February 13, 2011
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Nehemiah's Song ~ "even here, even in the night seasons, even in the ruins" | letter 106 on joy
Nehemiah 2:3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night?
(Job 35:10)Lord, have You not seen Jerusalem?
Do You not see the broken down walls?
Do You not see the gates destroyed by fire?
Do You not see the ruins?
Are we not suffering derision?
Are we not a reproach to You?
Did You not send me to Jerusalem to build?
Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night?I am in the night seasons!
We are in the night seasons!Yes, My child, I see.
Yes, My child, I know.
Yes, My child, but I have more time for you in the night seasons.
Holy Father, do not forget Your Church here in the night seasons!
Holy Father, do not forget me here in the night seasons!
By day I command My steadfast love,
and at night My song IS with you,
your prayer to the God of your life.
(Psalm 42:8, adapted)Nehemiah 2:11 So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 Then I arose IN THE NIGHT, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode.
Where are You, God my Maker, who gives songs in the night?
Put a new song in my mouth and open my lips so I might sing Your songs
even here
even in the night seasons
even in the ruins!13 I went out BY NIGHT by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass.
Where are You, God my Maker, who gives songs in the night?
Put a new song in my mouth and open my lips so I might sing Your songs
even here
even in the night seasons
even in the ruins!15 Then I went up IN THE NIGHT by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16 And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.
Where are You, God my Maker, who gives songs in the night?
Put a new song in my mouth and open my lips so I might sing Your songs
even here
even in the night seasons
even in the ruins!Even here, even in the night seasons, even in the ruins, Your hand has been upon me for good.
Even here, even in the night seasons, even in the ruins, the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places.
Yea, I have a beautiful inheritance – even here, even in the night seasons, even in the ruins.
I will bless You, O LORD, You have given me counsel – even here, even in the night seasons, even in the ruins.
My heart also instructs me – even here, even in the night seasons, even in the ruins.
Help me to keep setting You always before me – even here, even in the night seasons, even in the ruins.
Because You are at my right hand – even here, even in the night seasons, even in the ruins, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad – even here, even in the night seasons, even in the ruins.
My whole being rejoices and my flesh dwells secure – even here, even in the night seasons, even in the ruins.
~ Psalm 16:6-9, adapted
17 THEN said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me.
And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.
Related:My other letters on assurance & fighting for joy including:
Letter 6 on assurance and fighting for joy (and the Gospel and revival)
Letter 9 on assurance and fighting for joy in contending for the Gospel
Letter 19 on assurance and fighting for joy (rejoicing in His love for the Church - Ezekiel 16)
Shall we not drink the cup the Father has given us? (Letter 53 on assurance & fighting for joy)
Will you finish your course with joy? (Acts 20:24) - letter 71 on assurance & joy
Rejoicing here on the Potter's Wheel (Psalm 66) | Letter 96 on assurance & joy
Rejoicing in the battle (Judges 20:27-28) | Letter 103 on assurance & fighting for joyMy other posts on Nehemiah including:
Do you see the trouble we are in? A call to prayer for revival (Bible reading - Nehemiah)
Are you robbing God? Where is God telling you to "Rise and go!" for the joy of others?
Ministry of the Word & Prayer
my holy ambition
postcards from England: "The Burden for Revival" (Martyn Lloyd-Jones)many will come and deceive - will you do whatever it takes?
492 years later: You say you want a reformation? (my theses and a call to prayer)
the lost treasures of Christianity & the call to pray for revival (Bible reading: Ezra 1)
"Our bones are dried up, our hope is lost; we are clean cut off." (Ezekiel 37:11)on perseverance:
the door, the sword, the crown ~ through faith & patience (Hebrews 6:11-12)
Why do I write poetry?
"Going up?" | Discernment: "God's Breath ~ world's breaths" | my calling
In this valley, in the midst of this valley (Ezekiel 37:1-14)
Be a sanctuary to me, O Lord (Isaiah 8:14)
"So you led your people to make for yourself a glorious name" (Isaiah 63:14b)
"I Have Need of Patient Endurance Today"
He's not dropping us! (Isaiah 46:3-4)
Bible Reading-Isaiah: When We Think the LORD Has Forsaken and Forgotten Us
A Hymn for "Shelf" Times ..."Lord, We Know That Thou Art Near Us"
All things (even bad things) work together for good...Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Emphasis, mine.
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Comments (4)
This is absolutely amazing and beautiful. There is such a sense of deep spiritual meaning and resonance in this. I love it.
Nehemiah is a fav. of mine.
I had not read this when I mentioned the "gloom of night" to you. I really love how you finished with Psalm 16!!
@dreamwraith - Thank you. There are a lot of levels to it and much of it is personal since the book and person and calling of Nehemiah really resonate w/ me in many ways. (See my next comment.)
@stephensmustang - Yes, mine too. I can identify w/ Nehemiah's grief over the ruins and his desire to rebuild and restore and persevere in the work for God's glory.
@quest4god@revelife - I had been in a really gloomy place/season the day I wrote this. It seems such a long time since I wrote it, but it was just about a week and a half ago!
I knew I had to ask Him for a song in the night season, while in the ruins. We'd sung "God Leads Us Along" as our closing hymn that day and that phrase "in the night season" really hit me - for I was in that night season.
Some through the waters, some through the flood,
Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
In the night season and all the day long.
Also, the idea about it being dark in the belly of the whale (our sermon was on Jonah that day); it was actually during the sermon that I'd turned back to look at Nehemiah 2. Along w/ Job 35, Psalm 16 does have that similar reference to the night season, and it is one of my favorite Psalms.