Thoughts for the Day

O ye Sun and Moon, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.

O ye Stars of Heaven, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.

O ye Showers and Dew, bless ye the Lord:
praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye Winds of God, bless ye the Lord:
praise him and magnify him for ever.

O all ye Fire and Heat, bless ye the Lord:
praise him and magnify him for ever.

(Lectionary, Book of Common Prayer),

Thoughts

So where does this 'Song of the Three Young Men' that we call the Benedicite originate? The story of their captivity by the Babylonians along with Daniel can be read in Daniel 1.1-7. Their names* are changed from Hebrew to Chaldean names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, with Daniel's being Belteshazzar. Chosen to serve in the King's palace, there was to come a time that their strict observance to the Law of Moses became a problem, when King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his subjects to worship a golden statue. Failure to obey meant they were thrown into a fiery furnace where they were protected by an angel. Tradition has it that it was they who composed the words of the Benedicite while in the fire! This beautiful canticle is still used by the Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox churches.

Their choice of subjects for this great Hymn of Praise is interesting. Written over five centuries before Christ the Canticle starts by following a similar pattern to that found in Genesis: all His works, the heavens (and angels), and then for the firmament and for the waters around it. All are called to bless the Lord and to praise and magnify Him for ever.

Notice the elements that are important to the writer as the canticle continues - sun, moon, stars, showers, dew, wind, fire and heat. In a nation living in a warm climate alongside great deserts that they navigated, all of these are important for life and lack of, or too much of, is dangerous. Their priorities were far more elemental than ours. If we were to develop a peon of praise to God what would ours be?

* Note names can all be spelt differently according to different translations.

Lord God,
we praise and bless You
for those things we often take for granted:
for the sun, moon, stars, wind, showers, and fire;
All too often we forget these are the things
that help us navigate the world;
give us light;
regulate our climate;
grow our crops;
control our seas;
keep us warm;
and cook our food.
For all this we praise and thank You.
Amen.