July 3, 2018
Dateline: Beaumont, Texas, Trinity United Methodist Church, Room 105, Explorers Sunday school
Last Sunday’s lesson was the heart-cry of David upon hearing that Saul and Jonathan were dead. (We did note that the lament he made all his men learn may also have been a shrewd and necessary political move.) One class member asked, “What happened to Saul’s body? Didn’t the Philistines make an outrageous display of it, and then some kind people from a nearby town rescued it?” Well, far be it from me the teacher not to investigate. And so are planted the seeds of a poem:
Tears of a Tamarisk Tree
(a reflection on First Samuel)
Common in the Middle East
A pretty flowering thing
Dark-green shade for weary ones
Cool balm for desert’s sting
She grows in saline soil
Her taproot reaches water
Draws up salt, she drops the dew
An air-conditioned daughter!
The Bible hardly mentions her—
Pay attention all the more
To one of the saddest tales
Set down in Hebrew lore
Once in ancient Gibeah
Under a tamarisk tree
Saul the king of Israel
In a killing mood was he
“I hate David. Never mind
That he’s my son in law
I know he’s out to get me
And this is the last straw
He’s made a covenant with my son
He’s hiding, town to town
I’ll find out who’s been feeding him
And I will strike them down”
And so Saul killed the priests of Nob
For extending charity
Eighty-five holy men
Under the tamarisk tree
Saul moved on in hot pursuit
David ran again
The tears of the tamarisk flowed
for the unquenchable rage of men
Later, on Mount Gilboa
The Philistines fought so fierce
Three princes died, then Saul went down
His poor sick heart was pierced
Lo the mighty fallen
Could even worse befall?
Yes. Jubilating Philistines
Hung Saul upon the wall
The merciful town of Jabesh
Hearing of the crime
Sent valiant men to take Saul down
A kindness, just in time
While the Philistines were sleeping
They took King Saul and his three
And gave them a decent burial
Under a tamarisk tree
Common in the Middle East
A pretty flowering thing
Dark-green shade for weary ones
Cool balm for desert’s sting
The Bible hardly mentions her—
Pay attention all the more
To one of the saddest tales
Set down in Hebrew lore
Tormented soul, at last you rest
Thou furious, yet so brave
She wept salt tears and tucked you in
Deep stillness of your grave
Everlasting Arms 