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God Moves in a Mysterious Way

Words: William Cowper (b. Nov. 15, 1731; d. Apr. 25, 1800)
Music: Belmont, by William Gardiner (b. March 15, 1770; d. Nov. 16, 1853)

Note: William Cowper’s last name is pronounced Cooper. As to the tune used with this hymn, a number of different ones have been assigned to it. I prefer Belmont, but Dundee, from the Scottish Psalter of 1615, is likely more common.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Though there are a number of hymns that infer the subject of divine providence, few poets have tackled the trick of including this three-syllable word where it fits both the metre and the sense. Another who did is Robert Robinson, in his 1774 hymn, Mighty God, While Angels Bless Thee. Stanza (2) says:

For the grandeur of Thy nature,
Grand beyond a seraph’s thought;
For the wonders of creation,
Works with skill and kindness wrought.
For Thy providence, that governs,
Through Thine empire’s wide domain,
Wings an angel, guides a sparrow,
Blessèd be Thy gentle reign.

Even so, Cowper’s hymn is considered the best on the subject. In (4) he invites us to consider “a frowning providence,” assuring us that behind it is the smiling face of God. All that a sovereign God does, even when His hand is hidden from human sight, works together to accomplish His purpose. Our hymn begins:

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

The English word “providence” combines two Latin words (pro video, meaning before seeing). It refers to God’s ability to see before what our needs will be, and provide for them. Like the word Trinity, the word providence doesn’t appear in our Bibles. (It is found once in the KJV (Acts 24:2), referring to the foresight of a human being. Never with reference to God.) But like the concept of the Trinity, the providence of God is found in many places.

Read through the exciting book of Esther, and you will see how the Lord worked providentially through a beauty contest, an overheard conversation, and a king’s insomnia, to deliver the nation of Israel from mortal danger. And God’s providence is the principle behind the familiar words of Romans 8:28.

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28, NIV).

(4) Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

(6) Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Perhaps we will see, in this life, how seemingly random or disconnected events have been woven together by the hand of God to accomplish something wonderful. But more likely it will be in heaven’s more complete knowledge and understanding that we’ll discover these things. In the meantime, we can rely upon the Lord to fulfil the promise of the Romans text.

Questions:

  1. What happens when we try to “judge…the Lord by feeble sense”?
  2. Why does God so often hide what He’s doing from us?

Links:

I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go

Words: Mary Houghton Brown (b. May 19, 1856; d. Jan. 22, 1918)
Charles Edward Prior (b. _____, 1856; d. _____, 1927)
Music: Carrie Esther Parker Rounsefell (b. March 1, 1861; d. Sept 18, 1930)

Note: Canadian hymn writer Mary Brown wrote (1) of the hymn, and Charles Prior wrote (2) and (3).

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

(1) It may not be on the mountain’s height, or over the stormy sea;
It may not be at the battle’s front my Lord will have need of me;
But if by a still, small voice He calls to paths I do not know,
I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Thine,
I’ll go where You want me to go.

I’ll go where You want me to go, dear Lord,
O’er mountain, or plain, or sea;
I’ll say what You want me to say, dear Lord,
I’ll be what You want me to be.

This hymn speaks to us of one who has accepted a commission, one who has been charged with a task, and accepts it readily. There are many examples of this in the Word of God.

The angel Gabriel describes himself as one who “stands in the presence of God, and was sent” (Lk. 1:19). And the angels, in general, are said to be “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation” (Heb. 1:14). One gets the picture of ranks of servants, standing by the throne of God, alert to hear and instantly obey His least command.

The young Samuel heard the voice of God, and responded, “Speak, for Your servant hears” (I Sam. 3:10). He had the unpleasant task of pronouncing the judgment of God that was to fall on the family of Eli the priest. In spite of fear, Samuel did as he was bidden (vs. 15, 18).

The prophet Elijah faced wicked Ahab, and spoke of God’s judgment on the wayward nation, a judgment in the form of a prolonged drought. As with the angel Gabriel, we’re given a picture of one who stands in the presence of God, ready to fulfil any commission he is given (I Kgs. 17:1).

