Goodness of the Gospel

“As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country” (Proverbs 25:25).  “And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth… said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings” (Revelation 10:5,11). 

The Gospel’s goodness is so full,

As music to the longing ear,

As waters to the thirsty soul,

And as a friend now drawing near.

How rightly waters thus describe

The good news of so great salvation

That’s sent to every tongue and tribe

To quench the thirst of every nation!

The good news that the prophets told

About the coming of our Savior

Are like the waters pure and cold

That flow with heaven’s ceaseless favor.

And now this Gospel is our own,

Which satisfies our deepest need.

We surely ought to make it known

To everyone who will take heed.

We thank You, Lord, for news so good,

Like waters cold that quench our thirst!

O help us make it understood:

You gave Your Best to save the worst!

Fit in the Field

“Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established… Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house” (Proverbs 24:3,27).  “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock” (Matthew 7:24, 25). 

There is plan by which we build

That starts with a foundation.

The master builder must be skilled

In this consideration.

Foundations must be rightly laid

Upon a ground prepared.

We see this principle displayed,

Which Christ Himself once shared.

It is our heart that we must yield

To Jesus Christ today!

We make it fit within the field

By choosing to obey!

The Lord has called us to assess

Our own foundation’s planks:

Remove the things He will not bless,

And honor Him with thanks!

O Lord, we thank You for Your love,

For ever watchful eyes,

For intercession from above,

And grace that makes us wise.

So may the field that You find

Be pleasing in Your view:  

Our heart, our soul, our strength, and mind,

Submitted, Lord, to You. 

Verily Vain

“Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.  It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so He giveth His beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:1,2). 

How verily, verily, verily vain,

Is working, is warring, and worrying too,

Forgetting that only the Lord can sustain

The things that we thought (without Him) we could do.

The house that we build shall be destined to fall,

The city we’re trying to guard shall not stand,

The sleep that we forfeit won’t help us at all,

When we are not trusting the help of God’s hand. 

How verily vain, then, is any endeavor

To prosper without Him in thought, word, or deed.

The Tower of Babel, which men esteemed clever, 

Became a display of how NOT to succeed.

O Lord, we acknowledge there’s no true success

Without the provision of Your grace and power.

So help us succeed in the things You will bless,

Lest we be like builders of Babel’s vain tower!

Time for Tears

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Psalm 126:5).  “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Proverbs 22:3).  “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17). 

There is a time for heartfelt tears

As we are weeping for the lost.

There is a time for prudent fears

For those who yet ignore the cost. 

As people still go on their way,

So carelessly approaching wrath,

We ought to warn them while we may,

And weep for those on judgment’s path.

There surely is a cause for gladness,

Which our salvation will afford,

That yet is mingled with a sadness

For those who have refused the Lord. 

The Lord Himself shall dry the eyes

Of  all who gather at His throne,

Who by their fear were thus made wise

And put their trust in Christ alone. 

O Lord, we know that You have wept

For souls resisting Your salvation.

As your disciples soundly slept,

You prayed in deep humiliation.

We thank You, Lord, as we see how

You wept for souls in sin and shame.

The time for tears is surely now,

As we should likewise do the same.

Sovereign Safety

“As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about His people from henceforth even forever” (Psalm 125:2).  “The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31). 

As lofty mountains all surround

The city of Jerusalem,

Our sovereign Lord Himself is found

Around His own, protecting them.

Our safety neither comes in numbers

Nor in a horse that’s well prepared,

But rather God, who never slumbers,

Will keep His own from being snared.

The seeming strength of “Murphy’s Law”

(If bad can happen, so it will)

Has found in God its fatal flaw:

Our God of grace is greater still!

What sovereign safety thus is ours!

We rest beneath the staff and rod

Of Him who also made the stars:

Behold our Savior and our God!

Lord, thank You for Your sovereign love

That faithfully protects Your own,

That intercedes for us above,

And calls us boldly to Your throne.