Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Solid Joys

My favorite hymn is Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken, at least I think so. I want it sung at my funeral, along with For All the Saints. I have always loved the last lines of the last verse: Fading is the worlding's pleasure/All his boasted pomp and show/Solid joys and lasting treasure/None but Zion's children know. I like that idea, the idea of our joys being solid.

Dictionary.com defines solid as:

"adjective
1. having three dimensions (length, breadth, and thickness), as a geometrical body or figure.
2. of or pertaining to bodies or figures of three dimensions.
3. having the interior completely filled up, free from cavities, or not hollow: a solid piece of chocolate.
4. without openings or breaks: a solid wall.
5. firm, hard, or compact in substance: solid ground.
6. having relative firmness, coherence of particles, or persistence of form, as matter that is not liquid or gaseous: solid particles suspended in a liquid.
7. pertaining to such matter: Water in a solid state is ice.
8. dense, thick, or heavy in nature or appearance: solid masses of cloud.
9. not flimsy, slight, or light, as buildings, furniture, fabrics, or food; substantial.
10. of a substantial character; not superficial, trifling, or frivolous: a solid work of scientific scholarship.
11. without separation or division; continuous: a solid row of buildings.
12. whole or entire: one solid hour.
13. forming the whole; consisting entirely of one substance or material: solid gold.
14. uniform in tone or shades, as a color: a solid blue dress.
15. real or genuine: solid comfort.
16. sound or reliable, as reasons or arguments: solid facts.
17. sober-minded; fully reliable or sensible: a solid citizen. "

Almost all of those definitions relate to what the word solid means in that song. I really love that idea.