Discerned by Delight

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD" (Psalm 1:1,2).  "Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?" (Proverbs 15:11).  "Ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you.  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:  and I give unto them eternal life" (John 10:26-28). 

The Lord discerns our deepest thought;

There's nothing hidden from His sight. 

The counsel of the Lord is sought

By those who in His law delight.

The Lord beholds the sinner's heart

That still delights  in hell's seduction

And yet refuses to depart

From that which leads him to destruction. 

There is a way we can discern

The hearts that truly are His own:   

All those who are His sheep will yearn

To follow Christ and make Him known.

O Lord, You have discerned all those

Who hear Your voice and follow too.

They are Your sheep because they chose

To place their heart's delight in You.  

Prudent Praise

"Praise ye the LORD… for His mighty acts" (Psalm 150:1,2).  "The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going" (Proverbs 14:15).  "Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this Man is a sinner.  He answered and said, Whether He be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see… Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind" (John 9:24-32). 

We praise the Lord for what He did,

As we declare His mighty acts.

His great salvation was not hid,

Though fools will still ignore the facts. 

The prudent person will look well

To test the statements he has heard

Against the evidence to tell

If he should trust another's word. 

The blind man who received his sight

Could surely see the evidence

That Christ's opponents were not right

When he rejected their defense. 

We offer, Lord, the prudent praise

Of all who draw the right conclusion

In view of proof that God displays

With truth that frees us from confusion.  

Framing Freedom

"In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6).  "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life…  The Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him… If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free… ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:12,29-36). 

There is a freedom that is wise

With wisdom that God's Word will frame,

But doing right in one's own eyes

Against God's counsel causes shame. 

The Lord will show us what is right

If we continue in His Word.

We find true freedom in His light

As we obey what we have heard. 

As Jesus always did those things

That pleased the Father in His day,

We see the frame this standard brings

Of freedom's light upon our way. 

O Lord, Your Word is all we need

For framing freedom You have shown,

Since You have made us free indeed

By all the truth You have made known.  

Samson's Seduction

"And it came to pass, when she [Delilah, Heb. דָּלַל, languishing] pressed him [Samson, Heb. שִׁמְשׁוֹן, sunlight; brilliant] daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death, that he told her all his heart… and his strength went from him" (Judges 16:16-19).  "Praise the name of the LORD: for His name alone is excellent; His glory is above the earth and heaven (Psalm 148:13).  "The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor: but the way of the wicked seduceth them" (Proverbs 12:26). 

There was a day that came with anguish 

When Samson's brightness would turn dim,

For by Delilah he would languish

Through her seduction pressing him. 

These things are written for instruction

In view of Samson's dreadful end,

Lest we be drawn by the seduction

That bids us be the world's friend. 

Seduction has no excellence

That can compare with Christ our Savior. 

In Christ we find our soul's defense

And satisfaction by His favor. 

Lord, guard us by the admonition

Regarding the seduction shown  

In Samson's languishing condition,

That we may praise Your name alone.  

Lord at Lehi

"[Samson] was sore athirst, and called on the LORD… But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw [לֶחִי , jaw = Lehi, the place where Samson's battle was won], and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore [עֵין הַקּוֹרֵא, fountain of one calling], which is in Lehi unto this day" (Judges 15:18,19).  "Jesus said unto them, I am the Bread of Life… he that believeth on Me shall never thirst" (John 6:35). 

When Samson slew a thousand men

Upon the height of Lehi's mountain

With just a donkey's jawbone then,

God quenched his thirst at Lehi's fountain. 

Without that fountain, he would die,

And Samson therefore feared the worst,

But God at Lehi heard His cry,

And clave a fountain for his thirst. 

We view the image of that strife

Where Samson's thirst was satisfied

And see our Lord, the Bread of Life,

Who heard us also when we cried. 

O Lord, at Lehi, Samson knew

Your fountain saved him in that place,

And, like him, we acknowledge too,

You satisfy our thirst by grace.