Window 30

The first window up the flight of stairs to the balcony presents a scene from Psalm 8.  A young boy seated on a rock in the meadow is blowing a pipe.  Various animals appear beside him, a dog, a cow, and a flock of sheep.  This scene is enclosed with an oval frame outside of which birds fly in the sky overhead and fish swim in the waters below.

The closing verses of Psalm 8 bring to light how these various creatures fit into the picture.  The Psalm there tells of mankind’s exalted place on earth.  God crowned them with glory and honor and put all creatures at their service, “all flocks and herds and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air and the fish of the sea.”

What people of privilege we are and how high our responsibility to be good stewards of this bountiful earth!  What compelling reason we have, in the Psalm’s first verse, to sing: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”  For genuine worship and praise, let children be our models.  In the Psalm’s words, “From the lips of children you have ordained praise.”  Thus a child making music with a pipe appears at the center of the window.  The message of praising God with voice, trumpet, strings, and organ is appropriate for children and adults to see as they ascend to the balcony to beautify Christian worship with songs and instruments of praise.