Isaiah had a fearful vision of the glory and holiness of God (Isa. 6:1-4). The Almighty called out, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us [the trinitarian “Us]?” The prophet responded, “Here am I! Send me.” (vs. 8).

The Apostle Paul witnessed of how, on the Damascus road, he met the risen, glorified Christ. He fell down before Him, and was told, “Rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you” (Acts 26:16). Paul went on to become a great missionary in the days of the early church.

When the Lord Jesus called twelve disciples to be with Him, both for training and service, we read of Peter and Andrew, “He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him” (Matt. 4:19-20). James and John responded similarly (vs. 21-22).

To have a complete picture, we need to realize that not all who were called and commissioned responded so readily. When the Lord told Moses he was going to be the one to lead the people of Israel out of bondage in Egypt, Moses offered many excuses, and even tried to pass the job on to someone else (Exod. 4:12-13). Nevertheless, he eventually did what God commanded (vs. 20).

The Lord Jesus Himself came to this earth as one sent by God the Father. “The Father has sent the Son as the Saviour of the world” (I Jn. 4:14). The calling to proclaim the gospel was passed on to His followers: “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (Jn. 20:21). This has become the Great Commission, extended to all believers to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mk. 16:15; Matt. 28:18-20). How will we respond to this?

(2) Perhaps today there are loving words which Jesus would have me speak;
There may be now, in the paths of sin, some wand’rer whom I should seek.
O Saviour, if Thou wilt be my Guide, though dark and rugged the way,
My voice shall echo the message sweet,
I’ll say what You want me to say.

Questions:

  1. What are some of the excuses we use for not obeying the commission Christ gave us?
  2. What qualities do the obedient servants of God described above have in common?

Links:

Abide with Me

Words: Henry Francis Lyte (b. June 1, 1793; d. Nov. 20, 1847)
Music: Eventide, by William Henry Monk (b. March 16, 1823; d. March 1, 1889)

Note: The original hymn had eight stanzas. Present hymn books tend to use only (1) and (2), and (6), (7), and (8). The intervening stanzas are perhaps not as singable, but they contain some interesting thoughts. For example, here is (3).

Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;
But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.

The other stanzas can be examined on the Cyber Hymnal link, and you can find the touching story behind the hymn on the Wordwise Hymns link.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Without question, this ranks as one of the finest hymns in the English language. In his careful study, published in 1885 (Anglican Hymnology–Being an account of the 325 standard hymns of the highest merit, according to the verdict of the whole Anglican Church), James King puts it in fifth place overall. I see no reason to move it to a lower spot. And William Monk’s beautiful tune is equal to the task of providing a splendid setting for Henry Lyte’s text.

The hymn is often put with the “Evening Hymns” in our hymn books. The opening lines were obviously inspired by the appeal of the couple on the road to Emmaus, who met the risen Christ (though at first they did not recognize Him). When they reached their home, they said to the Lord, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent” (Lk. 24:29). However, it’s clear the author didn’t have the close of day in view when he wrote, but the end of life. Sunset is simply used as a metaphor for the ebbing out of “life’s little day” (2).

The abiding presence of the Lord is an assurance given to every believer. “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). “He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Heb. 13:5). Nor will this ever change, even in eternity (I Thess. 4:16-17).

In CH-2 the author also contrasts the immutability of God (to use the theological word) with the constant change and deterioration of things in this world. God declares, “I am the LORD, I do not change” (Mal. 3:6). Yes, He uses different methods, at different times in history. But His nature and character are unchanging, and so is His righteous standard. That’s a truth the Bible emphasizes a number of times (cf. Ps. 90:2; 102:27; Heb. 1:12; 13:8; Jas. 1:17).

All around us things are changing–and the change seems to accelerate, as time goes by. What a comfort to be a child of God, cared for by One who is unchanging.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

When God is with us, we are able to be victorious over Satan’s temptations. With the hymn writer we say (6):

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?

Even “the valley of the shadow of death” holds no terrors for us, when we’re assured that even there the Lord will company with us. That’s the theme of the final two stanzas (7) and (8):

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Questions:

  1. Why is the unchanging nature of God a comfort to believers, and a terror to the unsaved?
  2. What practical help is it to you, today, that the Lord “abides” with you?

