Be Thou My Song: Grace and Faith in Christian Poetry in the Seventeenth Century

By: Kerri L Tom

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Synopsis: "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.