A Psalm that Uplifted My Heart Today

Today I was blessed by a devotion on Our Daily Bread which spoke about how God can lift our sorrows and sustain us through our present burdens. I especially loved the passage from the Bible from Psalm 55 which appeared to be divinely appointed, as if God is speaking directly to me in my presence circumstances.

I believe that things happen for a reason. Whatever our circumstances or trials, Lord our God is our Jehovah Jireh and our provider. His divine providence is sufficient for us, and we should trust that He will make a way, where there seems to be no way. Nothing is too big for Him, and in Him we trust.

Do spend some time reading the Psalm below, courtesy of the Bible Gateway.

_______________________

1 Listen to my prayer, O God,

   do not ignore my plea;
 2 hear me and answer me.
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
 3 because of what my enemy is saying,
   because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me
   and assail me in their anger.

 4 My heart is in anguish within me;
   the terrors of death have fallen on me.
5 Fear and trembling have beset me;
   horror has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
   I would fly away and be at rest.

7 I would flee far away
   and stay in the desert;
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,
   far from the tempest and storm.”

 9 Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,
   for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they prowl about on its walls;
   malice and abuse are within it.
11 Destructive forces are at work in the city;
   threats and lies never leave its streets.

 12 If an enemy were insulting me,
   I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
   I could hide.
13 But it is you, a man like myself,
   my companion, my close friend,
14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
   at the house of God,
as we walked about
   among the worshipers.

 15 Let death take my enemies by surprise;
   let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,
   for evil finds lodging among them.

 16 As for me, I call to God,
   and the LORD saves me.
17 Evening, morning and noon
   I cry out in distress,
   and he hears my voice.
18 He rescues me unharmed
   from the battle waged against me,
   even though many oppose me.
19 God, who is enthroned from of old,
   who does not change—
he will hear them and humble them,
   because they have no fear of God.

 20 My companion attacks his friends;
   he violates his covenant.
21 His talk is smooth as butter,
   yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
   yet they are drawn swords.

 22 Cast your cares on the LORD
   and he will sustain you;
he will never let
   the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 55 (New International Version)

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Good Morning Yesterday – Capturing the Past for Future Generations

Yesterday, I attended the launch of Good Morning Yesterday, a publication by long-time heritage and nostalgia blogger Lam Chun See who has a well known blog by the same name.  A labour of love supported by the National Heritage Board’s Hi2P Programme, the book documents Chun See’s reflections of what life was like in the 1950s and 1960s during his growing up years as a young boy in both rural and urban Singapore.  It was heartening to see some 20 to 25 Friends of Yesterday.sg (FOYers) and their friends attending the cosy function, showing their support to Chun See’s maiden effort (yes, he does have a second title in mind).

As I caught up with both old and new friends at the book launch, my mind raced back to the year 2005 when the idea of launching a heritage, museum and nostalgia blog first hatched itself in my mind.  Back in those days, blogging was perceived as a fearsome force, espousing radical ideas and spouting anti-authoritarian values that were viewed with some trepidation.  However, I could also see back then that social media will only grow in influence and that ignoring it will be at our peril. 

Capitalising on the opportunity for social media then, to “democratise” heritage while encouraging ordinary Singaporeans to share their stories with us, we launched Yesterday.sg – Singapore’s first heritage and museum blog.  This was followed by various platforms like a Facebook page, Twitter account, Youtube channel and more. 

To me, the best part of this national narrative is the growth in our passion for heritage in Singapore. Chun See’s latest literary achievement is symptomatic of how much we cherish and care for our way of life, our memories, our culture and our home. Collectively, society’s love for old things have seen a new peak, no doubt powered by the collective reach of the social web.

We now have multiple blogs, Facebook pages, and mailing lists capturing various facets of heritage, nostalgia and culture in Singapore. Some of these efforts have culminated in books, publications, exhibitions and even galleries proudly presented by Singaporeans of all ages. The latest endeavour is the ambitious Singapore Memory Project spearheaded by the National Library Board. 

While I am no longer directly involved in Yesterday.sg, I am very happy to see that what we started as a tentative experiment has blossomed into a growing and sustained movement. Several FOYers like Wee Kiat and Victor Koo have been especially prolific, publishing books marrying the love of philately with history and nature. I am especially glad to note how the friendships forged have withstood the test of time and grown stronger with multiple meet-ups and gatherings over the years. 

Congratulations once again Chun See! May you continue to bring many warm happy feelings to Singaporeans and friends of Singapore with your stories of Singapore past, immortalised on print and the web for all future generations to enjoy! 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized