Right Response

"O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise Him, all ye people.  For His merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth forever" (Psalm 117:1,2).  "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil" (Proverbs 16:6).  "Woe unto them!  For they have fled from Me… they have spoken lies against Me… and they rebel against Me" (Hosea 7:13,14).  "The Son of man came… to give His life a ransom for many… What will ye that I shall do unto you?" (Matthew 20:28,32). 

The right response of every nation

Should be to honor God with praise

As they behold His great salvation

With grace and truth that He displays. 

By truth and mercy God has purged

Iniquity that plagued our heart. 

The right response that He has urged

Is that we should from sin depart. 

Alas, the prospect yet is grim

For those who will not seek God's face,

Who foolishly have fled from Him,

Rejecting His amazing grace! 

O Lord, the right response to You,  

In view of what You saved us from,

Is doing what You said to do: 

To flee from wrath and to You come! 

Prompted to Pray

"I love the LORD, because He hath heard my voice… The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me…  Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech Thee, deliver my soul… I was brought low, and He helped me" (Psalm 116:1-6).  "Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?" (Proverbs 15:8).  "Who then can be saved?  Jesus… said unto them… With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:25,26). 

I do remember very well

That dreadful season of my sorrow

When I had pondered death and hell

Which might descend before tomorrow. 

I could not shake the awful sense

That death approached, to my despair,   

Amid the great indifference

Of multitudes who did not care! 

In retrospect, I see the love

That graciously had brought me low

To pray for mercy from above

That Christ delighted to bestow.

O Lord, You prompted me to pray

For that which seemed impossible! 

It was Your love that found a way

To save by grace my trembling soul!  

Good Frame of Godly Fear

"Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: He is their Help and their Shield" (Psalm 115:11).  "In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge.  The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death" (Proverbs 14:26,27).  "They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for… they have not known the LORD" (Hosea 5:4 ).  "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3). 

All those who fear and trust the Lord

Shall know He is their Help and Shield. 

The Word of God shall be their sword

And refuge on the battlefield. 

The fear of God gives confidence

At God's command to move the mountain

Because He is our strong Defense

And Strength that flows from heaven's fountain. 

How sadly many will not frame

Their attitude to turn to God! 

They glory in their fearless shame,

And those likeminded they applaud. 

O Lord, this frame of mind is good

That teaches us by godly fear

To trust You as Your children should  

Who are converted and brought near. 

Walk with the Wise

"When Israel went out of Egypt… Israel [was] His dominion… Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord" (Psalm 114:1,2,7).  "Good understanding giveth favor… He that walketh with wise men shall be wise" (Proverbs 13:15,20).  "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6).  "There appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him.  Then… a voice… which said… This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him… When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only" (Matthew 17:5,8). 

The people Egypt had enslaved

Were hopeless in their foe's opinion, 

But they would nonetheless be saved

For Israel was the Lord's dominion. 

It's good to walk with understanding

Along with those who know the Savior,

Who hear the voice of His commanding,

Who do His will, and seek His favor.

But those who will not wisely choose

The truth of God that He has sent    

Shall be destroyed, since they refuse

To heed His warning to repent. 

We thank You, Lord, that we may walk

With those whom You consider wise,

Who love to hear You when You talk

And see You when they lift their eyes.  

Heaviness Healed

"Praise the name of the LORD… He raiseth up the poor out of the dust , and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill" (Psalm 113:1,7).  "Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad" (Proverbs 12:25).  "For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king… Afterward shall the children of Israel return… and shall fear the LORD and His goodness in the latter days" (Hosea 3:4,5).  "Jesus answered… I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:17,18). 

How good it is to praise the name

Of Jesus Christ, in whom we trust,

Who cleansed us from our sin and shame

To lift us from its dung and dust!

We need God's Word when spirits droop,

When trouble tends to make us sad.

Though heaviness can make us stoop,

A word in season makes us glad.  

Hosea prophesied of days

When Israel shall return again

To lift their hearts to Christ in praise,

Acknowledging His goodness then.    

O Lord, our heaviness is healed

As we recall You never fail. 

You'll build Your Church as You revealed;

The gates of hell shall not prevail.