Remember These Words

REMEMBER THESE
WORDS

by HELEN STEINER RICE



WE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER
ON THIS HAPPY DAY
TO STAND BEFORE GOD
AND TO REVERENTLY SAY:
I TAKE THEE TO BE
MY PARTNER FOR LIFE,
TO LOVE AND TO LIVE WITH
AS HUSBAND AND WIFE,
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD
FOREVER, SWEETHEART,
THROUGH SICKNESS AND HEALTH
UNTIL DEATH DO US PART;
TO LOVE AND TO CHERISH
WHATEVER BETIDE,
AND IN BETTER OR WORSE
TO STAND BY YOUR SIDE
WE DO THIS NOT LIGHTLY
BUT SOLEMNLY, LORD,
ASKING THY BLESSING
AS WE LIVE IN ACCORD
WITH THE HOLY PRECEPTS
WHICH JOIN US IN LOVE
AND ASSURE US THY GUIDANCE
AND GRACE FROM ABOVE
AND GRANT US, DEAR LORD,
THAT "I WILL" AND "I DO"
ARE WORDS THAT GROW DEEPER
AND MORE MEANINGFUL, TOO,
THROUGH LONG HAPPY YEARS
OF CARING AND SHARING,
SECURE IN THE KNOWLEDGE
THAT WE ARE PREPARING
A LOVE THAT IS ENDLESS
AND NEVER CAN DIE
BUT FINDS ITS FULFILLMENT
WITH YOU IN THE "SKY."







FOR THOU HAST DELIVERED MY SOUL
FROM DEATH, INDEED MY FEET FROM STUMBLING,
SO THAT I MAY WALK BEFORE GOD
IN THE LIGHT OF THE LIVING.



PSALM 56:13
NAS



I CANNOT COUNT THE TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE
FAITHFULLY RESCUED ME FROM DANGER. I WILL
TELL EVERYONE HOW GOOD YOU ARE, AND OF
YOUR CONSTANT, DAILY CARE. I WALK IN THE
STRENGTH OF THE LORD GOD. I TELL EVERYONE
THAT YOU ALONE ARE JUST AND GOOD.



PSALM 71:15-16
TLB



IN THEIR DISTRESS THEY CRIED OUT TO THE LORD.
HE RESCUED THEM FROM THEIR TROUBLES.



PSALM 107:6
GOD'S WORD



I WILL PRAISE YOU, LORD,
BECAUSE YOU RESCUED ME.
YOU DID NOT LET MY ENEMIES LAUGH AT ME.



PSALM 30:1
NCV



BOW DOWN YOUR EAR TO ME,
DELIVER ME SPEEDILY;
BE MY ROCK OF REFUGE,
A FORTRESS OF DEFENCE TO SAVE ME.



PSALM 31:2
NKJV