Starry Host — A poem about angles

Introduction

In 2023, I took a camping trip to the Kissimmee Prairie Reserve in Florida. I wrote this poem as well as, The Poet, and the Pen, during that trip. The Prairie is designated as a dark sky zone, which means it is ideal for viewing stars. My whole life I have lived in the city only occasionally, escaping its light pollution. My Kissimmee Prairie trip yielded the starriest night sky I’ve ever seen. As I stood looking up into the starry host, I could sense the grandeur and power of God. Yet, at the same time, I knew he was there with me and inside of me through his Holy Spirit. From the stars billions of light-years away, to the individual hairs of my head, God created and knew each of them intimately. My heart and mind stood in awe of such a God in that moment.

In many ancient cultures at the time of the Old Testament, stars were seen as heavenly spiritual beings. We see this throughout the Old Testament in Job 38:7, Psalms 147:4, and Isaiah 40:26, to name a few. Like the rest of creation, the spiritual being in Heaven worship God. As I looked into the sky filled with countless stars further away, and shining light more ancient than I could fathom, I understood the true meaning of the stars.

Starry Host

To watch this starry host you see
the changing seasons, passing time.
To all mankind through all of time
is now, and then, as yet to be.

No words could ever start to tell
and eyes in vain but hope to see,
the stars who praise Emmanuel,
proclaiming songs of majesty.

Across the light-years, beauty spans
within the palm of Yahweh’s hand.
They shine their light from eons yore;
your love, oh Lord, is further fore.

To look upon the stars you see
the host of heaven round his throne
exalting Christ of Calvary,
for by his blood our sins atoned.