Links:

There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy

Words: Frederick William Faber (b. June 28, 1814; d. Sept. 26, 1863)
Music: Wellesley, by Lizzie Shove Tourjée Estabrook (b. Sept. 8, 1858; d. _____, 1913)

Note: The original hymn, which the author (a Roman Catholic) entitled “Come to Jesus,” consisted of thirteen stanzas, of which the Cyber Hymnal gives us twelve. Many Protestant hymnals today use only four of these (1, 3, 5, 8). For a time, the composer of the tune attended Wellesley, a women’s college in Boston. Hence the name of the tune.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The mercy of God is a wonderful and important theme. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed” (Lam. 3:22). The psalmist tells us, “You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth” (Ps. 86:15). The Hebrew word for mercies (checed) encompasses such qualities as goodness, loving-kindness, and faithfulness. There is, also, in the common Greek word (eleos) the idea of compassion for the sufferer, and care administered to the afflicted.

If you’re on board a ship in the middle of the ocean, you can look in every direction and see nothing but ocean. The waters of the sea extend far beyond the horizon. Faber has made this a lovely poetic image of the love and mercy of God. It’s beyond human measure.

(1) There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,
Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in His justice,
Which is more than liberty.

In a stanza seldom used, the author says:

(2) There is no place where earth’s sorrows
Are more felt than up in heaven.

That’s a wonderful thought. In times of deep distress, it may seem as though God has forgotten us, or that He doesn’t care about what we’re going through. David cried out to the Lord at such a time, saying, “How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (Ps. 13:1). From our limited human perspective, this may be how we feel. But the truth is quite different.

Though God allows human suffering to continue for a time, for His own wise and good purpose, He is not uncaring or unfeeling. Now, with Christ seated at the right hand of the Father, we have One who went through the trials we all face, and who sympathizes with us in our weaknesses, extending mercy and grace to all who call upon Him (Heb. 4:15-16).

(5) For the love of God is broader
Than the measure of our mind;
And the heart of the Eternal
Is most wonderfully kind.

(11) (not used in most of our hymnals), make an interesting point–a point for which I find reason both to agree and disagree. Faber’s words are:

But we make His love too narrow
By false limits of our own;
And we magnify His strictness
With a zeal He will not own.

It’s quite true that, under certain circumstances, “we magnify His strictness with a zeal He will not own.” Eve did that, in Eden. When the devil challenged her with the question, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’”? she responded, “Of fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it’” (Gen. 3:1, 3).

But we look in vain for any prohibition against touching the fruit (cf. 2:17). Since they were to tend the garden (2:15), there might have been occasion to touch the fruit of the tree of knowledge. They were simply told not to eat it. Eve may be trying to convince herself that God is being unfair, by magnifying His restrictions. And we sometimes do that.

That being said, we cannot, in celebrating the great mercy and love of God, deny His zeal for holiness. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God….For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 10:31; 12:29). When the Lord Jesus drove the money changers from the temple, the disciples recognized a fulfilment of an Old Testament Scripture: “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up” (Jn. 2:13-17). This side of the Lord’s character must not be forgotten.

Questions:

  1. What legitimate limits must be placed on the mercy of God?
  2. In what practical ways can Christians reflect both sides of God’s character, His mercy and love, and His righteousness and holiness?

Links:

Just As I Am

Words: Charlotte Elliott (b. March 18, 1789; d. Sept. 22, 1871)
Music: Woodworth, by William Batchelder Bradbury (b. Oct. 6, 1816; d. Jan. 7, 1868)

Note: Historian John Julian says this hymn “ranks with the finest hymns in the English language.” The original had seven stanzas (the seventh being added by the author in a later edition). Many hymn books today use only (1) to (5).

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Just as we are. What does that mean? Of course it doesn’t, for a moment, minimize the seriousness of sin and carnality, and other bad things. It’s not a way of saying, “Leave me alone! I’m satisfied with the way I am.” Rather, the author is saying that it’s impossible for us to make ourselves acceptable to God, or worthy of His perfect heaven. The up-and-outer is just as much in need of God’s salvation as the down-an-outer, and that is only by His grace, not by any human effort (Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5).

