Theological and Doxological Meditation #11
On Providence
Q. What are God’s works of providence?
A. God’s works of providence are,
his most holy (Psalm 145:17),
wise (Isaiah 28:29),
and powerful preserving (Hebrews 1:3),
and governing all his creatures
and all their actions (Psalm 103:19; Matthew 10:29).
God Moves in a Mysterious Way (click title to play)
William Cowper (pronounced “Cooper”),
#128, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
God moves in a mysterious way
his wonders to perform;
he plants his footsteps in the sea,
and rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
of never-failing skill
he treasures up his bright designs,
and works his sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take
the clouds ye so much dread
are big with mercy, and shall break
in blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
but trust him for his grace;
behind a frowning providence
he hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
unfolding ev’ry hour;
the bud may have a bitter taste,
but sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
and scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
and he will make it plain.
Theological and Doxological Meditation #10
The Creation of Man
Q. How did God create man?
A. God created man male and female,
after his own image (Genesis 1:27),
in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness
(Colossian 3:10; Ephesians 4:24),
with dominion over the creatures (Genesis 1:28).
Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah! (click title to play)
#110, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
William J. Kirkpatrick
Hallelujah, praise Jehovah,
from the heavens praise his name;
praise Jehovah in the highest,
all his angels, praise proclaim.
All his hosts, together praise him,
sun and moon and stars on high;
praise him, O you heav’ns of heavens,
and you floods above the sky.
Let them praises give Jehovah,
for his name alone is high,
and his glory is exalted,
and his glory is elalted,
and his glory is exalted
far above the earth and sky.
Let them praises give Jehovah,
they were made at his command;
them forever he established,
his decree shall ever stand.
From the earth, O praise Jehovah,
all you seas, you monsters all,
fire and hail and snow and vapors,
stormy winds that hear his call.
Let them praises give Jehovah,
for his name alone is high,
and his glory is exalted,
and his glory is exalted,
and his glory is exalted
far above the earth and sky.
All you fruitful trees and cedars,
all you hills and mountains high,
creeping things and beasts and cattle,
birds that in the heavens fly,
kings of earth, and all you people,
princes great, earth’s judges all;
praise his name, young men and maidens,
aged men, and children small.
Let them praises give Jehovah,
for his name alone is high,
and his glory is exalted,
and his glory is exalted,
and his glory is exalted
far above the earth and sky.
Theological and Doxological Meditation #9
On Creation
Q. What is the work of creation?
A. The work of creation is,
God’s making all things of nothing (Genesis 1:1),
by the word of his power (Hebrews 11:3),
in the space of six days,
and all very good (Genesis 1:31).
All Things Bright and Beautiful
#120, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Cecil F. Alexander, 1848
All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.
Each little flow’r that opens,
each little bird that sings,
he made their glowing colors,
he made their tiny wings.
The purple-headed mountain,
the river running by,
the sunset, and the morning
that brightens up the sky.
The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden,
he made them, every one.
The tall trees in the greenwood,
the meadows where we play,
the flowers by the water
we gather every day.
He gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well.
All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.
Theological and Doxological Meditation #8
Decretal Modes
Q. How doth God execute his decrees?
A. God executeth his decrees
in the works of creation and providence.
Let All Things Now Living (click title to play)
#125, The Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Let all things now living
a song of thanks giving
to God the Creator
triumphantly raise,
who fashioned and made us,
protected and stayed us,
who guides us and leads to
the end of our days.
His banners are o’er us,
his light goes before us,
a pillar of fire
shining forth in the night,
’til shadows have vanished
and darkness is banished,
as forward we travel
from light into light.
His law he enforces:
the stars in their courses,
the sun in its orbit,
obediently shine;
the hills and the mountains,
the rivers and fountains,
the deeps of the ocean
proclaim him divine.
We too should be voicing
our love and rejoicing,
with glad adoration
a song let us raise,
’til all things now living
unite in thanksgiving
to God in the highest,
hosanna and praise!
Theological and Doxological Meditation #7
The Decrees of God
Q. What are the decrees of God?
A. The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass (Ephesians 1:11).
Whate’er My God Ordains Is Right (click title to play)
#108, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Samuel Rodigast, 1675
Whate’er my God ordains is right:
his holy will abideth;
I will be still whate’er he doth,
and follow where he guideth.
He is my God; though dark my road,
he holds me that I shall not fall:
wherefore to him I leave it all.
Whate’er my God ordains is right:
he never will deceive me;
he leads me by the proper path;
I know he will not leave me.
I take, content, what he hath sent;
his hand can turn my griefs away,
and patiently I wait his day.
Whate’er my God ordains is right:
though now this cup, in drinking,
may bitter seem to my faint heart,
I take it, all unshrinking.
My God is true; each morn anew
sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
and pain and sorrow shall depart.
Whate’er my God ordains is right:
here shall my stand be taken;
though sorrow, or death be mine,
yet am I not forsaken.
My Father’s care is round me there;
he holds me that I shall not fall:
and so to him I leave it all.
Theological and Doxological Meditation #6
The Persons of God
Q. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
A.There are three persons in the Godhead,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
(Matthew 28:19);
and these three are one God,
the same in substance,
equal in power and glory (1 John 5:7 KJV)
O God, We Praise Thee (click title to play)
#105, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Te Deum, 4th Century
Translated in Tate and Brady’s Supplement to the New Version, 1708
Scottish Psalter, 1615
DUNDEE C.M.
O God, we praise thee; and confess
that thou the only Lord
and everlasting Father art,
by all the earth adored.
To thee all angels cry aloud;
to thee the pow’rs on high,
both cherubim and seraphim,
continually do cry.
O holy, holy, holy Lord,
whom heav’nly hosts obey,
the world is with the glory filled
of thy majestic ray.
