Shining Shepherd

"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.... He leadeth me.... Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23:1-3,6).

My Shepherd shines along my path;
He leads me everyday,
And where He leads there is no wrath:
He took it all away.

For though He is my Shepherd still,
He also is the Lamb,
Who died for me on Calvary's hill,
In spite of what I am.

His goodness and His mercy lead;
They follow me as well.
He met my very deepest need:
He rescued me from hell.

Oh what a thrill to call Him mine
In light of Who He is!
And how it makes my path to shine
To know that I am His!

Sorrow, Salvation, Sovereignty

"My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? ... they pierced My hands and My feet .... I will declare Thy name unto My brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee .... They shall praise the Lord that seek Him: your heart shall live forever .... All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee. For the kingdom is the Lord's: and He is the Governor among the nations" (Psalm 22:1,16,22,26,27,28).

In this twenty-second Psalm
We can hear our Savior's prayer.
Words of sorrow, then of calm,
Then of victory are there.

"My God, My God," our Lord begins,
"Why hast Thou forsaken Me?"
When He bore our load of sins
On the cross of Calvary.

Then we hear His declaration,
To His brethren (we are named!)
Elevated by salvation;
Thus He calls us, unashamed!

Finally we'll see Him reign
Upon the earth as Sovereign Lord.
Yet His wounds of love remain,
Thus remembered and adored.

Behold His sorrow, His salvation,
And our Savior's sovereignty.
Give your heart to meditation
On this Psalm of prophecy.

Words of the Wise

"The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools" (Ecclesiastes 9:17).

The words of the wise man in quiet are heard
More than the cry of the fool.
For God is the Author of wisdom's true Word,
And He, by that standard, will rule.

Granted, the fool's cry is heard everywhere,
And draws like a magnet a crowd:
In schools, in the markets, in each public square,
His voice is both stubborn and loud.

But God on His throne is still in control,
Who gives us the words of the wise,
And this is the wisdom that quiets our soul,
No matter how loud the fool cries.

Gracious Greatness

"He that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" (Matthew 23:11,12).

The one who would be truly great
Will hear the Savior's call
To walk with grace to demonstrate
A servant's heart to all.

This is the path to greatness trod
Our Lord would have us find.
So let the world count it odd;
The blind will lead the blind.

The world's books upon our shelves
Will not see this as wise,
Which tell us to exalt ourselves
In our own prideful eyes.

Let all but God's advice be halted,
For soon enough we'll see
The humble are by God exalted
For all eternity.

Cornerstone Commandments

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 5:37-40).

In two commandments we can find
All the law and prophets said:
With all your heart, your soul, and mind,
Let your life by these be led.

The first commandment simply is
To love the Lord with all we are.
Our heart, our soul, and mind are His;
He draws us near, who once were far.

The second one is like it too:
Like ourselves, to love our neighbor.
These commands are right and true;
They purify our love and labor.

Sighting the Savior

"Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and vexation of spirit" (Ecclesiastes 6:9). "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee" (Proverbs 4:25). "Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).

Why should we have a wandering desire,
When Jesus our Lord fills our eyes?
What could our hearts yet further require?
Who else but Christ satisfies?

Where shall we turn, if not to our Lord?
We've looked to our left and our right.
There's no sweeter portion, no greater reward,
Than Jesus, in Whom we delight!

Parable on Performing

"What think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father?" (Matthew 21:28-31).

A parable has truth within
To show us what is right;
To show us also what is sin
And hold it in the light.

Two sons were to their labor sent;
The first son then said, "No."
But afterwards he would repent,
And to his work would go.

The second son at first agreed,
But he never even worked.
The first son thus obeyed indeed,
What the second merely shirked.

The lesson here is surely plain,
Addressed to us today:
Our words are meaningless and vain,
Unless we will obey.

Preserved on the Path

"Preserve me, O God: for in Thee do I put my trust .... Thou wilt show me the path of life" (Psalm 16:1,11). "For the Lord giveth wisdom .... He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of His saints .... that thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous" (Proverbs 2:6,8,20).

There is a path where we may walk
Where God preserves our way,
That sets our feet upon a rock:
The path where we obey.

God has shown the path of life,
The path of our submission,
That preserves through peace and strife,
Fulfilling His commission.

So let us gladly walk this path
That seeks to do the will
Of Him who saved our souls from wrath,
And shall preserve us still.

Reason Required

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.... He hath made everything beautiful in His time... and God requireth that which is past" (Ecclesiastes 3:1,11,15).

To everything there is a season;
A purpose in God's time.
For everything there is a reason;
A plan that is sublime.

Everything that God has made
That we are stewards of,
In His scales shall be weighed,
By what we did for love.

All things present shall be past,
And one day we shall see
How beautiful they are at last
In God's economy.

So while the present still is here,
Before our setting sun,
Let our purpose thus be clear:
To hear our Lord's "Well done!"

Value of Vexation

"Vanity of vanities; all is vanity.... the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.... I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit" (Ecclesiastes 1:2,8,14).

The world cannot satisfy
With one thing and the next;
The hearing ear and seeing eye
Shall only be more vexed.

For God has placed within each heart
A thirst for something more
Than what this world can impart
That we cannot ignore.

Ah! What a brilliant strategy!
God fills us with vexation
That we may turn from vanity,
And long for His salvation.

How sweet our satisfaction,
How great is our reward,
When we find our attraction
In Jesus Christ our Lord!

Seeing by Seeking

"Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things" (Proverbs 28:5).

Evil men may think they're good,
Expecting a reward.
For judgment is not understood,
Until we seek the Lord.

But those who seek the Lord can see
From heaven's point of view,
That Jesus died on Calvary
For judgment we were due.

Come, seek the Lord, and thus perceive
God's judgment and His grace.
You'll understand why you believe
Through evidence you trace.

And God will show you so much more
Than judgment's condemnation,
But all things that He has in store
For those with His salvation.

Hear Him

"While he [Peter] yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only" (Matthew 17:5-8).

Peter's speech was superseded
By a cloud that brightly shined,
When a voice therein entreated,
And the Father spoke His mind.

"This is My beloved Son,
In whom I am well pleased;
Hear Him”, and when that was done,
Great fear upon them seized.

But Jesus came and touched them then
And said to them, “Arise,
Be not afraid." And that was when
They lifted up their eyes.

So may Jesus fill our vision;
So may Jesus thus be heard.
Let the Father's wise derision,
Bid us only hear His Word.

For by Him we can truly see,
And by Him we can truly hear.
And only Christ so tenderly
Can by His touch remove our fear.

Profitless Prosperity

"For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26).

What shall it profit a man if he gain
All of the riches contained in the earth,
And yet lose his soul? Can someone explain
What is his fleeting prosperity worth?

Or what shall a man exchange for his soul?
That is to say, what will keep him from Christ?
Sin is demanding its payment in full.
How often the soul is thus cheaply priced!

The soul had its value displayed on the cross
When Jesus Christ suffered and died in our place.
In view of redemption, how great is the loss
When even one soul has neglected God's grace!

Hearing the Humble

"Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to hear" (Psalm 10:17).

