Prayers, hymns, bible passages you like

Benny Bunter

Well-known member
Can't say I'm a true believer myself (atheist family), though I used to like the hymns we sang in primary school every day and I love the poetic language, especially the really old stuff. It stays with you.

I've got a really nice KJ bible that used to belong to my grandmother but it's so monolithic I haven't been bothered to get into it yet. Got a copy of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer on the way, I reckon that'll be good and I suppose I'll already know a lot of it already.

Was reading Four Quartets again today which inspired my interest. That beautiful heavy Anglican stuff the kids don't know or care about these days (why would they?)
 

luka

Well-known member
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
 

Benny Bunter

Well-known member
That's the shit I'm talking about

When my prayer book arrives tomorrow I will contribute some beautiful devotionals for daily use
 

luka

Well-known member
the wages of sin is death
the gift of jah is eternal life

 

Murphy

cat malogen
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me —John 14:6

The most terrifying passage from catholic school indoctrination, its hubris and genius distilled

Discovered on ancestry headfuck my Mum’s family were loaded with CoE reverends, bizarre for a catholic-heavy family. You’d think all the prayer would have paid off, a littlest investment for so many years of service but nah

You think of the act of preaching, see how it links the spoken word and cues interest from bards, coders, builders, pastoralists, psychologists, even if its institutions become abominations
 

Benny Bunter

Well-known member
Even stuff like the lord's prayer and the marriage vows are extraordinarily beautiful if you somehow manage to read them with fresh ears and really take in the power of the words and the commitment behind them as they stand alone - which is admittedly very hard to do nowadays.
 

Benny Bunter

Well-known member
Four Quartets is an incredible achievement, to be able to write modern religious poetry that rivals the gravitas of the 16th/17th century stuff. It really knocked me out reading it today, must have caught me in the right mood.
 

Murphy

cat malogen
My adventures in record collecting took me into the world of field recordings. Unsurprisingly a lot of the absolute best stuff came out of the Black American church.

86: Reverend Charlie Jackson - What A Time
Fuck I would've gone to church if I'd known it sounded like this. Some of his shit sounds like the Velvet Underground.


top pick
 

jenks

thread death
Whenever the book of Wisdom is read - usually at funerals, I must admit - it always stops my vague thoughts wandering and makes me focus on the words which I find powerfully comforting.

 

Benny Bunter

Well-known member
Whenever the book of Wisdom is read - usually at funerals, I must admit - it always stops my vague thoughts wandering and makes me focus on the words which I find powerfully comforting.

Don't think this one's in my Bible, but I did find Song of Solomon when I was looking for it - quite racy! And no mention of God at all. I really like it.
 

luka

Well-known member

Ecclesiastes 1


King James Version


1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
 

jenks

thread death
Don't think this one's in my Bible, but I did find Song of Solomon when I was looking for it - quite racy! And I mention of God at all. I really like it.
I think protestants don't include it in their bibles but the catholics and orthodox churches do.
 

Benny Bunter

Well-known member
2 I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.

2 As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

5 Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.

6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.

7 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.

9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.

10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

13 The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.

17 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.
 

Leo

Well-known member
grew up across the street from a catholic church, family went every Sunday, older sister taught catechism. I spent a year as an alter boy (luckily never nonced). I stopped going when I left home for college at 18, but must have been a thorough indoctrination because I can still recite some of the prayers many decades later. have to admit I enjoy going again once a year when back home for Xmas, agree with Jenks about the impact of the verses now. not interesting enough to make me want to go more than once a year, but can see the pull it can have to people.

are non-believers wiser people who don't need weekly affirmation, or are we unwise for not believing whole heartedly, making it central to our lives, and being better people?
 

jenks

thread death
I subscribe to this, you get a daily email with the reading of the day and some art. I joined for the art but I do often look at the passages as I like being reminded of all the stories I once knew intimately. He’s a very kindly guide

 

DannyL

Wild Horses
I may as well put this here, such an amazing tune. Can't believe I forgot this is my top 100. I had this on 45 for a long while but sold it for £150 to some guy in Japanese when nursery fees were proving distressing to me.
 
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