The Lifter of my Head

Sheri Hunt

Stanza III

And in despair I bowed my head:

“There is no peace on earth,” I said,

“For hate is strong, and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

In Satan’s very first encounter with mankind, he mocked the Word of God, establishing a pattern of deceit continuing to this very day. Throughout history, he has relied on fake news. Today, the tsunami of words flowing through earbuds fed by mainstream and social media multiplies the effects of fear. Fear breeds hate in the hearts of people caught in the onslaught. The threat looms bigger and bigger drowning out an abiding precept – HOPE.

But God never leaves us without hope.

In the vise-grip of despair, tiny flashes of faith can become lighthouses of hope. And hope can develop into miraculous love, even when faced with hate. Paul assured us that faith, hope, and love continue to abide in the equation. And they change the equation, transforming fear, dread, and despair into peace that passes understanding.

In this stanza, Longfellow pauses for a moment – crippled with despair. We often lose sleep, tortured by gloom. But Scripture provides an alternative to hopelessness:

Many there are that say of my soul,
There is no help for him in God.   Selah
 But thou, O Jehovah, art a shield about me;
My glory, and the lifter up of my head.

(Psalm 3:2-3 CEB)