Marvelous Malice

"They compassed Me about also with words of hatred; and fought against Me without a cause... They have rewarded Me evil for good, and hatred for My love" (Psalm 109:2-5).  "Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house" (Proverbs 17:13).  "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The Stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the Head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? " (Matthew 21:42). 

We know the Scriptures prophesied

Of hatred in the darkest fashion

Against our Lord who for us died

To save us by His great compassion. 

Should not this give the world pause

That sinners would react this way? 

They hated Him without a cause

And fought against Him every day. 

For all our Savior's wondrous love

They gave Him hatred in exchange! 

He came from heaven's throne above;

Shall not we count their malice strange? 

The time will come when every knee

Shall bow before our risen Lord,

And every eye shall clearly see

That hatred was a strange reward. 

When evil is repaid for good

And hearts against the Lord have fought,

We hear the Savior say, "I would

Have gathered you... and you would not." 

How clearly have the Scriptures shown  

That Christ our Lord would be rejected,

Yet He would be the Corner Stone

When our salvation was perfected!

O Lord, we find it marvelous

That such blind malice was returned

To You, who gave Yourself for us,

When Your compassion thus was spurned. 

How marvelous, O Lord, is grace

That saves us from this frame of mind! 

So may Your Gospel yet replace

The senseless malice of the blind.