Give Place to God's Presence

"Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD… Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD… The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee" (Psalm 134:1-3).  "My son, give Me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe My ways" (Proverbs 23:26).  "Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD" (Zephaniah 1:7).  "Sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable Man than thou be bidden… and He that bade thee and Him come and say to thee, Give this Man place" (Luke 14:8,9). 

As sanctuary sentries stood  

Within the temple through the night,

They blessed the Lord, as well they should,

Through Scripture's great prophetic light. 

How rightly would they give God praise

For all the truth He would impart

As they observed His wondrous ways

And gladly gave to Him their heart. 

O may we, too, with reverent fear

Behold and bless the Lord today,

Acknowledging His presence here

Who listens to us when we pray. 

O Lord our God, Your presence now

Is rightly in the highest place

Within our midst, as low we bow

To thank You for Your saving grace.  

Join the Joyful

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity... for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore" (Psalm 133:1,3).  "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold" (Proverbs 22:1).  "I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:18).  "All the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him" (Luke 13:17). 

It is a pleasant thing indeed,

When joining in our Savior's name,

To thank the Lord who met our need

When on the cross He bore our shame. 

We glorify the name of Christ

As we rejoice in all His favor

That He procured when sacrificed

As our heroic, mighty Savior. 

We will rejoice in Christ our Lord

Who is the God of our salvation. 

Let Him forever be adored  

Who rescued us from condemnation!   

O Lord, we join the joyful ranks

Of all who love and worship You

As we remember and give thanks

For all You've done and yet will do! 

Urgency of the Upright

"I will not give sleep to mine eyes… until I find out a place for the LORD… Arise, O LORD, into Thy rest… The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David… This is My rest forever… for I have desired it" (Psalm 132:4-14).  "The LORD pondereth the hearts… as for the upright, He directeth his way" (Proverbs 21:2,29).  "Write… make it plain… that he may run that readeth it… The just shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:2,4).  "Seek ye the kingdom of God… for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Luke 12:31,34). 

We ought to seek with urgency

And not be satisfied until

Our heart is Christ's entirely,

Surrendered to His perfect will. 

The Lord has pondered every heart

And contemplates our chief desire. 

Let every idol now depart

That Christ may be exalted higher!

The Lord has made it very plain

That we may run with confidence: 

Our faith in Christ is not in vain,

But amply proved with evidence!   

O Lord, the urgency today

That every upright heart will treasure

Is that You still may have Your way

In us who seek to do Your pleasure. 

Great Matters of God's Mercy

"LORD, my heart is not haughty… neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.  Surely I… hope in the LORD from henceforth and forever" (Psalm 131:1-3).  "Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?... Mercy and truth preserve the King: and His throne is upholden by mercy" (Proverbs 20:9,28).  "Behold… and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days" (Habakkuk 1:5).  "If I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you" (Luke 11:20).

My heart cannot be lifted up

With pride when I consider well

The wrath that filled my Savior's cup

He drank to save my soul from hell. 

There's no one who can truly say

That he has made his own heart clean;

All we like sheep have gone astray,

But Christ has come to intervene! 

Behold His work so marvelous: 

The Lamb of God was sacrificed!    

His grace and truth victorious

Have satisfied the throne of Christ!

Your mercy that we contemplate,

O God, is higher than we knew. 

For us such matters were too great,

But they were not too great for You!  

Rejoicing in Redemption

"If Thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?  But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared… for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption" (Psalm 130:3,4,7).  "The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil" (Proverbs 19:20,23).  "Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven… In that hour Jesus rejoiced in Spirit, and said… Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see" (Luke 10:20-23). 

If God would mark iniquities

And judgment's curse had no exemption,

How great would be our miseries

And hopelessness without redemption! 

But we rejoice, for Jesus died

To pay redemption's price in full.   

The heart of Christ is satisfied

By all He did to save our soul. 

For us the Lamb of God was smitten,

As on the cross, He took our place. 

In heaven now our names are written

With all who have been saved by grace. 

O Lord, we are rejoicing now

In Your redemption that we see

With all the blessings You endow

That You procured at Calvary!  

Cutting the Cords

"The LORD is righteous: He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked" (Psalm 129:4).  "Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.  A fool hath no delight in understanding" (Proverbs 18:1,2).  "I will cut off… The voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard" (Nahum 2:13).  "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me… for what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?" (Luke 9:23,25). 

Let cords that have led us astray

From serving the Lord as we should

Be cut without further delay

To free us to do what is good. 

Let love for our Lord be the cause

That separates us by desire

To please Him who graciously draws

Our hearts that He thus will inspire. 

Let misleading messengers heard,

By whom we had once been enticed,

Be cut off by God's precious Word

That honors our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Lord, thank You for cutting the cords

That kept us from seeking Your face,

For nothing this world affords

Compares with Your great saving grace.