Refuge from Reproach

“The eternal God is thy Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27).  “The reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon Me” (Psalm 69:9).  “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” (Proverbs 20:9).  “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world… For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 1:29, 3:16).

Eternal God, our Refuge strong,

Our confidence is in Your arms

By which we’re carried all day long

And quieted from all alarms. 

The great reproaches of our sin

Would heap upon our souls disgrace

If Christ had never entered in

To bear chastisement in our place! 

For who can say his heart is clean

Beneath the searching of God’s eyes?

God sees what no one else has seen;

He is not fooled by our disguise! 

Esteem no more what men applaud. 

Be not ensnared by flattery. 

Behold instead the Lamb of God

Who takes away iniquity!

For God so loved this fallen world,

He did not spare the Highest Price

As our reproaches then were hurled

On Christ, His spotless Sacrifice! 

Let every foolish thought of pride

Be purged away from us like dross

As we recall that Jesus died

With our reproaches on His cross!

We thank You, Lord, for what You did

To be our Refuge You reveal:

Our sin’s reproaches were not hid,

But You have purged them by Your zeal!