Our loving Lord hears the heart of the humble,
Even before a word has been spoken.
And He dries the tears they cry when they stumble,
Healing the sore of the heart that is broken.

Our holy Lord knows that we're not inclined
To simply retire from our foolish pride.
Yet He works in those in whom He will find
A heart with desire to let Him inside.

Oh Lord, have Your way in each situation;
Your wisdom impart, so I'll know what to do.
Lord, teach me to pray and find Your salvation,
Preparing my heart then to draw near to You.

Reliable Refuge

"The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: for Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee" (Psalm 9:9,10).

For everyone who is oppressed,
For everyone who is distressed,
For everyone who seeks for rest,
In Christ there is a Refuge here.

For those who know the Savior's name,
For those who know He took their shame,
For those who know why Jesus came,
In Christ there is no other peer.

Those who come to Him aren’t shaken.
Those who trust Him aren’t mistaken.
Those who seek Him aren’t forsaken.
In Christ they never need to fear.

Exploring the Excellence

"O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth!.... When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained, what is man that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" (Psalm 8:1-4).

Oh Lord, when we're searching Your heavens above,
The work of Your fingers, the moon, and each star,
Surpassing these wonders, we ponder Your love,
Exploring the excellence of who You are.

We search the omniscience of Your wondrous mind;
We see Your omnipotence spread in plain view.
What infinite wisdom and power we find!
How boundless the love we've discovered in You!

What mercy descended to visit the lost?
We ask with the psalmist, O Lord, "What is man?"
You measured his ransom and You to paid the cost!
What kind of love could devise such a plan?

Lord, we have explored love of Your heart;
We've pondered Your wisdom and power as well.
Yet all we have searched, Lord, is just a small part
Of Your excellence which has saved us from hell.

Relearning Returning

"Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. And they say unto Him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to Me. And He commanded the multitude to sit down... and they did all eat, and were filled... about five thousand men, beside women and children" (Matthew 14:16-21).

How many times must I relearn
The truth of loaves and fishes:
God multiplies what I return
Beyond my prayerful wishes.

The Lord who gives me His command
Will give sufficiency
To do whatever He has planned
By His ability.

I know my gifts are very small,
But that is not the key.
I hear my Lord and Savior's call:
Now bring them here to Me.

Since everything I have is His,
I'll gladly give them back
To see Him multiply what is,
That there may be no lack.

Stand Still

"Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God" (Job 37:14).

Schedule some time for yourself to stand still
To consider the wonderful works of our God.
Give quality time, not just moments to kill,
Although this may seem just a little bit odd.

For our "things to do" lists will rarely allow
A break from "priority A" demands.
But when will you stop, unless you plan now,
To rightly consider the work of God's hands?

Day after day God continues to bless:
Praise Him and thank Him for daily provision!
Stand still for a while and halt busyness;
Plan it and make it a conscious decision.

Consider the seas, the land, and the sky:
Our God made them all, below and above.
Consider salvation, and ask yourself why
Our God has bestowed upon us such love!

Terrific Teacher

"Behold, God exalteth by His power: who teacheth like Him?" (Job 36:22). "All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake He not unto them: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying, I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 13:34,35).

Behold and consider, in all of the earth:
Who teaches like God by His power?
Behold now His wonders portraying new birth
In a seed and its blossoming flower.

Behold, from the world's beginning foundation,
The things that were secret are shown.
The truths that reveal the way of salvation
Were by Jesus' teachings made known.

Look to the east, to the west, or the south:
None like our Lord can impart
Such teaching like His when He opened His mouth,
Unveiling the thoughts of His heart.

Sight Supreme and Sound Sublime

"Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them" (Matthew 13:17).

Blessed are the eyes that see
Blessed are the ears that hear
The things foretold in prophecy
That God had promised would appear.

Many prophets have desired,
Many righteous men have longed,
To see fulfilled their word inspired
And to hear redemption's song.

Many are the truths sublime
Prophesied of Christ our Lord,
That came to pass in time,
And that we still look toward!

Praise God for the sight and sound
Of the Gospel of Christ that saves,
And the freedom that we have found
From the sin that no more enslaves!

Questions on Quietness

"When He giveth quietness, who then can make trouble... whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only?" (Job 34:29).

Who can rob the quietness
God will give with His salvation?
Who can curse if God will bless,
Whether it be man or nation?

God gives comfort to our soul
Through every season of our life.
Since we know He's in control,
Who can trouble us with strife?

So help us, Lord, to not forget
To claim the peace our Savior gives.
For why should we, Your children, fret,
When we may rest assured He lives?

Reason for Rage

"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" (Psalm 2:1). "The Lord trieth the hearts" (Proverbs 17:3). "His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings" (Job 34:21). "Jesus knew their thoughts" (Matthew 12:25).

Why indeed do nations rage
Against all common sense?
There is none wise, there is no sage,
To speak in their defense.

For God knows why they are not wise
In their imagination:
They blind themselves when they despise
The truth of His salvation.

And Jesus knew the thoughts of men,
That they were truly vain.
He proved Himself time and again;
He could not be more plain.

And yet He was rejected still
By stubbornness and treason.
For when you rage against God's will,
Your heart abandons reason.

Sanitized Sanity

"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; and in His law doth he meditate day and night, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalm 1:1-3). "All the ways of man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established" (Proverbs 16:2,3).

All the ways of sinful men
Are clean in their own eyes.
Commit your works to God and then
You'll see it otherwise.

For God can see with clearer vision
Ungodliness and pride.
He sees when sinful indecision
Turns our heart aside.

Walk not where the ungodly walk,
Stand not where sinners stand,
Sit not where scorners sit to mock;
Thus cleanse your heart and hand.

How then shall we sanitize
And keep our thinking sane?
How can we escape the lies
That make our living vain?

If on God's Word we will dwell
And In His way delight,
We shall surely prosper well
All day and through the night.

Holy Humility

"The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility" (Proverbs 15:33).

There is a path to honor shown
Where holy feet have trod;
The Book of Proverbs makes it known:
It is the fear of God.

And in that path we understand
The foolishness of pride,
When humbled underneath that hand
That once was crucified.

We're not inclined to take our place
Among those who are humble.
Yet God directs us there by grace,
Lest we, by pride, should stumble.

Remember God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the lowly.
And thereby honor is endowed,
And thus He makes us holy.

Forbidden Fears

"In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge" (Proverbs 14:26). "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:28-31).

Fear not them, our Savior said,
Who kill the body, not the soul.
Fear and love the Lord instead,
For He alone is in control.

Fear not, thinking you're not known,
For God knows every beast and bird;
Yet how much more has Jesus shown,
His love for us in deed and word!

Fear not, therefore, you are worth
The price He paid upon the cross.
That is why He came to earth
To save us from such dreadful loss.

Shepherdless Sheep

"When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest" (Matthew 9:36-38).

As sheep that had no shepherd,
Our Savior saw the crowd;
As land where few endeavored
To reap the ground they plowed.

I see that noisy multitude,
Imagining their fashion:
Though pushy, noisy, needy, rude,
They moved Him with compassion.

The multitude has not changed much,
Though centuries have gone.
Our televisions, cars, and such
Are here, but life goes on.

