Full Description
Be Thou my Song" is a line from seventeenth-century poet Edward Taylor. In his meditation on Philippians 2:9, Taylor finds that his ability to compose poetry falls short of his desire to glorify God, so he prays, "That I thy glorious Praise may Trumpet right, / Be thou my Song, and make Lord, mee thy Pipe." In one way or another, all of the poets included in the chapters of Be Thou My Song strive to convey their wonder for God's unending grace and mercy in their own limited ways; He provides the content, the song, while the writers are merely the conduits, the pipe. By reading these poems carefully, we can share in their gratitude for how God cares for us, both here on earth and in our final heavenly home.
In each chapter, you will find a poem, presented in its entirety, followed by an exploration of that poem and some questions to contemplate afterwards. The goal of these explorations is to provide readers with a deeper appreciation, a deeper understanding, and a deeper love of what each poet has given to us.
Contents
Foreword
Chapter One. An Introduction to Poetry
Chapter Two. " May 13, 1657" by Anne Bradstreet
Chapter Three. " Upon the Burning of Our House" by Anne Bradstreet
Chapter Four. " Faith" by George Herbert
Chapter Five. " Sepulchre" by George Herbert
Chapter Six. " The Elixir" by George Herbert
Chapter Seven. " Divine Meditation 1" by John Donne
Chapter Eight. " A Hymn to God the Father" by John Donne
Chapter Nine. Amoretti 68 by Edmund Spenser
Chapter Ten. Preparatory Meditation 2.26 by Edward Taylor
Chapter Eleven. Preparatory Meditation 1.8by Edward Taylor
Chapter Twelve. " When I consider how my light is spent" by John Milton
Chapter Thirteen. Final Thoughts, Further Readings
Works Cited
