Defending and Departing

"Let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end… My defense is of God, which saveth the upright in heart" (Psalm 7:9,10).  "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate…  He that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul" (Proverbs 8:13,36).  "I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins… For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities" (Revelation 18:4,5). 

This evil age shall have an end

When earth and heaven shall depart. 

We trust in God who will defend

And save the humble, upright heart. 

The fear of God is the beginning

Of wisdom coming from the Lord

As we have learned to hate our sinning

And all that is by God abhorred.

The Lord's defense is wonderful,

But those who will despise His grace

Shall thus betray their precious soul,

And they shall have no hiding place. 

Defending us by Your instruction,

How kindly, Lord, You lead the way,

As we're departing from seduction

That plagues the souls that go astray. 

Foes Forewarned

"All the people shouted…  when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid… and the noise was heard afar off " (Ezra 3:11,13).  "Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping… Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly" (Psalm 6:8-10).  "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings" (Revelation 17:14). 

Let foes of God be now forewarned: 

His great foundation has been laid,

And every scorner shall be scorned,

Though now they mock Him, unafraid. 

The Lord has heard His praise proclaimed;

He hears the voice of prayerful weeping.

His people's foes shall be ashamed,

For God, though silent, is not sleeping. 

The war shall not continue long

Against our Lord, who is the Lamb,

Though Satan rises with his throng,

He'll fall before the great I AM. 

O Lord, You've drawn aside the curtain;

What clarity Your Word thus brings! 

Let foes now be forewarned and certain: 

You're Lord of lords and King of kings!  

Upward Understanding

"My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up… Lead me, O LORD, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make Thy way straight before my face" (Psalm 5:3,8).  "My son, keep thy Father's commandment… When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee" (Proverbs 6:20-22).  "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth" (Revelation 16:15).     

I lift my voice to God each morning,

And His voice also I have heard. 

His comfort, counsel, and His warning

Are waiting for me in His Word. 

I'm looking upward every day

To God, who knows what I will face

With snares and trials in my way,

Yet He protects me by His grace. 

He leads me upward with His hand;

He keeps me when I sleep at night.  

He wakes me up with His command, 

And in His presence I delight.

O Lord, I've heard Your voice commanding 

To watch and pray till You return. 

This is the upward understanding

By which You lead me as I learn. 

Stirred and Strengthened

"The LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia… with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD... And all they that were about them strengthened their hands" (Ezra 1:1-6).  "LORD, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.  Thou hast put gladness in my heart" (Psalm 4:6,7).  "Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints… All nations shall come and worship before Thee" (Revelation 15:3,4). 

The Lord has stirred the hearts of those

Who by His Spirit will be bold,

As in the days when Cyrus rose

To build His house, which was foretold. 

The Lord has called us to obey

As He is strengthening our hands

To rise and build His church today,

For still His great commission stands.

The Lord has shined His face on us

And put His gladness in our hearts

To manifest how marvelous

Salvation is that He imparts. 

O Lord, our hearts by You are stirred;

Our hands are strengthened now to bring

The proclamation of Your Word

That magnifies You as our King!  

Wrong about Wrath

"They mocked the messengers of God… until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy" (2 Chronicles 36:15,16).  "Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God… But Thou, O LORD, art a Shield for me; my Glory, and the Lifter up of mine head" (Psalm 3:2,3).  "The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble" (Proverbs 4:19).  "The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God… the cup of His indignation" (Revelation 14:10). 

How loudly have the mockers mocked

The Word of God so callously   

As in their blindness they have walked

Until there was no remedy. 

There is no help from God, they say,

As they dismiss His saving grace,

But wrath is coming anyway,

And they shall find no hiding place. 

Their way is as a darkened path

Wherein they fearfully shall stumble

Unless they turn to flee from wrath

To Christ, the Shield of the humble.  

O Lord, it won't be very long

Till mockers see Your indignation,

And they shall know that they were wrong

About Your wrath and Your salvation.  

Derision and Decision

"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing… against His Anointed, saying,  Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us?... The Lord shall have them in derision… Be wise now therefore… Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little.  Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him" (Psalm 2:1-4, 10-12).  "Trust in the LORD… Surely He scorneth the scorners: but He giveth grace unto the lowly" (Proverbs 3:5,34). 

The heathen rage against the Christ,

But there is wrath for this decision.  

Our Lord, once meekly sacrificed,

Shall have the rebels in derision. 

What kind of thoughtlessness is this,

That wrath should catch them by surprise?

They killed the One whom they should kiss!   

Yet God still warns them to be wise.

Let every mocker now be warned: 

The Lord gives grace to all the lowly,

But every scorner shall be scorned

Because the Lord our God is holy. 

O Lord, as You reprove the lost

By Your derision of their scorning,

We pray that souls may count the cost

As they decide to heed Your warning.  

Triumphantly Tender

"As for the king of Judah [Josiah]… because thine heart was tender and thou didst humble thyself… before Me… I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD" (2 Chronicles 34:26,27).  "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly… but His delight is in the law of the LORD" (Psalm 1:1,2).  "My son, if Thou wilt receive My words, and hide My commandments with thee… then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:1,5). 

Because Josiah's heart was tender

And he was humbled by God's Word,

The Lord would be his sure Defender;  

His prayer before the Lord was heard.  

The Lord can see the tenderness

Of all who long for His salvation,  

Who call on Him in their distress

And seek Him in their meditation. 

When we receive the Lord's command

And in our heart His words abide,

The fear of God we'll understand;

His knowledge shall be clarified. 

Create in us a tender heart

That we may live triumphantly,

O Lord, by grace that You impart

And truth by which You make us free.  

Back to the Beginning

"The LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken… When he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers" (2 Chronicles 33:10,12).  "Praise God… for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness" (Psalm 150:1,2).  "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge… Turn you at My reproof: behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you" (Proverbs 1:7,23).   

The dawn of a new year begins

As God gives us vision today

And grace now to turn from our sins

With hearts that will humbly obey. 

It's time to get back to the start,

Recalling again our first love

When we gave to Jesus our heart

And set our affections above. 

Praise God for His wonderful acts

Which we have explored with delight! 

Be done with the sin that distracts;

Let's serve Him with all of our might! 

Back to the beginning, O Lord,

To wisdom that came by Your fear,

We turn as we seek the reward

Of fuller surrender this year.