Yet still my Savior's heart is moved
With love for straying sheep.
So by His love I am reproved
To pray, go forth, and reap.

Prophetic Privilege

"He showeth His word unto Jacob, His statutes and His judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for His judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord" (Psalm 147:19,20).

God showed His Word to Israel,
His special, privileged nation.
He called His prophets to foretell
The way of His salvation.

His Testaments, both Old and New,
Were by his servants penned.
His Spirit told them what was true
From beginning to the end.

From Genesis to Revelation
The torch to us has passed,
For now we have His inspiration
Preserved for us at last.

Let us never take for granted
This stewardship we hold.
The Word of God is to us handed:
His Gospel must be told!

Ponder the Power

"Lo, these are parts of His ways: but how little a portion is heard of Him? But the thunder of His power, who can understand?" (Job 26:14). "What manner of Man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him!.... The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins" (Matthew 8:27, 9:6).

How awesome is the solar thunder
That God ordained in space!
And yet there is a greater wonder:
The power of His grace!

Indeed, our Savior showed His power,
Commanding seas and winds.
Yet in His most triumphant hour,
He took away our sins.

And so exploring His creation,
We see a little part.
But as we ponder His salvation,
We fully see His heart.

But who can fully understand
The power of His love,
That carried out what God had planned
That we might dwell above?

Where is Wisdom?

"Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?.... God understandeth the way thereof, and He knoweth the place thereof.... And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding" (Job 28:20-28). "The Lord is good to all.... The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them" (Psalm 145:9,18,19).

Where is the spring from where wisdom bursts?
Where is the place of right understanding?
Come, every one who hungers and thirsts:
God has the answers your soul is demanding.

The place of God's wisdom cannot be confined
To rich or to poor, to old or to youth:
To all those who fear Him, He's loving and kind,
To those who will call upon Him in truth.

True wisdom is found in God's holy fear;
Each one who will fear Him, the Lord satisfies.
To all them who call upon Him, He is near,
To hear and to save His child who cries.

Hopeless Hypocrite

"What is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?" (Job 27:8). "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly.... for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction" (Matthew 7:5,13).

What is hypocrite's hope in the end?
What is the point of his temporal gain?
Why can't he see? Why must he pretend,
And hold to deception that makes his life vain?

Things are not really as he makes them seem:
That is, of course, the hypocrite's art.
Refusing to cast from his own eye the beam,
He walks on in darkness and hardens his heart.

And though he has gained, it will soon come to nought
The moment he enters the gate of destruction;
And then he'll discover the hypocrite's lot,
Thus hopelessly led and lured by seduction.

Hypocrite, cast out that beam from your eye,
That you may see clearly eternity's goal!
The day is approaching in which you must die:
Now turn to the Savior and rescue your soul!

Listening to Lovingkindness

"Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto Thee" (Psalm 143:8). "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

Cause us to listen to Your lovingkindness.
Cause us to see how to walk in Your way.
How dull is the hearing, how dark is the blindness
That hardens the heart and that leads men astray.

Cause us to seek for Your kingdom above.
Cause us to search for Your righteousness, Lord.
For there we shall find in Your infinite love
Our purpose on earth and then heaven's reward.

Secretly Seen

"He knoweth the way that I take.... For He performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with Him" (Job 23:10-14). "When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path" (Psalm 142:3). "Pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:6).

All of my secrets are known.
The Lord sees my most inward part:
The unspoken prayer and the groan,
As well as the joy of my heart.

God knows the way that I take.
The Lord knows me inside and out.
He sees every foolish mistake.
He searches each lingering doubt.

I know I am watched by His eyes.
He sees what no other can see.
I know He is loving and wise
In all He performs within me.

And therefore I'll lift up my prayer;
I know God shall certainly hear.
On Him I will cast all my care,
And know He is secretly near.

Savior Says

"And He [Jesus] opened His mouth, and taught them, saying.... Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time... but I say unto you..." (Matthew 5:2,33,34).

Many things we hear today
Endorsed by vain tradition
Are incorrect in what they say;
Be careful when you listen.

No matter what you may have heard,
No matter who has said it,
Our Savior has the final word
With no mistakes to edit.

The final word on right relations
That teaches us to love
Is not from human explanations,
But comes from God above.

So all the Savior says to you
Is all you need to know.
The Word of God is always true;
Let vain tradition go.

Gain to God

"Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?" (Job 22:2,3).

Sometimes we may think we've done
For God a real big favor
When we've shined for God the Son,
And spoken for the Savior.

The fact is, God would do just fine
If we were not around;
Yes, even if we did not shine,
Or ever make a sound.

Yet God Almighty makes it plain
That in us He takes pleasure:
If we are wise, He counts it gain;
Our righteousness is treasure.

Without us God would do alright,
But He would rather not.
For we are precious in His sight,
And with His blood we're bought.

Rousing Reality

"How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with Thee" (Psalm 139:17,18).

Oh how precious is the treasure
Of Your thoughts revealed to me!
Oh how countless is their measure,
Like the sand beside the sea!

How rousing is reality
When I awake each day!
Lord, You set Your love on me;
You hear me when I pray!

You have promised not to leave
And that You never will forsake.
It's like a dream! Yet I believe
That You are with me when I wake!

Lord, my heart could never dream,
Nor could I comprehend,
The blessings now that surely seem,
That when I wake, they'll end.

And yet I wake each day to find
That You are with me still.
What a wondrous peace of mind,
And what a rousing thrill!

Promotion of the Proud

"Though the Lord be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly: but the proud He knoweth afar off" (Psalm 138:6). "Surely He scorneth the scorners: but 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 on high respects the lowly,
But He resists the proud.
Yet He will make the sinner holy,
If only He's allowed.

Yes, our Lord, though very high,
Still waits for our devotion.
Thus He lets the proud deny
Themselves their own promotion.

When time is gone and life is spent
The arrogant shall know:
The pride that made them not repent
Has brought them very low.

Printed Prayer

"Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever! For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me" (Job 19:23-27).

Sometimes we may utter prayers
With little expectation,
Forgetting that God truly cares,
And hears our invocation.

Consider now this classic end,
In Job's petition heard:
He prayed that his words might be penned,
And printed, word for word.

We listen to the words God gives
To Job with precious worth,
That his Redeemer Who now lives
Shall stand upon the earth.

What a word of prophecy
That Job petitioned thus!
These are words for you and me
That God preserved for us.

Remarkably Remembered

"O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever.... to Him Who alone doeth great wonders.... to Him that by wisdom made the heavens.... to Him that stretched out the earth above the waters.... Who remembered us in our low estate" (Psalm 136:1,4-6,23).

Oh give thanks to our Creator
Who by wisdom made the skies
And circumscribed earth's equator
Where the ocean round it lies.

How wondrous His omnipotence!
How remarkable His love,
That He would come to our defense,
From His majesty above!

And how shall we articulate
The wonder of His deeds?
Remembering our low estate,
He met our deepest needs.

How infinite the distance spanned
From heaven's highest place:
Our Savior came that He might stand
In every sinner's place!

Everywhere our eyes can look
His majesty we see.
Still more recorded in His Book:
What love for you and me!