“As many as received Him [Christ], to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born…
Not of blood [it’s not a matter of what family you belong to],
Nor of the will of the flesh [not by any kind of human effort],
Nor of the will of man [that is, man in authority–for example, not by the rituals and pronouncements of a church]
But of God [born of God, the new birth, accomplished by the Holy Spirit]” (Jn. 1:12-13; cf. 3:3).

Though condemned, the sinner can come to God, appealing to His grace with confidence, for a couple of reasons (1). First of all, the Lord invites him to come in faith (John 7:37; Rev. 22:17). Second, the blood of Christ was shed on the cross to pay the penalty for all his sin (Eph. 1:7; I Jn. 2:2). It is the only remedy. Attempting to “rid [his own] soul of one dark blot” (2) is doomed to failure. Our best attempts at self-righteousness are like “filthy rags” in God’s sight (Isa. 64:6).

We must come to God, casting ourselves upon His grace, even though “tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt” (3). “Fightings and fears within, without”–what a description of the troubled heart! We come, recognizing our own need, and our own impotence to deal with it. We are spiritually “poor, wretched, blind” (4), but in Christ there is “sight, riches, healing of the mind.” All that we need is found in Him.

For decades, this wonderful hymn was used in Billy Graham’s evangelistic meetings, when an invitation was given to trust Christ as Saviour. Billy himself had come to Christ in 1937, during the singing of this hymn. And as a further irony, it had been the song sung when eighteen-year-old Bev Shea made a public commitment to Christ during evangelistic meetings in his father’s church in Ottawa. Long afterward, when Billy heard Bev singing on the radio, he invited him to join a ministry team he was putting together. The rest, as they say, is history.

The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31; cf. Jn. 3:16). And as we trust in God’s promise, we can be assured He will “welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve” (5). The Lord Jesus says, “The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (Jn. 6:37), employing the strongest of Greek negatives, signifying, not under any conditions, not under any circumstances. If you have never done so before, may you be able to say with the hymn writer:

(6) Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

We are saved by the loving provision of God, in Christ. We are infused with that love, by His Spirit (Rom. 5:5; Gal. 5:22). And we continue to experience, and gain more insight into the love of God, in all its dimensions (Eph. 3:14-19). Nor will it end at death. It’s “here for a season, then above” (7).

Just as I am, of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Questions:

  1. “Lamb of God” (Jn. 1:29), or just “the Lamb,” is one of the many titles of Christ. (It’s found more than two dozen times in the book of Revelation–cf. Rev. 5:12-13.) What does this hymn indicate by its repeated use of the title?
  2. How can we “know the love of Christ which passes [surpasses] knowledge” (Eph. 3:19)? (That is, if it’s beyond knowledge, how can we know it?)

Links:

Who Is on the Lord’s Side?

Words: Frances Ridley Havergal (b. Dec. 14, 1836; d. June 3, 1879)
Music: Armageddon, by C. Luise Reichardt (b. Apr. 11, 1779; d. Nov. 17, 1826)

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

During the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln told a topical joke about a man who couldn’t decide which side he was on. So he decided to wear the blue coat of the Union Army, and the gray pants of the Confederates. But Lincoln said that, when he left his house, the Confederates shot at the top half of him, and the boys in blue shot at the bottom half!”

In any conflict, it’s important to know which side you’re on! That’s particularly true in the spiritual realm, as eternal consequences are at stake. Joshua, at the end of his life, seeing the dangers of spiritual defection up ahead, said: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve….But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15). Later, when the nation of Israel wavered in their loyalty to Jehovah God, and Baal worship infested the land, the prophet Elijah issued this challenge:

“How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him” (I Kgs. 18:21).

And, since the Lord is God, let us be committed to living for Him, and warring a good warfare, as servants of Jesus Christ (II Tim. 2:3-4). After reminding Christians that we are in a conflict against Satan and his hosts (Eph. 6:12), the Apostle Paul says:

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (vs. 13).

