The presentation slides I used when I taught at River of Grace on "I Plight Thee My Troth" September 2014

1. I Plight Thee My Troth

2. A performative utterance to create
deep truth

3. Plight
• A dangerous situation, a risk.
• A pledge to be responsible
• To “plight” is to be willing to
got into a state of risk with
someone or for something.
• The willingness to take great
risk for the possibility of
great rewards.

4. Troth
• Faithfulness, loyalty, honesty. One’s inner conviction,
the truth you choose
to become.
• “Betroth” is to bind one’s
truth to another in the
marriage covenant.
• “I will betroth you to Me
forever; Yes I will betroth
you to Me in righteousness
and in justice, in loving‐
kindness [covenant love] and in compassion, and I will
betroth you to Me in faithfulness, then you will know
the Lord.” – Hosea 2:19‐20

5. “I pledge to you my truth”
• All we are, all we have, brought
to the alter and declared as
put at risk.
• Victoria: So rich she could wear
white.
• Albert: Duke of Saxe‐Coburg
and Gotha, a man of
considerable power and
prestige in his homeland, but
without respect in Britain.
• Separate, they were both
people of power; together
they created something greater.

6. From Master to Spouse
• When that day comes,” says
the Lord , “you will call me
‘my husband’ instead of ‘my
master.’ O Israel, I will wipe
the many names of Baal from
your lips, and you will never
mention them again. On that
day I will make a covenant
with all the wild animals and
the birds of the sky and the
animals that scurry along
the ground so they will not
harm you. I will remove all
weapons of war from the land, all swords and bows, so you can live
unafraid in peace and safety. I will make you my wife
forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and
compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you
will finally know me as the Lord.