How remarkably sublime
The love of Jesus is,
That He remembered us in time
And died to call us His!

Plainly Pleading

"O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbor!" (Job 16:20,21). "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17).

God has sent a Man to plead
And present the sinner's case:
Christ, the sinner's Friend indeed,
Is our Advocate of grace.

The Spirit pleads with sinners cursed,
Bidding whosoever will:
Come and satisfy your thirst!
Come to Christ, and take your fill!

God has sent His bride as well
(Sinners who have come to Christ)
To plead with men to turn from hell,
Since Christ was for them sacrificed.

Plainly pleading, day by day,
God is getting through to some.
Though many still may turn away,
Whosoever will may come.

Faith to Face

"And there shall be nor more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. And they shall see His face.... And there shall be no night there.... Worship God" (Revelation 22:3-9).

No more curse and no more night
Shall ever be in heaven's place.
Faith shall be replaced by sight,
And we shall see our Savior's face.

Our curse could not be wished away:
Jesus bore it in our stead.
Our night could not have changed to day
If His light had never led.

Until we see Him face to face
We will worship more and more
That One who saved us by His grace,
Who leads by faith to heaven's shore.

Colossal Consolations

"Are the consolations of God small with thee?" (Job 15:11). "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Revelation 21:3,4).

The consolations of our God:
Do they seem small to you?
The question is not very odd,
If you will think it through.

How great His comforts truly are
That God in love imparts!
But sometimes when we wander far
That truth escapes our hearts.

Let your heart again draw near
To see His consolations!
Let His Spirit make them clear
Beyond your expectations!

See the past, how Jesus died
To save your soul from hell.
See the future prophesied
When we shall with Him dwell.

God shall wipe away all tears,
And death shall be no more.
No more sorrow, no more pain:
What comforts are in store!

So when we find a situation
That renders our eyes dim,
The God every consolation
Bids us look to Him.

Look at the Lake

"And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it.... And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life.... And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:11-15).

Peer through the lens of the Scripture to look
At the sinner's most dreadful mistake:
All those not found in the Lamb of God's Book,
Are cast in that horrible lake.

Yes, look at that lake and then reassess
The things that you now so desire.
Who can imagine the awful distress
Of those who are cast in that fire?

Judgment is not very far down the path;
Let this change our thoughts and behavior
To labor in earnest, in view of God's wrath,
To plead with those needing the Savior.

Reasoning and Resting

"Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and desire to reason with God.... Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him: but I will maintain my own ways before Him. He also shall be my salvation" (Job 13:3, 15,16). "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).

I would speak with the Almighty;
I would reason with the Lord,
For I know He will invite me
To find rest and be restored.

"Though He slay me I will trust."
That's what Job with patience said.
Worms and robbers, thieves and rust
Scorn what we would trust instead.

"Come now," says our God above,
To all who would desire to speak
And reason with the Lord of love,
For they will find the rest they seek.

Scarlet sins shall be snow white;
Crimson sins shall be as wool.
Reason knows that God is right,
And here I'll rest my weary soul.

Terrestrial Teachers

"But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?" (Job 12:7).

Ask now the beasts and they shall reply,
To teach you that God has created all things.
Ask now the birds of the air why they fly,
And they shall declare Who has given them wings.

Speak to the earth, to the mountains, and trees,
And these shall provide you a clear explanation.
Go to the fishes in all of the seas
And they shall expound on the God of creation.

Who does not know that God by His hand
Has wrought all these marvelous creatures?
Alas! There's so many who won't understand,
In spite of terrestrial teachers!

Searching the Savior

"Canst thou by searching find out God?" (Job 11:7). "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.... For men to search their own glory is not glory" (Proverbs 25:2,27).

Can you search and find out God?
Can you show what He conceals?
Can you tread the path He's trod?
Can you know the love He feels?

Glory waits for searching hearts,
For God reveals it to those
Who search for knowledge He imparts
And the wisdom He'll expose.

Searching God is truly glory.
Searching self esteem is not.
Come and search our Savior's story,
Finding out what God has wrought.

Clearing the Clutter

"Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.... I went by the field of the slothful... and , lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone was broken down" (Proverbs 24:27-31).

Life is like a plot of ground,
A field we inherit.
The wise inspect it all around,
To clear and to prepare it.

And then is laid the firm foundation
Upon that field planned:
It's Christ the Rock of our salvation,
By whom the house shall stand.

There is a subtle danger though,
That creeps in through the years,
As thorns unchecked and nettles grow
On grounds that no one clears.

Be careful then to clear your field
And keep your plot of ground.
Lest in your slothfulness you yield
To those who tear you down.

Hiding in Holiness

"Then Job answered and said...How should man be just with God?" (Job 9:1,2).

How can a man become justified
With the God who is perfectly just?
This is the question for which our Lord died,
And this is the reason we trust.

For God in His holiness cannot deny
The judgment for sin we are due.
But God found a way that will yet justify
Poor sinners like me and like you.

How can a man draw near to God's throne,
Where justice is uncompromised?
We're hiding in holiness, but not our own,
But that of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Every Morning, Every Moment

"What is man, that Thou shouldest magnify him? And that Thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? And that Thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?" (Job 7:17,18).

What is man to You, Oh Lord,
That You should magnify his worth,
And set Your heart on the reward
Of his redemption and new birth?

What is man that every morning
You would visit him again,
And every moment give him warning,
Try his heart, and help him then?

Every morning, every moment
You astound us, Lord, with love
Epitomized by Your bestowment
Of our Savior from above!

Limited Leaders

"As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity" (Psalm 125:5). The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever He will.... The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness" (Proverbs 21:1,12).

As rivers of water are channeled and turned,
So are the hearts of the kings.
This is the lesson of history learned
By the judgment the hand of God brings.

Good kings and bad kings, submissive or not,
Shall all have their part in God's plan.
The wise will consider what God's hand has wrought,
And trust in the Lord and not man.

Pray that the righteous may reign in our land!
Yet if they do not, surely know
That God still turns hearts by His sovereign hand,
And the wicked He shall overthrow.

His Help

"If it had not been the Lord who was on our side... then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: the proud waters had gone over our soul.... Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 124:2-6). "And the earth helped... and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth" (Revelation 12:16).

Across the seasons of my life
I surely now can see
How God delivered me from strife
And set His love on me.

The flood, the winds, and rising tide
My little shipped had tossed.
If You had not been on my side,
Oh Lord, I would be lost.

It was not mere coincidence
That things worked out for me.
The Lord Himself was my Defense,
Commanding wind and sea.

So now the things that overwhelm
Instruct me to recall
That Jesus Christ is at the helm,
And He is Lord of all.

Scope of the Scornful

"Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes.... Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease" (Psalm 123:1,4). "Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.... Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge. An ungodly witness scorneth judgment.... Judgments are prepared for scorners" (Proverbs 19:2-29).

The scope of the scornful is clearly defined,
In spite of their many devices:
Their counsel shall fail as blind lead the blind,
And ruin the souls it entices.

I lift up my eyes and I find my relief
From the scorning of sinners at ease.
The counsel of God undergirds my belief,
And He is the One I would please.