Miss Havergal, in her hymn (1) calls us to identify ourselves, if we are “on the Lord’s side.” It will involve being “His helpers, other lives to bring,” and a clear separation from the godless philosophies and carnal behaviour of “the world’s side.” That kind of consistent Christian living is only possible “by Thy grace divine.”

In (2), the author deals with our motivation. It’s “not for weight of glory, nor for crown and palm.” Rather it is the love of Christ, who died for us, that constrains us to declare ourselves as part of the army of the Lord. Reflecting on First Peter 1:18-19, (3) says:

Jesus, Thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem,
But with Thine own life blood, for Thy diadem;
With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee,
Thou hast made us willing, Thou hast made us free.
By Thy grand redemption, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Saviour, we are Thine!

How will the conflict end (4)? The ultimate triumph of the Crucified is guaranteed. God has pledged that victory will be complete, and “His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure.” Frances Havergal’s final stanza (5) is often omitted, but it issues one final stirring challenge, with the reminder that God can keep us safe and true to Him, by His grace (cf. I Pet. 1:3-5; Jude 1:24).

Chosen to be soldiers, in an alien land,
Chosen, called, and faithful, for our Captain’s band,
In the service royal, let us not grow cold;
Let us be right loyal, noble, true and bold.
Master, Thou wilt keep us, by Thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord’s side—Saviour, always Thine!

Questions:

  1. What are some similarities between soldiers in our nation’s armed forces, and Christian soldiers? (And what are some differences?)
  2. What does Paul mean by “enduring hardship” as a soldier of Christ? And how do we avoid being entangled with “the affairs of this life” (II Tim. 2:3-4)?

Links:

More Love to Thee

Words: Elizabeth Payson Prentiss (b. Oct. 26, 1818; d. Aug. 13, 1878)
Music: William Howard Doane (b. Feb. 3, 1832; d. Dec. 23, 1915)

Note: The Wordwise link below provides some touching background for this hymn, as it relates to the life of Elizabeth Prentiss. William H. Doane is most familiar in our hymn books for his many collaborations with Fanny Crosby.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Though it has profound spiritual depth, this is a simple hymn. (It contains only a single word of more than two syllables.) George Prentiss, Elizabeth’s husband, wrote that “she wondered not a little that, when published, it met with so much favour.” We can appreciate her humility, but there are some deep thoughts, here.

(1) More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee!
Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee.
This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

The Lord Jesus said: “‘Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment” (Mk. 12:30). And Paul prayed for the Philippian Christians that their love would continue to grow:

“This I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Phil. 1:9-11).

Many qualities are enveloped in this love (agape, in Greek). Directed Godward, it’s expressed in spiritual discernment, and obedience (Jn. 14:21; I Jn. 2:5-6). When it’s shown to others (cf. Mk. 12:31), it will involve the sacrificial giving of ourselves for their good and blessing. Since Christ presents Himself as the model of such love (Jn. 13:34), it can be best summed up by the term Christlikeness.

In ourselves, love for God (and for others) is not a natural thing. The sin nature tends to produce a love that is centred on self and controlled by self-interest. And it will get worse, as time goes on. “In the last days…men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (II Tim. 3:1-2, 4). Mrs. Prentiss recognized the root of that selfish love in her own heart, and repudiated it.

(2) Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best.

When we’re saved, “the love of God [is] poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom. 5:5). But, even so, it’s not lived out automatically. It comes as the Spirit continues His work in us. “The fruit of the Spirit is love” (Gal. 5:22).

At times, the Lord will allow trials and troubles to touch our lives for the purpose of weaning us away from a love of other things, lesser and unworthy things that could crowd Him out. It happened to Elizabeth Prentisss. And because of her passion to love Christ more, the author welcomes those things that bring pain and sorrow, if they will only deepen her love for Him.

(3) Let sorrow do its work, come grief or pain;
Sweet are Thy messengers, sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

The love of which this hymn speaks won’t end at death. It is an eternal quality. “Love never fails” (I Cor. 13:8).

(4) Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Questions:

  1. What are some hindrances to Christians loving the Lord in this impassioned way?
  2. Can you list some of the qualities that true Christian love will have?

