My Death Verse

For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; and the mountains and hills shall burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. -Isaiah 55:12

What is your life verse? This is a question that you may have been asked; the idea being that the Christian's life and walk of faith can be summed up in a single verse of Scripture.

Or perhaps the notion is that, out of all God's word, there are certain verses or passages that truly (more than the others) move me or inspire you.

I can understand how this could be, for who does not have a favorite portion of the Bible which we read over and over again?

"...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. -Psalm 30:5b" is a verse I have heard cited often.


The thing is, I am inspired each day, as I read my Bible, to meditate on God's greatness, His mercy, His holiness, all His attributes. So it is hard to choose among the vast riches of His Word, a passage that really, truly fills my heart above all the others.

It is customary, I have read, in many Native American cultures for a warrior to compose a death chant, to be sung at the time of his dying.

As pilgrims and sojourners in this world, we too, we children of God, are to be heavenly minded and to long to be with our Lord (Philippians 1:23).

So, though I know that I am called to live my life in the light of "all Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16), there is a passage that has special meaning to me; what I consider my "death verse," the above-quoted Isaiah 55:12.

Coming at the end of a passage celebrating the Gospel call and the sureness of God's choosing, this promise of our eternal security is so precious to me.

I call upon you to rejoice with me, in God's mercy and incomprehensible love. Only in the crystal purity of His truth can we find adequate expression.

This, then, "be the verse you 'grave for me:"

For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.