And so for a season the scorner will mock,
But judgment shall find them at last.
Cease then from hearing their blasphemous talk,
And to God's instruction hold fast.

Bitter Belly

"And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth as sweet as honey.... And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings" (Revelation 10:8-11).

The vision of John may seem to us odd,
As he is commanded to eat up the book.
Yet this was the sign that was given by God
That we would do well to not overlook.

This book would be sweet as honey to taste,
But how bitter indeed to digest!
Yet this is the prospect we surely have faced
When the welfare of souls is our quest.

We taste of the sweetness of God's holy Word
Yet we ponder it's bitterness too,
Alarmed by the carelessness of those who heard,
Who have cast it aside as untrue.

Yes, we rejoice in the sweet bye and bye,
And assurance of our own salvation,
But what about those who are destined to die,
And afterwards face condemnation?

We taste of the sweet and the bitter as well,
Just as John did in his vision.
We glory in heaven and shudder at hell,
And pray for the sinner's decision.

Hope of my Help

"My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:2).

My help comes from the Lord,
Who created all that is.
What hope this shall afford,
To know that I am His!

This is my hope forever,
I'm resting in His power.
In all that I endeavor,
He's with me every hour.

I know that this may seem
To many quite naive,
Absurd to the extreme,
And too hard to believe.

But I know God's Word is right;
I know that He is able.
In darkness He is light,
Exposing every fable.

Our help comes from the Lord;
That's all we need to know.
Our trust He shall reward,
And confidence bestow.

Searching our Serving

"Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?" (Job 1:9).

The searching question Satan hurled
At God concerning Job,
Is valid in our present world,
Which we do well to probe.

Did Job fear God and serve Him well
For nought without a reason?
Of course not, Job would live to tell,
When patience had its season.

And what about the rest of us?
Do we fear God for nought?
Do we understand it thus,
That with a price we're bought?

Let us not forget the love
That came to seek the lost.
Our Savior left His throne above,
And paid a dreadful cost.

We know that our Redeemer reigns
Triumphant from the grave.
And thus eternal love constrains
The souls He died to save.

We neither fear the Lord for nought,
Nor serve Him without cause.
He loved us first! O wondrous thought
Transcending lifeless laws!

Loyal Servant in the Lost Sheep

"I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant, for I do not forget Thy commandments" (Psalm 119:176). "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3).

There is a servant in disguise
Within the sheep that strays.
Seek that servant, Lord, with eyes
That search and know my ways.

Lord, You know I am inclined
To wander on my own.
Renew in me a servant's mind;
Replace my heart of stone.

Let me come into the ranks
Of servants who are true;
And not with words alone give thanks,
But deeds I likewise do.

Seek Your servant, Lord; he's there
Beneath that straying lamb.
That bleating sound, O Lord, is prayer;
That sheep is who I am.

Wise Ways

"I have kept Thy precepts and Thy testimonies: for all my ways are before Thee" (Psalm 119:168). "A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil.... The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death" (Proverbs 14:16,27).

All of my ways are before the Lord's eyes:
All my thoughts, all my words, all my deeds.
Living in view of this renders me wise,
As my God, by His fear, safely leads.

Yes, this is the fountain that cleanses my ways:
The knowledge that God sees it all.
My heart by this wisdom surrenders, obeys,
And heeds my Deliverer's call.

Ponder your ways, for God surely does.
Nothing escapes our Lord's vision.
So faithfully live for His pleasure because
It is simply the wisest decision.

The Lion is the Lamb

"Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed.... And I beheld, and, lo in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain.... Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing" (Revelation 5:5-12).

The Lion roars, yet calms my fears
In spite of what I am,
For He alone could dry my tears
Because He is the Lamb.

Come, as nations all applaud:
The Lion has prevailed,
For He became the Lamb of God,
And to the cross was nailed!

And there He nailed iniquity
Upon that rugged cross.
And there He gave us victory
Instead of dreadful loss.

Worthy is the Lamb to reign
By every tribe and nation!
The Lion is the Lamb once slain
To purchase our salvation!

Laodicean Lukewarmness

"He that hateth reproof is brutish.... The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor, but the way of the wicked seduceth them" (Proverbs 11:1,26). "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write:.. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth.... As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent" (Revelations 3:14-19).

Where would we be, Lord, without Your reproof?
How easily we are inclined to seduction!
Laodicean lukewarmness is proof
Of how much we need Your rebuke and instruction!

Save us, Oh Lord, from being lukewarm
In an age when that means "fitting in."
Lord, help us rather to never conform
To a world indifferent to sin.

Sovereign Scepter

"And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter. Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? And what is thy request?" (Esther 5:2,3). "Let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4:6). "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

Pressed with the exceeding weight
Of burdens for her own,
Esther came, though risk was great,
Before the royal throne.

The sovereign scepter was held out;
If not, she would have perished.
Yet still she came, though full of doubt,
And found that she was cherished.

There is a lesson here for us
By pondering this scene.
God extends His scepter thus,
As to His favored queen.

There never is a moment's time
His scepter is withdrawn.
Our prayerlessness is thus a crime
That greets God with a yawn.

Let us then with godly fear,
Yet with permitted boldness,
Therefore by His grace draw near,
Abandoning our coldness.

Time and Task

"If thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time... who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14). "It is time... to work" (Psalm 119:126). He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.... The labor of the righteous tendeth to life" (Proverbs 10:5).

For such a time as this
In God's appointed place,
Lord, help us not to miss
The purpose of Your grace.

The time to work is now
For each one who believes.
The fields that we plow
Are waving now with sheaves.

This isn't time for sleeping;
Lift up your eyes and see:
The harvest time for reaping
Has beckoned you and me.

Laborers of love:
Declare the Savior's name
Who left His throne above
To rescue us from shame.

For such a time as this
We need to hear God's voice.
Obedience is bliss,
And always the best choice.

Surety and Shield

"Be surety for Thy servant for good" (Psalm 119:122). "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen" (Jude 24, 25).

My God and my Savior,
My Surety true,
My Shield of favor,
My prayer is to You.

You came as my Surety
Procuring my good
For time and Eternity
As You said you would.

You answered the prayer
Conveyed in this Psalm
To save from despair,
And grant me Your calm.

To God be the majesty,
Be glory, and power,
Forever our Surety
And Shield each hour.

Cheerful for the Children

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 4).

The greatest joy life can afford,
The greatest recompense
That's shared with Jesus Christ our Lord,
Is when a child repents.

And as our Savior softly leads
Our children in the earth,
We share His joy that far exceeds
This world's fleeting mirth.

Praise the Lord with jubilation!
Proclaim the news abroad!
Joy abounds in His salvation
When children walk with God!

Look or Lose

"Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward" (2 John 8).

Look to yourself that you do not lose
The things you have wrought for the Lord.
Each day is a treasure that you ought to use
That you may receive full reward.

And what is the purpose? What is the gain,
The reward to be seeking in full?
To know that your life was not spent in vain,
But for Him who has ransomed your soul.

Kneeling for Knowledge

"I have more understanding than all my teachers.... I understand more than the ancients.... for Thou hast taught me" (Psalm 119:99-102). "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life" (1 John 5:20).

