Beauty Is Truth, Truth Beauty

Here are the lyrics to two songs we're singing in choir, one hymn and one Shakespeare sonnet. What's really struck me is how songs that are "secular" can still often have such beauty and depth as to bring the soul closer to God, sometimes just as much as "sacred" music. It helps that the sonnet, a love poem, can be interpreted as directed to God, wherein it gains a meaning much deeper than perhaps the original intent.

Wondrous Love

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great “I Am”;
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on.

Sonnet 29

When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless* cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed
Desiring this man's art or that man's scope
With what I most enjoy, contented least

Yet in these thoughts, myself almost despising,
Haply† I think on thee--And then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate

For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

*useless, futile †by chance

Lord Jesus, may thy sweet and wondrous love remembered
        such wealth bring,
That I would scorn to change my state with kings.