Spiritual Quote of the Day (John Donne, on the Psalms as ‘The Manna of the Church’)

“The Psalms are the manna of the church. As manna tasted to every man like that he liked best, so do the Psalms minister instruction, and satisfaction, to every man, in every emergency and occasion.”—English poet and Church of England cleric John Donne (1572-1631), Sermon 66 (Preached at St. Paul’s, Jan. 29, 1625), in The Works of John Donne, Volume 3

The image accompanying this post of John Donne was created by English portrait miniature painter Isaac Oliver 9ca. 1565-1617).

Spiritual Quote of the Day (Book of Psalms, on God and the ‘Vine’ of Israel)

“Turn back again, God of hosts;
look down from heaven and see;
Visit this vine,
the stock your right hand has planted,
and the son whom you made strong for yourself.”—Psalm 80: 15-16

Quote of the Day (Psalm 92, on God’s Love at Daybreak)

“What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks, to sing an anthem to you, the High God!

To announce your love each daybreak, sing your faithful presence all through the night,

Accompanied by dulcimer and harp, the full-bodied music of strings.”—Psalm 92:1-3

(I took the image accompanying this post at Chautauqua Lake in early July.)

Quote of the Day (Book of Psalms, on God’s Deliverance of the Righteous)

“The righteous person may have many troubles,

    but the Lord delivers him from them all;

he protects all his bones,

    not one of them will be broken.

Evil will slay the wicked;

    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

The Lord will rescue his servants;

    no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.”—Psalms 34:19-22 (New International Version)

(The image accompanying this post is Job and His Family Restored to Prosperity, a watercolor by the English artist-poet William Blake.)

Quote of the Day (Psalms, Requesting ‘A Pure Heart’)

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” —Psalm 112: 4 (New International Version)

King David is believed to have written at least half the Psalms, so I thought it would be appropriate to depict him here. The image accompanying this post is

"David Playing the Harp" (1670) by Dutch painter Jan de Bray (1627-1697).

Quote of the Day (Psalms, on God’s Salvation and Righteousness)

“The Lord has made his salvation known

    and revealed his righteousness to the nations.”—Psalm 98:2 (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition)

Quote of the Day (Psalm 112, on How ‘Light Dawns for the Upright’)

“Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,

    for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.” —Psalm 112: 4 (New International Version)

I took this photo a year ago last month, when I was down on vacation in Hilton Head, S.C.