Songs of the Night

Some of the words of an old poem, for which neither title nor author can I offer, speak of the rich notes given in dark times: "And many a rapturous minstrel, Among those sons of light, Will say of his sweetest music 'I learned it in the night.'"  Job, out of his struggles insists, "But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night" (35:10).

Many of the great spirituals from the South came out of the dark night of slavery.  "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" was written by Wallis Willis, a Choctaw freedman who was inspired by the Red River, which reminded him of the Jordan River and of the Prophet Elijah's begin taken to heaven by a chariot (2 Kgs 2:11).  Some sources claim that this song and "Steal Away," also written by Willis, had lyrics referring to the Underground Railroad.

It is said that singing the blues comes out of the deep struggle or darkness of life.  As the lyrics of the old  Melvin Endsley classic, recorded Marty Robbins in 1956, "Singing The Blues," moans, "I never felt more like singing the blues, cause I never thought that I'd ever lose your love Babe..."

I have read that the heavenly chorus will be harmonized by the high notes of the angels, who live in endless glory, and the low notes of humans who have lived in the depths of a darkened world.  The low notes, while reflecting a difficult and dark time, bring out a richness of experience and a depth of struggle, which produces bitter sweet notes that resonate deep within our spirit.

Borrowing from a source I have long since forgotten, I have often said that "character is hammered out on the anvil of adversity."  And, I believe, that same hammering can produce beautiful songs of human empathy and notes of hope.

It is, I believe, out of these struggles that come not only the songs of the night, the sweet, sad notes of dark times, but also the songs of victory as we overcome these struggles in Christ.  John writes of the persecuted church, the 144,000 (great multitude) whose struggles on earth included martyrdom, "they sang a new song before the throne....None one could learn the song except the 144,000 redeemed from the earth" (Rev 14:3).

The songs of the night, by the redeeming power of the Spirit, become the songs of the light, the Light, which surrounds the very throne of God.  Jus' Say'n.