January 17, 2024 - Good Morning! It's Wednesday, January 17.
One of my favorite Pop songs is also one of my favorite Bible passages - imagine that! In 1965 the #1 song in America was "Turn, Turn, Turn". Those 3 words were just about the only lyrics that the "songwriter" added from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. We often refer to it as "To Everything There is a Season". It is certainly the #1 hit with the oldest lyrics!
A thousand years before Bethlehem, scholars think that it was King Solomon himself who wrote Ecclesiastes, who penned these beautiful words. Perhaps the beauty of these scriptures was what attracted folk singer Pete Seeger to use them as the basis for the song he wrote in 1959. He recorded it, as did several other folk singers, to limited success. And then, in 1965 the rock group The Byrds took it all the way to #1.
You stop the ordinary person on the street and ask them to recite a passage of scripture and you'll maybe get 3 answers - The Lord's Prayer, The 23rd Psalm, and Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. But they would probably have to sing that last passage to get it right! Here are Pete Seeger's lyrics . . . with a little help from his friend, King Solomon.
To everything turn, turn, turn, there is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven
A time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal, a time to laugh, a time to weep - Chorus
A time to build up, a time to break down, a time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together - Chorus
A time of love, a time of hate, a time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing - Chorus
A time to gain, a time to lose, a time to rend, a time to sew
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late
Pete Seeger added that last line on his own. But he forgot to include the end of the passage -
He has made everything beautiful in its time. And He has set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot know what God does from beginning to end.
Ancient words for a new year.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
