My Best Hour of All

  

 

“I also had my hour;

One far fierce hour and sweet:

There was a shout about my ears

And palms before my feet.”

 

The poet got it right

Regarding that Palm Sunday,

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem

Palms in the way lay.

 

Not only palms as told,

But people’s garments too

And that donkey carrying Jesus

Was also in view.

 

 

 

From parody to prominence

From a scourge to a song:

The wonderful shouts in adoration

As King Jesus rode along.

 

No horse as of a king

Or horse drawn carriage

But a scourge and derided donkey:

A parody of marriage.

 

O what elevation,

The donkey enjoyed that day

When the creator of all donkeys

Travelled the Calvary way!

 

 

 

For these adoring Jews

Would soon change the tune

And the Redeemer of the human race

Would be interred in a tomb.

 

 

 

But not before crucifixion:

A slow and horrendous death,

Sentenced for your sins and mine

Bringing eternal rest.

 

It was the donkey’s hour

Shared with the King of kings

As they journeyed into Jerusalem

And heard the people sing.

 

Temporary though it was,

None can take it away:

There were palms beneath its feet;

Shouts about its ears.

 

 

 

G. K. Chesterton got it right

Hence, his poem I quote

About the donkey’s greatest hour

That he also wrote.

 

Gone down in History

A donkey without a name

But featured that first Palm Sunday

And when the Saviour came.

 

The journey to Bethlehem

Bearing an unborn child,

Whose mother and father later on

Would have to hide.

 

No doubt another donkey,

To Egypt took them

When King Herod’s crazy decree

Caused a dire problem.

 

 

 

But the best hour of all

Was in the Master’s control

When she carried the King of kings

Walking fearless and bold.

 

“For I also had my hour;

One far fierce hour and sweet:

There was a shout about my ears

And palms before my feet.”

 

Stewart Russell © March 29, 2026