
By Amnon and by Moab, and the rest
Of them that sought his life, no rest he found,
Until a word of faith became a ground
To stay himself upon; O, then they fell,
His very song became their passing-bell.
Then holiness of heart a consequence
Of faith in Christ is, for it flows from thence;
The love of Christ in truth constraineth us,
Of love sincerely to make judgment thus:
He for us died that for ever we
Might die to sin, and Christ his servants be.
O! nothing's like to the remembrance
Of what it is to have deliverance
From death and hell, which is of due our right,
Nothing, I say, like this to work delight
In holy things; this like live honey runs,
And needs no pressing out of honey-combs.
poem by John Bunyan
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My Lord
Forgive me, my Lord.
As I part from this womb.
Forgive me, my Lord.
As I plunge into doom.
Forgive me, my Lord.
I'm ashamed of my birth.
Forgive me, my Lord.
Punish me with a curse.
Forgive me, my Lord.
I do promise to praise.
Forgive me, my Lord.
Hear me hail your name.
Forgive me, my Lord.
I won't attain what I've yearned.
Absolve me, my Lord.
Cleanse this sin of being born.
poem by Aaron Lynn
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Hos ego versiculos
*
LIKE to the damaske rose you see,
Or like the blossome on the tree,
Or like the daintie flower of May,
Or like the Morning to the day,
Or like the Sunne, or like the shade,
Or like the Gourd which Jonas had;
Even such is man whose thred is spun,
Drawn out and cut, and so is done.
The Rose withers, the blossome blasteth,
The flowre fades, the morning hasteth:
The Sunne sets, the shadow flies,
The Gourd consumes, and man he dies.
Like to the blaze of fond delight;
Or like a morning cleare and bright;
Or like a frost, or like a showre;
Or like the pride of Babel's Tower;
Or like the houre that guides the time;
Or like to beauty in her prime;
Even such is man, whose glory lends
His life a blaze or two, and ends.
Delights vanish; the morne o'ercasteth,
The frost breaks, the shower hasteth;
The Tower falls, the hower spends;
The beauty fades, and man's life ends.
*
poem by Francis Quarles
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Come In From The Outside
Come in from the outside
Don't be ashamed
Come in from the outside
And bless His name
It's all on the inside
Where His glory reigns
Enter in
Come in from the outside
Just as you are
Come in from the outside
You're not too far
It's all on the inside
Simply open your heart
Enter in
(Chorus)
Everybody everybody
Everybody everybody
Everybody everybody
Let everything that hath breath
Praise the Lord
Everybody everybody
Praise
We're the generation
That will give You praise and adoration
Let Your kingdom come
Let Your will be done
Establish now Your throne, oh my Lord
O my Lord
Lord, Lord, Lord
Praise You Lord
Lord, Lord, Lord
We love You Lord
Lord, Lord, Lord
O my Lord
(Repeat Chorus)
song performed by by Israel
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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When at Thy Footstool, Lord, I Bend
When at Thy footstool, Lord, I bend,
And plead with Thee for mercy there,
Think of the sinner’s dying Friend,
And for His sake receive my prayer.
O think not of my shame and guilt,
My thousand stains of deepest dye;
Think of the blood which Jesus spilt,
And let that blood my pardon buy.
Think, Lord, how I am still Thine own,
The trembling creature of Thy hand;
Think how my heart to sin is prone,
And what temptations round me stand.
O think upon Thy holy Word,
And every plighted promise there;
How prayer should evermore be heard,
And how Thy glory is to spare.
O think not of my doubts and fears,
My strivings with Thy grace divine;
Think upon Jesus’ woes and tears,
And let His merits stand for mine.
Thine eyes, Thine ear, they are not dull;
Thine arm can never shortened be;
Behold me here; my heart is full;
Behold, and spare, and succor me.
poem by Henry Francis Lyte
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The Gourd
In the heavy earth the miner
Toiled and laboured day by day,
Wrenching from the miser mountain
Brilliant treasure where it lay.
And the artist worn and weary
Wrought with labour manifold
That the king might drink his nectar
From a goblet made of gold.
On the prince's groaning table
Mid the silver gleaming bright
Mirroring the happy faces
Giving back the flaming light,
Shine the cups of priceless crystal
Chased with many a lovely line,
Glowing now with warmer colour,
Crimsoned by the ruby wine.
In a valley sweet with sunlight,
Fertile with the dew and rain,
Without miner's daily labour,
Without artist's nightly pain,
There there grows the cup I drink from,
Summer's sweetness in it stored,
And my lips pronounce a blessing
As they touch an old brown gourd.
Why, the miracle at Cana
In the land of Galilee,
Tho' it puzzles all the scholars,
Is no longer strange to me.
For the poorest and the humblest
Could a priceless wine afford,
If they 'd only dip up water
With a sunlight-seasoned gourd.
