Shadow

“Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?” said the muffled voice on the old radio show.  “The Shadow knows,” and he laughed softly.  It was a good thing, though, because the Shadow, who possessed the power to hypnotize people so they would not see him, was a secret yet tireless fighter against wickedness and crime.  Those who intend harm often dwell in shadows, so as to take the innocent man by surprise, or to hide their own dealings even from themselves.  And we think of the shadow as a place deprived of light, and maybe close to the ultimate place of darkness, but if we know that God is with us, we can walk with good cheer.  Would you like to see what the verse looks like in the English of King Alfred, 1200 years ago?  A king, translating portions of the Bible?  You bet: Alfred was a formidable man.  Here it is:

Theah ic nu gange on midde tha sceade deathes, ne ondraede ic me nan yfel, for tham thu byst mid me, Drihten.

That’s easy for you to say, Your Majesty – you speak the…