Whenever I feel afraid

My wife, Tamara, did her undergraduate degree at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD, or "Nasscad" as it is more familiarly known).  There is a gallery associated with it called The Anna Leonowens Gallery.  Mrs. Leonowens was a founder of the college in 1887 (although it was then named the Victoria College of Art and Design after the famous queen of that name).  This, I am sure you would think, is accomplishment enough for one life.  But not so for Mrs. Leonowens.  She lived in Halifax (Nova Scotia) after her Asian travels during which she spent some time at the royal court of Siam.  It was that gig that made her the inspiration for the musical The King and I. 

What I remember from the musical is, well, the music.  And Yul Brynner's bald head.  "Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera" also springs back to mind.  But back to the music.  One of the peppy little numbers is "I Whistle a Happy Tune."  Here's a sample of the lyrics:

Whenever I feel afraid
I hold my head erect
And whistle a happy tune
So no one will suspect
I'm afraid.

While shivering in my shoes
I strike a careless pose
And whistle a happy tune
And no one ever knows
I'm afraid.

I cannot comment on whether this is an effective foil for fear as neither whistling nor "tune" are my strong points.  But I was reminded of this song while reading Psalm 56 this week.  The psalmist, like Anna, feels afraid.  He is trampled, oppressed and attacked.  Sadly, he did not have access to Deborah Kerr singing the above number so he takes another tack.

When I am afraid
I put my trust in you.
In God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?
(Psalm 56:3-4, ESV)

No disrespect meant to Rodgers and Hammerstein, but I think the psalmist has a better plan. Much in our lives is beyond our control.  This invokes fear.  Much is unknown - such as everything that is going to happen to me from this point on, forever.   That may qualify as more than "much."  We feel afraid.  At times we are threatened or in actual peril.  The fear part we can't avoid.

But when I feel afraid, whistle a happy tune?  As cheering as it may be, the tune is not Good, True, Loving and Sovereign.  God is.

The collect for peace in the Book of Common Prayer prays it this way (emphasis mine):

O God who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom stands our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom: Defend us, thy humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.  

In God I trust, what can flesh do to me?

What indeed.