Nothing we know is due to ourselves,
But rather to God Who gives knowledge.
This knowledge won't come from the books on our shelves
Nor teachers employed at a college.

The knowledge of God from His Word He imparts
Is given to those who will pray,
To those who will seek Him with all of their hearts,
And yield themselves to obey.

More understanding that all of our teachers,
More than the ancients we've heard,
Is given that we may be practicing preachers
Who live by the truth of God's Word.

Winning Witness

"Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to Thine ordinances: for all are Thy servants" (Psalm 119:90,91). "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which He hath testified of His Son" (1 John 5:9).

The witness of God is greater than man's,
And this is a truth we are seeing.
The earth by His word was created and stands;
He spoke, and it came into being.

Call the next witness: How long is the line
Of those who will yet testify
That God has a witness, eternal, divine,
Far greater than men who will die!

Creation witnesses twenty-four/seven,
On earth, in the sky, or the seas:
Explore now His witness on earth or in heaven;
Behold there His faithful decrees.

Turn your attention to God's faithful Word,
The record inspired by God.
See now the difference in what we have heard
In man's word, dishonest and flawed!

The witness of men, though dishonest and poor,
We find ourselves trusting each day.
In view of this fact, how can we ignore
The witness of God on display?

For this is the witness God gives of His Son,
A witness this world refuses.
The contest of witnesses God surely won,
Depriving mankind of excuses.

Lesson on Love

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10).

Love so pure, so great, so kind
Displayed in our Lord Jesus Christ
Instructs our heart, our soul, and mind
By His body sacrificed.

Herein we may understand
Where the truest love begins:
It wasn't us, but God who planned
A way to take away our sins.

God the Father sent His Son
To be our sins' propitiation.
Look upon what Love has done,
And rejoice in His salvation!

Let this lesson now suffice
To teach what love is all about:
Love has paid the highest price,
Defining love that leaves no doubt.

Purifying Power

"Let my heart be sound in Thy statutes, that I be not ashamed" (Psalm 119:80). "And now, little children, abide in Him, that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming" (1 John 2:28).

There is a purifying power
That always cleanses when
We ponder that approaching hour
When Christ shall come again.

If Jesus Christ should come today
Would we then be ashamed
Of what we think and do and say
And plans that we have framed?

Let us live each moment then
With this purifying view:
When Jesus shall come again,
What will He think of you?

Seek her as Silver

"The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver" (Psalm 119:72). "If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding, if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:3-5).

What is the knowledge of God worth to you?
What is its value by your estimation?
Will you seek her as silver to know what is true,
And search as hid treasures His wondrous salvation?

Our God surely knows when we are sincere.
He knows when we are halfhearted as well.
Our Lord counsels those who have ears to hear,
But He hides His wisdom from those who rebel.

What is the knowledge of God truly worth?
How shall we weigh the worth of its treasure?
Nothing suffices in all of the earth
To estimate rightly its infinite measure.

Grow in Grace

"I thought upon my ways, and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep Thy commandments" (Psalm 119:59,60). "Turn you at My reproof: behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you" (Proverbs 1:23). "Beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:17,18).

We do not need a New Year's Day
To make a resolution.
We ought to haste, and not delay
To turn from our confusion.

We thought upon our ways and turned
When Christ first entered in.
And surely since that day we've learned
Each day to flee from sin.

Beware, therefore, lest you should fall
From holding fast God's Word,
And thereby close your ears to all
The warnings you have heard.

But daily let us make this choice:
To grow in Jesus' grace,
To love Him more, to heed His voice,
And run a steadfast race.

Song of my Sojourning

"This is my comfort in my affliction for Thy word hath quickened me.... I remembered Thy judgments of old, O Lord, and have comforted myself....Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. I have remembered Thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept Thy law" (Psalm 119:50-55).

I have remembered Your name in the night,
O Lord, through the course of this year.
In difficult times You have led me aright;
Your statutes have made the way clear.

I have remembered Your name in the light
Of Your majesty, mercy, and fear.
Your statutes inspire the songs that I write,
Assuring my heart You are near.

In the year that is past, in the year that will be,
In my pilgrimage all the day long,
I will remember Your goodness to me,
And comfort my heart with Your song.

Life and Light

"His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto LIFE and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.... We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a LIGHT that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:3,19).

God has given us His power
To live a godly life
Through His knowledge every hour
In peace as well as strife.

God has give us His Word
As light in a dark place;
By evidence we are assured
Through prophecy we trace.

So by our life let others see
The power that God gives.
And let the light of prophecy
Declare that Jesus lives.

Telling Time

"For the time past of our life may suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles.... But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.... For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God" (1 Peter 4:3,7,17).

The time that is already lost
For which we are ashamed,
Is gone forever and its cost
Can never be reclaimed.

The time has come to now begin
To judge ourselves aright,
Discerning goodness, showing sin,
Exposed by Scripture's light.

The end of all things is a hand;
Be sober, watch, and pray
That we may follow God's command
While it is called today.

Priesthood of Praise

"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.... Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:5,9).

From the greatest to the least,
Each believer is selected
As a chosen, holy priest
Praising God as we're perfected.

As a chosen generation,
We are royal priests as well,
Showing forth so great salvation
That has saved our souls from hell.

Praise the Lord with all your might
Holy, royal priests today.
Out of darkness into light,
Share the Gospel, lead the way.

Eyes on Eternity

"Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold the wondrous things out of Thy law" (Psalm 119:18) "Riches are not forever" (Proverbs 27:23). "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word by the Gospel is preached unto you" (1 Peter 1:24,25).

There is a more enduring prize
Than riches that must perish.
God has opened up our eyes
To what we ought to cherish.

These wondrous things within His law
Endure eternally.
I meditate and stand in awe
At what He shows to me.

And yet there's so much more to see
That God would still unveil,
Of things that fill eternity
And never shall grow pale.

For all of flesh like grass will grow,
But withers in the end.
Its flower falls away, we know;
Its glory thus descends.

The Gospel of our Lord, however,
On which we have relied,
Is truth that shall endure forever,
As God has testified.

Truer Treasure

"With my whole heart have I sought Thee.... I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches" (Psalm 119:14). "God... hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to and inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, wherein ye greatly rejoice" (1 Peter 1:3-6).

Riches of this world perish;
All their glories pass away.
Be careful, therefore, what you cherish,
Lest your heart be led astray.

Let your heart rejoice instead
In what God's living hope provides.
Jesus Christ rose from the dead
To give us treasure that abides.

Consider our inheritance
Which ever shall endure.
Neither time nor circumstance
Can make it less secure.

This is treasure God reserves
In heaven now for you.
This is value that deserves
A whole heart to pursue.

Satisfied Searchers

"Blessed are they that... seek Him with the whole heart" (Psalm 119:2). "The honor of kings is to search out a matter.... As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country" (Proverbs 25:2,25). "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem... there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews?" (Matthew 2:1,2).

The honor of kings is to search matters out.
They hunger to know what is true.
Only a fool is content with his doubt,
When God would bring truth into view.

The wise men of old were guided by God
To seek and adore the new King.
They must have thought it exceedingly odd
That no one had searched out this thing.

