A Psalm Of Life
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles, uncategorized
Today, I read the above titled poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to a fourth grade library class. As I read each section of the poem, I gave a short analysis of each section using today’s terminology. Appropriate related Scriptures have been added.
“Tell me not in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Analysis: Life is empty and purposeless to a spiritually lazy person, therefore he or she needs to wake up and get busy doing the Lord‘s business! – Romans 13:11-14; cf. Luke 2:49).
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou are, to dust thou returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul
Analysis: Life certainly does not end at the grave – John 11:20-27; 1 Corinthians 15:47-58).
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.
Analysis: We can achieve greater things tomorrow than we achieved today – Philippians 3:13-14).
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
Analysis: Even though we may possess good health, death is always knocking at our door – Hebrews 9:27).
In the world’s broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Analysis: In dealing with life’s challenges, don’t be ignorant and dumb – be a thinker and a leader instead of a follower. Peter was a thinker – Matthew 17:24-27).
Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, – act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o’erhead!
Analysis: We must not worry about the future or the past, but positively act in the present, trusting God for the outcome – Matthew 6:34; Proverbs 3:5-6).
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Analysis: There’s nothing we can’t accomplish in life, great men are a testimony of this fact. When we depart the walks of this life, our good influence will remain for the benefit of others – Hebrews 11:4).
Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait” (source).
Analysis: Whatever our hand finds to do, we need to do it to the best of our ability (Ecclesiastes 9:10). The apostle Paul echoed this sentiment (1 Corinthians 15:58).
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow