Senseless Silence

“Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto Thee forever” (Psalm 30:11,12).  “Blind Bartimaeus… sat by the highway side begging… And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called… And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus… he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way” (Mark 10:46-52). 

How senseless is silence when God gives a song!

I’m girded with gladness to show forth His praise.

I will not be silent, though some count it wrong:

I’ll thank Him forever and sing of His ways.

Like blind Bartimaeus refusing to cease  

To lift up his voice with the Lord drawing near,

Though many had charged him to then hold his peace,

He cried all the more, and he made his voice clear.

                                     

Why should he be silent?  To just please the crowd?

His silence then surely would not have been wise!

The more they objected, the more he was loud,

And Jesus, responding, gave heed to his cries.

The blind man arose, cast his garment away,

And hasted to Jesus who gave him his sight.

How costly would silence have been on that day

If he had not spoken and done what was right!

Endowed with his sight, he then followed the Lord,

And surely we ought to be doing the same.

The charge to be silent he rightly ignored,

And we should speaking of Christ without shame.

O Lord, we give thanks for the lessons You give

By showing examples of those You commended.

So grant us the wisdom and boldness to live

Without senseless silence, as You have intended.