Speaking as an old man who has climbed a number of metaphorical mountains of the literary sort (and zero ones of the real sort), I know how to begin a massive writing – or translation – project. At least I know what works for me. The trick, in my experience, is not to look at the mountain.

If you think about the size of the mountain as you begin, you’ll soon grow disheartened.

You have to concentrate on today’s work. What will I do today? How much can I accomplish just today?

If you write merely one page every day, you can produce a 365 page book in a year. (It takes me considerably longer, though, when you include revisions. But you get the point. One step at a time.)

“Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof,” as the Lord says in the Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 6:34)

Anyway, I’ve ordered some orthopedic aids to help me sit for long periods at my laptop, and I’m on the case.

The video above troubles me.

Not because of the artist herself – Lucy Thomas, who apparently won some talent program and obviously has an astonishing voice. I like her singing very much.

And not the song in itself, in particular. Leonard Cohen was in some ways the archetypal Israelite, forever wrestling with God. And this song expresses his troubled world-view in transcendent fashion.

My problem is that somebody – as you can see from the captions – is promoting it as a worship song.

Dearly beloved, “Hallelujah” is not a worship song! (I’ve written some drivel about it before in this blog myself.) It’s a song about sex, couched in near-blasphemous biblical imagery. It’s a brilliant piece of work but it doesn’t belong in your church.

It’s disrespectful both to God (who is not being properly revered) and to the artist – whose work is being twisted in a direction he never intended.

I understand the Christian impulse to turn all things to God’s glory.

But art deserves respect for its own sake. Not to be hijacked, even by well-meaning worship leaders.

At least give it time for the copyright to run out.