Links:

O Jesus, I Have Promised

Words: John Ernest Bode (b. Feb. 23, 1816; d. Oct. 6, 1874)
Music: Angel’s Story, by Arthur Henry Mann (b. May 16, 1850; d. Nov. 19, 1929)

Note: The original hymn had six stanzas (the Cyber Hymnal link below gives five of them). Most hymn books now use only three or four.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

A promise is a personal pledge to do, or not to do, something. In a more formal setting, it’s a vow or a covenant to act in a certain way. Often, especially in the latter case, it’s a commitment made before witnesses, and perhaps expressed in a signed document. Giving our word lays upon us a solemn responsibility. “Better not to vow than to vow and not pay” (Ecc. 5:5).

In the case of our hymn, the individual promises to serve the Lord to the end (1), to serve the Lord and be His follower (obey Him) forever (4). The hymn writer realizes this will involve spiritual warfare (II Tim. 2:3-4; 4:7), and that the individual will have a tendency to “wander from the pathway” (Rom. 7:15; Gal. 5:17). Yet the Lord has promised to be ever with the believer (Matt. 18:20). And this must be more than simply a doctrinal assertion. If the Christian life is to be lived consistently and effectively, it requires that He be our guide and strength.

(1) O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle if Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway if Thou wilt be my guide.

(2). If we are to be “fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:11), we’ll definitely need help! The world constantly seduces us with “sights that dazzle,” and “tempting sounds.” Satan and his cohorts are “ever near.” We need the Lord to be nearer still, and we need the spiritual perception, energized by the Spirit of God, to “feel” Him near, if we’re to be kept from the paths of sin.

(3). Not only do the threats to our spiritual welfare come from outside. We have a sin nature that can be stirred to “storms of passion,” and “murmurs of self will.” Above the tempest and inner turmoil, we need to hear the voice of God, loud and clear. “Speak, and make me listen,” says John Bode.

(4). The Lord has promised His followers that not only will He be with us here and now, but we can look forward to an eternity with Him. “Where Thou art in glory, there shall Thy servant be” (Jn. 12:26; 14:2-3; cf. Heb. 6:10; Rev. 14:13).

(5). In a stanza reminiscent of the fifth stanza of Good King Wenceslas (5), which says of the king’s page, “In his master’s steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted,” John Bode prays, “Let me see Thy footprints, and in them plant mine own.” It’s a way of saying we are determined to follow the example of holiness and love presented by the Lord Jesus while He was on earth. To accomplish this rely on “Thy strength alone.” He prays, “O give me grace to follow” (4).

(5) O let me see Thy footprints, and in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly is in Thy strength alone.
O guide me, call me, draw me, uphold me to the end;
And then in heaven receive me, my Saviour and my Friend.

Questions:

  1. What do you, personally, find the most frequent stumbling block to being faithful in your life and service for Christ?
  2. What have you done to guard yourself against this problem? (Or what steps can you take in the future to do so?)

Links:

Jesus Shall Reign

Words: Isaac Watts (b. July 17, 1674; d. Nov. 25, 1748)
Music: Duke Street, by John Hatton (b. September ___, 1710; d. December ___, 1793)

Note: This hymn is a paraphrase of part of Psalm 72. It first appeared in 1719, in Isaac Watts’s Psalms of David, Imitated in the Language of the New Testament. In keeping with his goal to reflect New Testament truth in his adaptation of the psalms, this one explicitly refers to the reign of Christ.

The original had eight stanzas, but today’s hymnals normally use only four or five: (1) is followed by a combination of the last two lines of (2), and an altered version of the last two lines of stanza (3), giving us:

From north to south the princes meet
To pay their homage at His feet;
While western empires own their Lord,
And savage tribes attend His word.

This is followed today by (4) and (5). Occasionally (6) and (8) are used as well.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Psalm 72 presents an idealized portrait of the reign of King Solomon, possibly an aspiration written by Solomon himself, or by his father David. Vs. 20 does not mean this is the last psalm of David’s in the book. Many more are found after this point. Rather, the statement means “the prayers of David…are fulfilled in what is described concerning Israel’s ideal king (cf. II Sam. 23:1-5).

