This song is a compilation of scriptural verses and a reflection that was initially intended as a personal exercise to root out the false notions in one particular ‘old time hymn’ that I sang from the days of my youth, and my father before me!

1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Please go to Wherefore Sings My Soul! for the lyrics and mp3 download/playing.

For the lyrics, you will notice that I have included the ‘traditional’ words along side the bible verses’ version, in order to attempt to bring light where there once was darkness, focussing on some of the words we ‘traditionally’ use without scriptural reference yet consider the words to be ‘hymns’. It was a blessed reflection for me that I pray will bring edification to you!

Jer 1:9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Also included below is a further detailed reflection on that one word ‘brook’, and how that word and the brook Kidron/Cedron is used in the bible. It is used with permission from a previously shared thread at the email forum at http://www.iswasandwillbe.com, and I pray that this too may be edifying for you.

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Hi All, I was working on rewording a contemporary song that got me deep into studying some specific words in the bible. I thought to share this nugget that I hadn’t considered before…

First, I’d not seen these 2 verses side by side before:

Jer 31:40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.
Joh 18:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

There are several brooks named (and not named) throughout the OT, but John 18 is the only place in the NT where ‘brook’ or ‘Cedron’ is written, and the definition/meaning of this brook called Cedron/Kidron is quite revealing (same pattern, just different words of course)

BDB Definition: Kidron = “dark” and Thayer Definition: Cedron or Kidron = “turbid”
1) the name of a winter torrent, rising near Jerusalem and flowing down through a valley of Kidron, having the Mount of Olives on the east, into the Dead Sea
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: of Hebrew origin H6939 qidrôn , from H6937; dusky place; Kidron, a brook near Jerusalem: – Kidron.
H6937 qâdar A primitive root; to be ashy, that is, dark colored; by implication to mourn (in sackcloth or sordid garments): – be black (-ish), be (make) dark (-en), X heavily, (cause to) mourn.

Kidron is mentioned 11 times in the OT

2Sa 15:23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

1Ki 2:37 For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.

1Ki 15:13 And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

2Ki 23:4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.

2Ki 23:6 And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.

2Ki 23:12 And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.

2Ch 29:16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron.

2Ch 30:14 And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

Jer 31:40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.

Then Christ comes and delivers us by his dying to his [carnal] flesh, setting us the example and the narrow way into the garden… through that lake of fire, brook of Kidron, tribulations and persecutions, circumcision, the altar is the cross dying daily Way and Walk and Life!

Joh 18:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

God is working in His garden in the generations of the first Adam so that all of them will eventually bear “the fruits of righteousness…by Jesus Christ” at their appointed time (John 5:17-18): (from Larry’s Genesis study http://tryingthespirits.com/2013-08/genesis-study-14/)

I have not had the opportunity to keep up with the Genesis studies and I know there is a huge reflection on the garden that pertains to this thought of dying to flesh, being ground to power, rising with Him etc etc etc… but I wanted to share this nugget today 🙂 …

With Love in Christ,

Gale.
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Hi Gale,

Thank you for sharing your revelation of the spiritual significance of the brook Kidron. According to Jeremiah this brook is in a “valley of the dead bodies”:

Jer_31:40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.

It was during one of King Davids worst trials, his own son wanting him dead, that he crossed the brook Kidron, it was “into the brook Kidron”, that Josiah cast all the abominable things that were in the temple of God.

Truly the brook Kidron symbolizes the “the valley of the shadow of death”, thetrials we must all endure by virtue of being dust.

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

When Christ crossed the brook Cedron He did so for the purpose of praying till His sweat became as drops of blood, followed by his crucifixion, King David was fleeing for his life, and King Josiah was cleansing the temple and Jerusalem. Still the words of Psalms 23 were a comfort at this time of trial, symbolized by this “brook Kidron”.

This too is an essential part of our walk. Thank you for sharing this with us, Gale.

Your grateful brother,

Mike

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