Westerwick

Westerwick in Shetland is not a well-known place and I suspect that locals would prefer to keep it that way. I was not wearing suitable footwear, or I should have climbed higher and leaned further, but even my poor photographs give a sense of the rugged beauty and dramatic temper of those cliffs and rock faces. The sea was a deep blue and the foam a bright white. Much as I admired the beauty, I was conscious of the danger posed by wind and slippery ground. A place of beauty may also be scene of hazard.In Psalm 104:18, however, we read:

The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.

That is the rendering of the Authorised Version, though the New King James renders ‘rocks’ as ‘cliffs’.

I saw no conies or goats upon those cliffs, but I did see little rabbits darting about. A place of danger to me, perhaps, but a place of safety and source of food to them. Psalm 104 is a thrilling hymn of praise to God, and always worth the meditation. It goes on:

The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works.

He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

The God of Creation is awesome and powerful, He provides food and safety for little creatures, as well as an eternal home for those who trust Him, therefore:

My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.

A  D