The Mystical Muse of Paul Simon
Seven Psalms
Sixty years ago Paul Simon penned a vision he received regarding humanity and it began with the prescient lyrics, “Hello darkness my old friend I’ve come to talk with you again…” It seems that the visions have not left this seer of old as he continues to explore the mystic waters with his recent album Seven Psalms.
A prophet’s job is to stay true to the word he or she receives from above. To not hold back out of the fear of recrimination. To not cringe in the fear of personal attack. To remain resolute in revealing the revelation raining down from above. It is a scary thing to be a megaphone for change. It often involves the burning down of stuff we hold dear before the phoenix can rise from the ashes.
Paul Simon remains firm (into his 8th decade)—his heart, mind and body are sound. Like Moses ascending the mountain of God as an elder before disappearing into the sounds of the night. His recent expression releases a torrent of light and faith while escorting us through the circuitous path of knowing and unknowing:
The Lord is my engineer
The Lord is the earth I ran on
The Lord is a face in the atmosphere
The path I slip and I slide…
The Lord is a virgin forest
The Lord is a forest ranger
The Lord is a meal for the poorest of the poor
A welcome door to the stranger…
On and on he pens what he has seen, beheld, heard and desired. A vision of creative birth encouraging, as well as cautioning the hearer to listen. Listen fully to the fragile words so they penetrate our hard hearts and target the centre of our resistance.
It is widely accepted that artists are insightful prophets even as King David sang his songs of old. Paul Simon walks among them so may we listen to his meditations and be refreshed even as we climb our own seven story mountain.
Yep .climbing my seventy mountains as I ponder how come the whispers are so clear and the "others" are afraid, but ridicules are painful and thosepress on are inspired by deep affection to the One that listens...I think Ps 139 said God humbled Himself....and we read the Word everyday and fail to see how He used the others. Great artists pen from the heart. And like David pen the Psalms yet scorn when he did his victory dance and even Paul Simon was not speared. I am amazed. This morning I draw upon Exodus to reflect upon Moses and yes he was critized....so the Spirit of Confort came to me and its encouraging the Bueaty of God mighty Baracheal that gives bueaty for ash and as Isaiah it He is the Sought Out One.... and I thought on the woman with the Alabaster box...and she one of the 1st to see the risen Christ....even the woman at the well got the revelation....the Living Word sit upon the water/well/normal/familarity/earthly issues is the Living Water and where Living Word is so the Spirit. So I guess Paul Simon Seven Psalms will be on my bucket list.