So a health to my old comrade,
And a song of praise to sing
When he rests inviting kisses
In his place beside the spring.
Give the king his golden goblets,
Give the prince his crystal hoard;
But for me the sparkling water
From a brown and brimming gourd!
poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar
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Sonnet: Give Your Heart To God
'I gave you life within your human form;
Give me your heart to me back, ' says the Lord;
And knowing well his frame is meant for worm,
Man offers heart and soul to devil's word!
How can the Lord bless man if he so does?
Is not the Maker right in His statement?
To turn aright for long, man makes a fuss,
Inviting suff 'rings sans their abatement.
Pledge back your heart to God and things turn right;
Your prayers will be heard; God will bless you;
He is the truth, the way and Heaven's light;
Renounce the devil, man and repent too.
The Lord's with you; obey His holy will;
He heals the body, mind and soul that's ill.
poem by John Celes
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Oh That I Were As In Months Past!
Sweet was the time when first I felt
The Saviour's pard'ning blood
Applied, to cleanse my soul from guilt,
And bring me home to God.
Soon as the morn the light revealed,
His praises tuned my tongue;
And when the evening shades prevailed,
His love was all my song.
In vain the tempter spread his wiles,
The world no more could charm;
I lived upon my Saviour's smiles,
And leaned upon his arm.
In prayer my soul drew near the Lord,
And saw his glory shine;
And when I read his holy word,
I called each promise mine.
Then to his saints I often spoke;
Of what his love had done;
But now my heart is almost broke,
For all my joys are gone.
Now when the evening shade prevails,
My soul in darkness mourns,
And when the morn the light reveals,
No light to me returns.
My prayers are now a chatt'ring noise,
For Jesus hides his face;
I read, the promise meets my eyes,
But will not reach my case.
Now Satan threatens to prevail,
And make my soul his prey;
Yet, Lord, thy mercies cannot fail,
O come without delay.
poem by John Newton
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Lord, I give you all my praise. (To the tune of down at the cross)
O Lord, My God, I give you all my praise
You have cared for me all my days
You have comfort and strengthen me
Lord, I give you all my praise.
Yes, God has been good to me.
God has been so good to me.
Yes, God has been good to me.
Lord, I give you all my praise.
O’ Lord, My God, to you I lift my hand
You will bless me right where I stand
You will guide me along the way
Lord, I give you all my praise.
Yes, God has been good to me.
God has been so good to me.
Yes God has been good to me.
Lord, I give you all my praise.
O Lord My God to you I sing my praise
I surrender and beg for your grace
Please O’ Lord, forgive all my sins.
Lord, I give you all my praise.
Yes, God has been good to me.
God has been so good to me.
Yes God has been good to me.
Lord, I give you all my praise.
O Lord, my God I need your help today
Please send some aid quickly my way
Problems are so bad I can hardly pray
Lord, I give you all my praise.
Yes, God has been good to me.
God has been so good to me.
Yes, God has been good to me.
Lord, I give you all my praise.
O Lord, My God, thanks for all you have done
You have empowered me to overcome
Now, I can claim my battle as won
Lord, I give you all my praise.
Yes God has been good to me.
God has been so good me.
Yes God has been good to me.
Lord, I give you all my praise.
poem by Reginald Walker
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Psalm 107 part 2
Correction for sin, and release by prayer.
From age to age exalt his name;
God and his grace are still the same;
He fills the hungry soul with food,
And feeds the poor with every good.
But if their hearts rebel and rise
Against the God that rules the skies;
If they reject his heav'nly word,
And slight the counsels of the Lord
He'll bring their spirits to the ground,
And no deliv'rer shall be found;
Laden with grief, they waste their breath
In darkness and the shades of death.
Then to the Lord they raise their cries;
He makes the dawning light arise,
And scatters all that dismal shade
That hung so heavy round their head.
He cuts the bars of brass in two,
And lets the smiling pris'ners through;
Takes off the load of guilt and grief,
And gives the lab'ring soul relief.
O may the sons of men record
The wondrous goodness of the Lord
How great his works! how kind his ways!
Let every tongue pronounce his praise.
poem by Isaac Watts
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Sonnet: Be Grateful to God
O Let my heart be loyal to Thee Lord,
My Creator and Maker of this world!
My Omnipotent, Omniscient God,
The mystery of mysteries unheard!
How can I ever repay Thy love, God?
Unfathomable love that made my soul!
And everything goes by Thy grace and Thine word,
In Heaven and on earth, from pole to pole.
No matter how the devil’s tempt me Lord,
Despite the many times, their prey I fall,
My soul get’s healed by Thy grace and Thine word,
And listens thereafter to Thine one call.
So, let my soul forever thank Thee, Lord,
Thou art my Savior, Friend and only God.
poem by John Celes
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