Rich Leonardi gripes about On Eagles' Wings, this time pointing out that there are no eagles in Psalm 91.
I, the ever-cheerful curmudgeon, join his gripe. I also hate On Eagles' Wings, and am pretty sure that hatred of On Eagles' Wings is a prerequisite for membership in the orthodox-Catholic-blogosphere — although come to think of it, if the orthodox-Catholic-blogosphere ever had an anthem, maybe it ought to BE On Eagles' Wings. Because that would let us all be grumpy and curmudgeonly together. What better way to cement the bonds among us? We could all hold hands, sing On Eagles' Wings, and, I don't know, wave streamers or something.
For years I have thought of this as the "Yoo-hoo" song, based on a demonstration performed for me once when I was an alto in a "music ministry" at a parish that shall remain unnamed. Try singing the first two notes and see what I mean.
Actually, the main reason I hate OEW is because I love Ps. 91 so much. I would go around singing it all day if it weren't for the fact that every time I try, I can't remember any other arrangement because the ingrained memory of OEW, which is an earworm if I ever met one, crowds it out. (And I know that there are other compositions, including one I like, but I've been trying to remember any for the last 5 minutes and I can't.)
I tried to come up with a way to include Ps. 91 at my wedding. It may seem an odd choice to others, but it expressed a lot of what I was feeling about entering into marriage at the time.
God will rescue you from the fowler's snare, from the destroying plague,
Will shelter you with pinions, spread wings that you may take refuge; God's faithfulness is a protecting shield.
You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day,
Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness, nor the plague that ravages at noon.
Though a thousand fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, near you it shall not come.
"Though a thousand fall… near you it shall not come."
bearing blog 