先日、米国大統領選挙の勝利を宣言したジョー・バイデンが演説の最後に引用した讃美歌は1979年にカトリックの司祭 Jan Michael Joncas が作った On Eagle’s Wings という歌です。
歌詞の中心は詩篇91篇「いと高き方の隠れ場に住む者、その人は全能者の陰に宿る……私の避け所、私の砦、私の信頼する私の神」から始まるものです。同時に、この歌では、出エジプト記19章4節で、主がイスラエルの民に、 ｢あなたがたを鷲の翼に乗せて、わたしのもとに連れてきた」という神がご自身の救いの御業を、｢鷲の翼に乗せて」とテーマが中心になっています。
さらに先日のマタイ13章からのメッセージで「正しい人たちは彼らの父の御国 で太陽のように輝きます」というみことば、詩篇139篇9節の「暁の翼｣、イザヤ 49章16節「わたしは手のひらにあなたを刻んだ」などのみことばを自由に引用し たすばらしい讃美歌です。
以下でお聞きいただくことができます。
You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
Who abide in His shadow for life,
Say to the Lord, “My Refuge,
My Rock in Whom I trust.”
And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear;
Under His Wings your refuge,
His faithfulness your shield.
And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
You need not fear the terror of the night,
Nor the arrow that flies by day,
Though thousands fall about you,
Near you it shall not come.
And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
For to His angels He’s given a command,
To guard you in all of your ways,
Upon their hands they will bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