Shepherds and wise men, old people, youth,
The rich, and the poor are invited
To search out this matter of wonderful truth,
Or be by indifference indicted.

Follow the wise men who thus quenched their thirst
As cold waters freshen the soul!
How good is the news that the Lord sought us first,
And paid our redemption in full!

Common Sense Confidence

"It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in man.... The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.... The Stone which the builders refused is become the Head of the corner" (Psalm 118:8,14).

When I was too weak,
Lord, You made me strong.
When things looked so bleak,
Lord, You gave me Your song.

When all I could see
Was sure condemnation,
Lord, You came to be
My perfect Salvation.

When there was no man
Who for my soul cared,
You worked out Your plan
In foreknowledge prepared.

My soul's Confidence,
My Chief Cornerstone,
It's good common sense
To trust You alone.

Celebrating the Centrality

"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. Praise ye the Lord" (Psalm 117:1,2).

The central chapter of God's Book
Is Psalm one hundred seventeen;
The mercy and the truth it took
To ransom sinners here are seen.

Consider the centrality
Of Christ Whom we thus celebrate,
Acknowledged in our history
Each time a person writes the date!

Before Christ came (thus called B.C.)
The world longed and looked toward
That year of promise (called A.D.),
The advent of our saving Lord.

And though this world would erase
The central theme of Jesus Christ,
Our God divided time by grace,
And no eraser has sufficed.

And so it comes as no surprise
The central chapter of God's Word,
Displays before our joyful eyes
The sweetest themes our ears have heard.

Oh Lord of all eternity,
The Center also of our days,
The grace and truth in Christ we see
Shall fill our hearts with endless praise.

Good Gifts

"Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.... What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?" (Psalm 116:7,8,12). "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17).

Every good gift that comes from above,
Is always bestowed with heaven's perfection.
Our Lord is the Giver of these gifts is love
And in them we see our Father's reflection.

What shall I render for all that He gives,
In view of the price that my Savior has paid?
My soul that was dead because of Him lives,
My tears have been dried, my feet are now stayed.

I'll offer to Him my life in return,
A token of worship, thanksgiving, and praise.
For all I might give I know could not earn
The good gifts our heavenly Father displays.

Place of His Pleasure

"Our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased" (Psalm 115:3). "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Hebrews 13:20,21).

Our God is in heaven above,
But His pleasure is seen in the earth.
His manifestation of love
Was displayed in our Lord's humble birth.

No person could ever compel
Or coax Him to do what He did.
He acted to save us from hell,
With love that refused to be hid.

We are the place of His pleasure!
It pleased Him to die in our stead,
And thereby to purchase the treasure
Of souls that were otherwise dead.

It pleased Him to conquer the grave
As Jesus declared that He would,
Displaying His power to save
And work in His people for good.

So why should our world then say:
"Where is your God?" in this place?
He does what He pleases each day,
In all who respond to His grace.

Tremble and Trust

"Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord" (Psalm 114:7). "Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:28,29).

Tremble, O earth; your God has come down.
Surely you knew it, though mankind did not.
Setting aside His magnificent crown,
The Word was made flesh, unveiling God's thought.

Tremble, O earth; your glorious God
Has graced His creation by His humble birth.
Surely to you must have considered it odd
That mankind so blindly discounted His worth.

Tremble, O earth; the God of creation
Who spoke into being all things by His power
Descended to earth to bring His salvation
To many who mock Him to this very hour.

Tremble, O earth; your God will return.
Trust Him, O sinner, whom earth yet obeys.
Turn from the folly of sinners who spurn
The Gospel of God and the grace He conveys.

Tremble, O earth; your God will restore
The peace that you groan for with earnest desire.
Trust Him, His people, and reverence Him more,
For He will yet visit this earth with His fire.

Patient Pace

"Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Run patiently your homeward race
With Jesus Christ in view.
Be strengthened daily by His grace;
His heart of love pursue.

Consider Him who freely gave
His life to ransom yours,
Who rose in triumph from the grave,
And opened heaven's doors.

Consider Him who thus endured
When trials take their toll.
Rest with confidence assured
That He will guard your soul.

Follow with a patient pace
Your Lord who leads the way.
Until we see Him face to face,
Run patiently each day.

Respect for the Reward

"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward" (Hebrews 11:24-26).

Faith can make us analyze
And forfeit earthly dreams
To choose instead the greater prize
In what the Lord esteems.

What is precious to the Lord?
That's all we need to know
To have respect for the reward
That God will yet bestow.

So it was in Moses' case
That he would choose eviction,
To rather have God's saving grace
Attended with affliction.

He set aside the sinful pleasure
That lasts for just a season,
Esteeming Christ the greater Treasure,
And not without good reason!

For who or what in all the earth
Compares with Christ our Lord?
There is no treasure with His worth,
No greater a reward.

Holding Fast our Holy Faith

"Let us hold fast the profession our faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised.... Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.... Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised" (Hebrews 10:23, 11:1,11).

Holding fast our faith's profession
Is not a hopeful guess,
But rather it's a well learned lesson
Of Christ Whom we assess.

The fact regarding Jesus Christ
That gives us confidence
Is that His promises sufficed,
To give us evidence.

We look on promises He made
And see integrity.
His faithfulness is thus displayed
To give us faith to see.

As Sarah judged Him faithful too
Regarding promised seed,
God extends Himself to you
To trust Him for your need.

Judge Him faithful, based on fact,
For Christ has never failed.
Not one promise ever lacked
Fulfillment that prevailed.

Space of Grace

"And now for a little space grace hath been showed from the Lord our God... to give us a nail in His holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving" (Ezra 9:8). "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (Hebrews 9:27,28).

A little space of grace, that's all,
Remains for you and me,
Before our final upward call
Into eternity.

Grace that saves is truly large,
Yet life by time is driven.
We have from God a holy charge
To share what we've been given.

It is appointed once to die
And after this we'll stand
Before the Lord to testify
Regarding His command.

A little space of grace remains
That God may lighten eyes.
The hour glass of sand that drains
Implores us to be wise.

So grant us, Lord, in this short time,
Revival in our days,
That we may live for the sublime:
The privilege of Your praise.

Able Advocate

"I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yea, I will praise Him among the multitude. For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul" (Psalm 109:30,31). "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).

I will greatly praise the Lord,
My Advocate forever.
He ever lives to thus afford
My soul an Intercessor.

Standing at my own right hand
He is my sure Defender
That no accuser can withstand,
Nor condemnation render.

I know the verdict for my soul,
And "guilty" is my plea,
But Jesus Christ has paid in full
My judgment's penalty.

My Savior shows His marks of love:
No charges now I face!
He intercedes for me above,
And here I rest my case.

Anchored Assurance

"In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge" (Proverbs 14:26). "And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.... [We] have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast" (Hebrews 6:11,18,19).

What an anchor for the soul!
What a steadfast consolation!
What assurance strong and full
We have found in our salvation!

What confidence along the way!
What hope we have until the end!
What more could our Lord convey
To help us better comprehend?

For Jesus Christ has now prevailed
With mercy, truth, and grace.
His promises have never failed
In every time and place.

So do not let your confidence
Be hindered or diminished,
But feed your faith with diligence
Until your course is finished.

