Placing the Plumbline

“Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God?  He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it... The LORD is King for ever and ever… LORD, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to hear” (Psalm 10:13-17).  “He giveth grace unto the lowly.  The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools” (Proverbs 3:34,35).  “The Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of My people” (Amos 7:7,8).  “Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and… he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.  But the Word of God grew and multiplied” (Acts 12:21-24). 

The Lord rules forever and ever,

Beholding the whole human race. 
His plumbline of justice will sever
The lost from those choosing His grace. 

It’s not up to us to decide

How we think the Lord God should rule. 
Though man would presume this in pride,
Such arrogance makes him a fool.

But God will give grace to the lowly,

And that’s where His plumbline will fall,
For though He forever is holy,
His love extends grace to us all. 

But grace, which the proud will refuse,

Divides them at last from the humble. 
Despising the light, they will choose
To walk on in darkness and stumble. 

Behold, therefore, God’s plummet line

Dividing the light and the dark:
In Christ is our Refuge Divine,
Like Noah who entered the ark. 

The plumbline which God illustrated

To Amos, the prophet He sent,
Repeated the warning He stated,
Thus urging the lost to repent.  

Both paupers and kings should have heeded

This warning which came from above,
Embracing the grace that they needed
Extended by God’s gracious love. 

Continuing on this same theme

Not long after Jesus Christ rose,
King Herod, unchecked it would seem,
God’s purpose of grace would oppose. 

But Herod did not understand

That Peter, then locked in his prison,
Was sheltered by God’s mighty hand,
Whose plumbline still marked His division.

The people of God were then praying,

And precious was this in God’s sight.
The dungeon where Peter was staying
Was nothing compared to God’s might.

We see at the end of this story

That Herod was hailed as god.
Because he gave not God the glory,
God smote him with worms by His rod. 

O Lord, we have seen in Your Word,

The truth of the plumbline You hold.
Though mockers will count this absurd,
That’s just what Your prophets foretold. 

We see from this side, Lord, Your favor:  

Your plumbline dividing from wrath
Is found when we trust You as Savior;
Salvation has no other path.