WHEN NATURE IS FULLY ALIVE

WHEN NATURE IS FULLY ALIVE

God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.” Psalms 65:1-13 NIV

Job 38:41
Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?

Habakkuk 2:11
The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.

1 Chronicles 16:33

Let the trees of the forest sing, let them sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.

Psalm 96:12
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

Psalm 98:8
Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy;

Psalm 148

1 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. 2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. 3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. 4 Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. 5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created, 6 and he established them for ever and ever— he issued a decree that will never pass away. 7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, 8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, 9 you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, 10 wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, 11 kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, 12 young men and women, old men and children. 13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

Isaiah 44:23a
Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees...

Isaiah 49:13

Shout for joy, you heavens;
    rejoice, you earth;
    burst into song, you mountains! 

Psalm 148;1-13
1 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. 2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. 3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. 4 Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. 5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created, 6 and he established them for ever and ever— he issued a decree that will never pass away. 7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, 8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, 9 you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, 10 wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, 11 kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, 12 young men and women, old men and children. 13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

Isaiah 55:12

the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands.

Psalm 150:6

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Luke 19:40
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

It was these verses that inspired me to write the following poem.

WHEN THE  MOUNTAINS ENVIED A HILL

The mountains envied Mt. Zion,

Where Christ would fulfill God’s will.

Tho’ the mountains thought themselves mighty,

They fell short of that little hill.

The mountains stood arrayed in beauty,

That came from heaven above,

By the man being handed a cross,

And He formed them with great love.

They watched as Jesus carried His cross,

And their stones cried out in vain.

They witnessed the crucifixion.

And they heard Him cry out in pain.

They wept when He breathed His last.

Huge tears formed waterfalls and fountains.

They thought their Creator was gone forever,

When He died on the little mountain.

They could see from where they towered,

That Christ was placed in a tomb.

They watched as His mother wailed,

At the loss of the fruit of her womb.

All at once they began to tremble,

As the earth began to quake.

The sun refused to shine,

And the dead began to awake.

Gloom filled up their valleys

The trees hung their limbs in despair.

Three days later they saw a bright light,

And all they could do was stare.

An angel moved the tomb's stone door,

That was put there by His foes.

Jesus had conquered death,

For from that tomb He arose.

The mountains broke out in color;

The trees began to sway.

The stones sang a song of praise,

And the sun shone brighter that day.

Envy was turned to honor,

Toward the mount that had suffered great strife.

For that is where Christ chose to die,

And create a River of Life.

Becky Wall

Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, And glorified Himself in Israel. Isa. 44:23

1 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. 2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. 3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. 4 Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. 5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created, 6 and he established them for ever and ever— he issued a decree that will never pass away. 7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, 8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, 9 you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, 10 wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, 11 kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, 12 young men and women, old men and children. 13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens. Psalm 148;1-13