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The Deer's Cry
Lisa Kelly Lyrics
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Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendour of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of the sea,
Firmness of rock.
I arise to-day
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's eyes to look before me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
From all who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in a multitude.
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ to shield me,
Christ in the heart of every one who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me.
I arise to-day
through the strength of heaven, embodying the natural elements and forces that compose our universe. The sun, moon, fire, lightning, wind, sea, earth, and rock are all invoked as symbols of divine power and energy. These physical entities are regarded as sources of spiritual empowerment, guiding and protecting the singer on their journey.
God is also present in the prayer as a guiding and protective force. The singer acknowledges that it is through the strength of God that they are able to navigate their path in life. They ask for divine guidance, wisdom, and protection against all who may wish them harm. The repetition of "Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me," and so on, emphasizes the omnipresence and omnipotence of God in the singer's life.
The prayer is a powerful statement of faith and resilience, expressing the singer's trust in the divine to guide and guard them through all of life's challenges. It is also a powerful call to action in times of struggle, invoking the strength of the natural world and the divine to empower the singer in their journey.
Line by Line Meaning
I arise today
I wake up and begin this day
Through the strength of heaven:
With the power of the divine
Light of sun,
The brightness of the sun
Radiance of moon,
The glowing light of the moon
Splendour of fire,
The amazing beauty of fire
Speed of lightning,
The quickness of lightning
Swiftness of wind,
The fast movement of the wind
Depth of the sea,
The vastness of the ocean
Stability of earth,
The grounds that are solid and firm
Firmness of rock.
The steadfastness and strength of rocks
Through God's strength to pilot me:
With the help of God, guiding and leading me
God's eyes to look before me,
God's vision to watch over me
God's wisdom to guide me,
The wisdom from God to direct me
God's way to lie before me,
The path God has set for me to follow
God's shield to protect me,
God's protection to shield and defend me
From all who shall wish me ill,
Protecting me from anyone who wishes me harm
Afar and anear,
Far and near
Alone and in a multitude.
Whether I am on my own or in a crowd of people
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul
Standing against any kind of cruelty or oppression that comes against me physically or mentally
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Having the presence of Christ with me all the time
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ is always within me, around me and above me
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ is always beside me
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ is always with me, no matter what I am doing at any given moment.
Christ to shield me,
Christ is my protective shield
Christ in the heart of every one who thinks of me,
Christ is within the thoughts of all those who think of me
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me.
Christ is within the words spoken by everyone who talks about me
Contributed by Addison L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.