Antidote for Antipathy

"Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!.... Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord" (Psalm 107:31,43).

There is a wondrous antidote
For bitterness of soul:
Observe these things the psalmist wrote,
Considering the whole.

When for our good the Lord afflicts,
He heals and makes us sound.
The wise observer thus predicts
God's love shall then be found.

How wondrous are the works of love
The Lord's redeemed can claim,
Who found redemption from above
By trusting Jesus' name!

Oh, that men would praise the Lord
In view of all He's done!
What healing this would soon afford
Through God's beloved Son!

Help for the Heart

"It is said, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.... Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 3:15, 4:16).

There's grace to help in time of need:
That time is called TODAY!
Lord, help our hearts today with speed,
Lest we should go astray.

Lord, You know how much inclined
Our hearts may be to harden.
So help our spirit, soul, and mind
With healing, hope, and pardon.

We dare not wait until tomorrow
While help is here today.
Deliver us from folly's sorrow;
Lord, help our hearts, we pray.

Lower to Lift

"He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: until the time that... the king sent and loosed him.... He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance" (Psalm 105:17-21). "But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (Hebrews 2:9).

Joseph was a man God sent,
A lowly servant sold.
But by his trials God had meant
That good would thus unfold.

With fetters then they hurt his feet;
In iron he was laid
Until God's timing was complete,
To lift him by God's aid.

But we see Jesus who was made
A little lower still
Than all the angels that He bade
To do His sovereign will.

They hurt His feet with iron nails
And laid Him in a grave.
His name, now lifted, heaven hails!
No other name can save!

Feeding from His Fullness

"O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom Thou hast made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches... These all wait upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat in due season. That Thou givest them they gather: Thou openest Thine hand, they are filled with good" (Psalm 104:24,27,28). "The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom" (Proverbs 10:21).

The lips of the righteous by faith will feed many,
Though famine for truth is at hand.
Still God offers wisdom to all and to any
Who humbly obey His command.

He opens His hand to fill us with good,
And herein we find our supply
To feed our own souls, as surely we should,
As well as feed many thereby.

Remembering our Renewing

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits... thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.... He made known His ways" (Psalm 103:2,5,7). "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior" (Titus 3:3-6).

Do you recall your heart defiled
Before regeneration?
(Unless you were a little child)
You longed for liberation.

For we ourselves were also fools,
Rebellious and deceived,
Living by this world's rules,
Before we had believed.

But then God's kindness and His love
Appeared in Christ our Lord
To show us mercy from above,
Which we had long ignored.

So look on others with compassion
Who still are not renewed,
And may we live in such a fashion,
Christ may thus be viewed.

Prior Promise

"This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.... Of old Thou has laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of Thy hands. They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment, as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall have no end" (Psalm 102:18,25-27). "I was set up from everlasting from the beginning, or ever the earth was.... Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; and My delights were with the sons of men" (Proverbs 8:23,31). "[The] hope of eternal life... God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began" (Titus 1:1,2).

Before You formed the ancient earth
By Your decree sublime,
Or space and matter had their birth
Along with father Time,
You fixed upon us your delight
(Then prior to creation),
And You beheld us in Your sight,
And promised us salvation.

Lord, we cannot comprehend
Your ability to see
From beginning to the end
Through all eternity.
Yet surely we can testify
What You have demonstrated:
You are the God who cannot lie,
And shall not be frustrated.

And thus we find our confidence
By trusting in the name
Of Christ Who is our sure Defense,
Forevermore the same.
And thus in every time and place
His prior promise stands,
That all those who are saved by grace
Are safe in Jesus' hands.

Cherish the Charge

"Thus saith Cyrus, king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He hath charged me to build Him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah" (Ezra 1:2). "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ... preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season.... do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry" (2 Timothy 4:1,2,5).

Cherish the charge God gave you to do,
Preaching the Word in all seasons.
God has a ministry tailored for you,
For all of His merciful reasons.

God charges peasants and God charges kings;
He charges the young and the old.
He's perfectly working together all things,
Including His charge that you hold.

Cherish the charge God gave to fulfill,
Redeeming the time while you may.
Discover the glory of God's perfect will,
Preparing your heart to obey.

Mocking the Messengers

"They mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy" (2 Chronicles 36:16). "Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy" (Proverbs 6:15).

There is a remedy for sin,
A cure for all transgression,
If only sinners will begin
To turn with true confession.

This is why God sent His word
By messengers who came,
Yet they mocked the message heard,
Rewarding them with shame.

Still today the mockers spurn
The Gospel they despise.
The messengers are mocked in turn,
Disdained with lofty eyes.

There is at last no remedy
For those will not hear,
And therefore their calamity
Shall suddenly appear.

We live in days of apathy,
As if there's none Who sees us.
Yet still there is a remedy
For all who trust in Jesus.

Scenarios of Service

"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman (farmer) that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits... Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:3-6,15).

A soldier surely ought to please
The One who calls him into battle.
An athlete does not take his ease;
A farmer labors with his cattle.

These scenarios are named
That we might understand,
The workman who is unashamed
Will live for God's command.

Senseless Science

"Keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called" (1 Timothy 6:20).

Call it science, if you will,
Though it falsely is portrayed,
Which ignores God's matchless skill,
Evident in all He made.

It's senseless science that denies
The obvious in all we see!
For all creation testifies
Of our Savior's majesty.

So-called science plagues our schools
With its godless education,
Sowing lies and reaping fools
In denial of creation.

How shall we then guard our youth
From this myth of evolution?
All they really need is truth:
What a theme for revolution!

Neglect Not

"Neglect not the gift that is in thee.... Meditate on these things; give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed to thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee" (1 Timothy 4:14-16).

Every child of God receives
A special gift within,
The moment one in Christ believes
Who takes away our sin.

Thus we are by God employed
To exercise these gifts.
Thus we fill a special void
That edifies and lifts.

Take heed, therefore, to not neglect
This gift that God imparts.
But let it have its full effect
In blessing other hearts.

Manifest Mystery

"If thou seekest her [understanding] as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:4,5). "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (1 Timothy 3:16).

If you will search the mystery
That God would have revealed,
These secrets of eternity
Shall no more be concealed.

These truths have not been hidden,
Except from prideful eyes.
The proud have been forbidden
To see what makes one wise.

But God will show the humble
The truth that makes one free,
The very truths that stumble
The proud who will not see.

Now come and see this glorious plan
Revealed in Jesus Christ:
God was manifest as Man,
And for us sacrificed.

By Him all are justified
Who on Him have believed.
It was to this end that He died,
And heaven has received.

We manifest the mystery
Declaring everyday
The Gospel some will choose to see,
And others turn away.

End and Enabling

"Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.... And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 1:5,14).

Our Savior's commandment has this end in view:
Pure love, a good conscience, and faith that is true.
And with His commandment He gives us His grace,
Enables us always and in every place.

To every purpose an end is in sight.
We're sent into darkness that we may be light.
We're sent into hatred to manifest love,
Equipped with compassion and faith from above.

This is the end and enabling too;
This is what we in good conscience should do.
Stewards of grace, be true to your call.
As debtors of mercy to witness to all.