Th’apostles’ glorious company
and prophets crowned with light,
with all he martyrs’ noble host ,
thy constant praise recite.
The holy church throughout the world,
O Lord, confesses thee,
that thou Eternal Father art,
of boundless majesty;
Thine honored, true and only Son;
and Holy Ghost, the Spring
of never-ceasing joy: O Christ,
of glory thou art King.
Theological and Doxological Meditation #5
The Uniqueness of God
Q. Are there more Gods than one?
A. There is but one only (Deuteronomy 6:4),the living and true God (Jeremiah 10:10).
My God, How Wonderful Thou Art (right click title to play in a new tab)
#35 Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Frederick W. Faber, 1848; alt. 1961, 1990
My God, how wonderful thou art,
thy majesty how bright!
How beautiful thy mercy seat,
in depths of burning light!
Wondrous are thine eternal years,
O everlasting Lord,
by holy angels day and night
unceasingly adored!
O how I fear thee, living God,
with deepest, tend’rest fears,
and worship thee with trembling hope,
and penitential tears.
Yet I may love thee too, O Lord,
almighty as thou art;
for thou hast stooped to ask of me
the love of my poor heart.
No earthly father loves like thee,
no mother half so mild
bears and forbears, as thou hast done
with me, thy sinful child.
How wonderful, how beautiful,
the sight of thee will be,
thine endless wisdom, boundless pow’r,
and awesome purity!
Theological and Doxological Meditation #4
The Nature of God
Q. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit (John 4:24), infinite (Job 11:7), eternal (Psalm 90:2), and unchangeable (James 1:17), in his being (Exodus 3:14), wisdom (Psalm 147:5), power (Revelation 4:8), holiness (Revelation 15:4), justice, goodness and truth (Exodus 34:6-7).
Holy, Holy, Holy! (right click title to play in a new tab)
#100, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Reginald Heber, 1783-1826
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee
perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Theological and Doxological Meditation #3
The Principal Teaching of Scripture
Q. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man (2 Timothy 1:13).
Father of Mercies, In Your Word (click title to play)
Anne Steele, 1760
#144, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Father of mercies, in your Word what endless glory shines;
forever be your name adored for these celestial lines.
Here may the wretched sons of want exhaustless riches find;
riches above what earth can grant and lasting as the mind.
Here the Redeemer’s welcome voice spreads heav’nly peace around;
and life and everlasting joys attend the blissful sound.
O may these heav’nly pages be my ever dear delight;
and still new beauties may I see, and still increasing light.
Divine Instructor, gracious Lord, O be forever near;
teach me to love your sacred Word, and view my Savior there.
Theological and Doxological Meditation #2
Direction in Man’s Chief End
Q: What rule hath God given to direct ushow we may glorify and enjoy him?
A: The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (2 Tim. 3:16; Eph. 2:20), is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him (1 John 1:3-4).
Holy Bible, Book Divine (click title to play)
John Burton, 1803
#137, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Holy Bible, book divine
precious treasure, you are mine;
mine to tell me whence I came;
mine to teach me what I am;
Mine to chide me when I rove;
mine to show a Savior’s love;
mine you are to guide and guard;
mine to punish or reward;
Mine to comfort in distress;
suff’ring in this wilderness;
mine to show by living faith,
man can triumph over death;
Mine to tell of joys to come,
and the rebel sinner’s doom;
Holy Bible, book divine,
precious treasure, you are mine.
Theological and Doxological Meditations
Welcome to the first posting of The Captain Headknowledge Theological and Doxological Meditations! The format is very simple: Featuring one of the 107 questions from the Westminster Shorter Catechism (with Scripture Proofs), accompanied by a relevant psalm, hymn or spiritual song from “The Trinity Hymnal,” simply read, pray, examine yourself, search the Scriptures, pray some more and your on the road to good, old fashioned, Reformed catechesis!
We may have it all over past generations when it comes to publishing information, but due to information’s modern easy accessibility, we’re as lazy as all get out when it comes to personally appropriating the information. This is especially true, and especially dangerous, when it comes to spiritual “information”: I can read it, put it on my shelf, refer to it when needed, post it for the benefit of others, but unless I stop what I’m doing, pay attention to what I’m reading, and personally apply it by finding out what is it in me that needs to change in order for God to accomplish his will for my life (sanctification, conformity to the image of his Son) with this information, then it will “profit me nothing,” to borrow a phrase from the Apostle Paul. In this regard, past generations are our betters. We could afford to go back to basics by renewing our minds (Rom. 12:1,2) the way our blessed forefathers did, and a major way this took place was by means of catechisms such as the one I feature, and theologically significant psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. It is often repeated that the laity learns most of its theology from church music, which argues all the more for carefully crafted, biblically and theologically rich church music.
Perhaps in a later post I will introduce you to the Westminster Standards, from which our featured catechism is derived, but for now, with no further ado, I give you “The Captain Headknowledge Weekly Devotional & Theological Meditations.”
The Chief End of Man
Q. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31; Rom. 11:36),
and to enjoy him forever (Ps. 73:25-28).
In Sweet Communion, Lord, with Thee. (click title to play)
#657, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
In sweet communion, Lord, with thee
I constantly abide;
my hand thou holdest in thine own
to keep me near thy side.
Thy counsel through my earthly way
shall guide me and control,
and then to glory afterward
thou wilt receive my soul.
Whom have I, Lord, in heav’n but thee,
to whom my thoughts aspire?
And, having thee, on eart is naught
that I can yet desire.
Though flesh and heart should faint and fail,
the Lord will ever be
the strength and portion of my heart,
my God eternally.
To live apart from God is death,
’tis good his face to seek;
my refuge is the living God,
his praise I long to speak.
AMEN
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