Behold the Branch

"Mine eyes are unto Thee, O GOD the Lord: in Thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute" (Psalm 141:8).  "Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended?... What is His name, and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell?... He is a Shield unto them that put their trust in Him" (Proverbs 30:4,5).  "Behold, I will bring forth My Servant the BRANCH… and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day" (Zechariah 3:8,9).  "See the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory… Look up, and lift up your heads" (Luke 21:27,28). 

Our eyes are lifted up to Christ;

We're trusting in His name alone. 

Behold the Lamb once sacrificed,

And make His great salvation known! 

Behold our Lord ascended up,

Who also had descended first

To drink for us that dreadful cup

Of heaven's wrath for sinners cursed. 

Behold the BRANCH, God's Holy One,

Upon the cross of Calvary: 

In just one day the work was done

By which He purged iniquity! 

As we behold the BRANCH that came,

O Lord, we see redemption's story

That blossoms in this wondrous name

That manifests Your grace and glory!  

Combating Christ

"O GOD the Lord, the Strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle" (Psalm 140:7).  "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe" (Proverbs 29:25).  "Thus saith the LORD of hosts… he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye… Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for He is raised up out of His holy habitation" (Zechariah 2:8,13).  "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool" (Luke 20:42,43). 

Our Savior has covered our head

And given us strength in salvation. 

He suffered and died in our stead

To purchase our justification. 

There's no reason now to fear man,

Who stands against God to defy

God's people with his battle plan

To touch, as it were, our Lord's eye.

Let all of the earth stand in awe,

For Christ is raised up for His own! 

The triumph that prophets foresaw

In our risen Savior is shown.

O Christ, how deceived is the fool

Who yet is combating You now! 

Your foes shall be made as a stool

Where all of Your enemies bow.  

Searching Savior

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23,24).  "Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things" (Proverbs 28:5).  "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto Me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts" (Zechariah 1:3).  "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). 

We have a Savior who will search

And try the hearts of all His own.

He is the Head of all His church,

And all our thoughts to Him are known. 

Though evil men don't understand

The judgment that they now deride,

God's moral absolutes demand  

That justice must be satisfied.

The heart of God that we discern

Within the Gospel we proclaim

Invites the lost to humbly turn

To call upon our Savior's name. 

O Lord our God, our searching Savior

Who came to seek and save the lost,

Though we did not deserve Your favor,

You died to pay our ransom's cost!  

Prophetic Prudence

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me.  The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me" (Psalm 138:7,8).  "A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished" (Proverbs 27:12).  "The Desire of all nations shall come" (Haggai 2:7).  "All things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished" (Luke 18:31). 

Beyond the trouble I can see

The hand of God with His protection; 

I see His workmanship in me

That He is bringing to perfection. 

A prudent person sees the place

Where God will hide us from His wrath. 

In Christ alone is saving grace,

But fools will choose destruction's path. 

The prudent one is looking higher,

Above the things of fleeting worth,  

For Christ shall come as the Desire

Of all the nations of the earth. 

Lord, thank You for prophetic light

That gives me prudence to pursue

A life that's pleasing in Your sight

With Your soon coming now in view.  

Never Silence our New Song

"How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?" (Psalm 137:4).  "The curse causeless shall not come" (Proverbs 26:2).  "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways" (Haggai 1:7).  "There met Him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off… and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us… And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them… turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God… giving Him thanks… Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?" (Luke 17:12-17).

There is a song that should not cease,

Though fleeting circumstances change,

For in the Lord we find our peace

When passing through a land that's strange. 

Rejoice, for we who once were cursed

Because we broke God's holy laws,

Are saved by Christ who loved us first

And died to rob the curse of cause! 

Let us consider well our ways

When we are tempted to complain,

That we may never cease to praise

Our Lord who bore our curse's pain.

Lord, as the leper whom You healed

Turned back amid the thankless throng,

We'd turn with thanks for grace revealed

And never silence our new song! 

Faithful Messengers of Foretold Mercy

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good… Who remembered us in our low estate… and hath redeemed us from our enemies: for His mercy endureth forever" (Psalm 136:1,23,24).  "A faithful messenger… refresheth the soul… As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country" (Proverbs 25:13,25).  "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in his love, He will joy over thee with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17).  "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead" (Luke 16:31). 

Let faithful messengers rejoice

And thank the Lord, for He is good. 

The Gospel's great prophetic voice

Has made His mercy understood. 

He saw us in our lost condition,

And He redeemed us who were cursed. 

The message of our Lord's commission

Has satisfied the soul's great thirst!

The Lord is in the midst of us,

And He is resting in His love. 

His mercy was victorious

That brought salvation from above!

As faithful messengers of old

Foretold Your mercy that would come,

So by Your Spirit make us bold,

By every means, persuading some. 

Memory of His Mercy

"Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did He… Thy name, O LORD, endureth forever; and Thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations" (Psalm 135:6,13).  "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin" (Isaiah 53:10).  "He that pondereth the heart… keepeth thy soul" (Proverbs 24:12).  "Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth" (Zephaniah 2:3).  "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:10).

It pleased the Lord to bring salvation

By laying down His life for us. 

Throughout the earth, each generation

Recalls His mercy marvelous. 

Our wayward hearts have all been pondered

By Christ who paid redemption's cost. 

All we like sheep from Him had wandered;

He came to seek and save the lost.

The Lord calls everyone on earth

To seek and find Him while they may

As He extends a second birth

To souls while it is called Today. 

Your memory, Lord, we contemplate,

With mercy that was heaven sent,  

As we, with angels, celebrate

When sinners meekly will repent.