The psalm describes five aspects of the reign of the king:

  1. That it will be a just and righteous reign (vs. 1-4)
  2. That it will bring in lasting and universal peace (vs. 5-11)
  3. That it will be a reign of kindness and compassion (vs. 12-14)
  4. That it will be a time of great prosperity and plenty (vs. 15-16)
  5. That it will be an endless reign, to the praise and glory of God (vs. 17-20)

The question then is when and how does this psalm find its fulfilment. Certainly not in Solomon, a very imperfect king, in the end, though he may well have aspired to these things. Isaac Watts saw the characteristics listed being fulfilled in a spiritual and figurative sense, through the proclamation of the gospel. In fact, this is recognized as being one of the greatest missionary hymns (and perhaps the first) in the English language.

However, though there are wonderful elements here fulfilled in part today, even that is inadequate. Matthew Henry, in his commentary (pre-dating the hymn by a few years) tries in vain to make this description fit the proclamation of the gospel in the Church Age. He says:

“As far as his kingdom is set up, discord and contentions cease, in families, churches, and nations. The law of Christ, written in the heart, disposes men to be honest and just, and to render to all their due; it likewise disposes men to live in love, and so produces abundance of peace.”

Matthew Henry

Really? “Discord and contentions cease”? Just which families, and churches, and nation,s does this speak of? Again, it’s a worthy aspiration. But until the Prince of Peace begins His personal reign on earth, this is mere wishful thinking.

The hymn is ultimately about Christ. (The NKJV, taking this view, capitalizes the personal pronouns.) It seems clear that the literal and final fulfilment of Psalm 72 awaits the return of Christ, and the establishment of His earthly reign (Isa. 9:6; Lk. 1:31-33; cf. Rev. 11:15; 19:11-16; 21:1-3, 23-26). One day, “He shall have dominion from sea to sea” (Ps. 72:8), and “all kings shall fall down before Him” (vs. 11).

(1) Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Doth his successive journeys run;
His kingdom spread from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

(8) Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honours to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen!

Note: “Peculiar” here means unique and special.

Questions:

  1. One of Watts’s stanzas says, “Blessings abound where’er He reigns.” How is this fulfilled today at a personal level? That is, what blessings come from giving Christ His rightful place as Lord of our lives?
  2. Why is Christ the only one who can fulfil the ideal picture painted in this psalm?

Links:

Unto the Hills

Words: John Douglas Sutherland Campbell (b. Aug. 6, 1845; d. May 2, 1914)
Music: Sandon, by Charles Henry Purday (b. Jan. 11, 1799; d. Apr. 23, 1885)

Note: John Campbell was a prominent British nobleman, the Duke of Argyll, and the Marquess of Lorne. He was married to Princess Louise, the daughter of Queen Victoria. He served as a member of the British parliament, and also as a popular Governor General of Canada, the queen’s official representative in the Dominion (1878-1883).

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

John Campbell’s hymn is an accurate metrical rendering of Psalm 121. (See the Wordwise Hymns link for a discussion of verse one.) In Psalms, this is one of the fifteen “Songs of Ascent” (Ps. 120-134). The most common view is that these were pilgrim songs, sung by the people of Israel as they made their way to Jerusalem for the various holy feast days.

Psalm 121, sometimes called the Traveller’s Psalm, is one of great assurance for the people of God. The key word in the psalm is “keep” “or “preserve,” both of which translate the Hebrew word shamar, meaning to keep watch over and guard. It is found in vs. 3, 4, 5, 7 (twice), and vs. 8. God protects His children: from all enemies (vs. 1-2), at all times (vs. 3-4), in all circumstances (vs. 5-6), for all of life and beyond (vs. 7-8).

In difficult circumstances, we can remind ourselves that Almighty God, who is the Creator of all, is our God (Ps. 121:1-2; cf. Jer. 32:17). In creation we can see: 1) His power (Rom. 1:20). One who is powerful enough to but speak the word and call worlds into being sure has the ability to provide abundantly for His children. 2) His wisdom (Ps. 104:24). He is wise enough to do for us what is best. 3) His providence (Ps. 104:14, and the context). By His before-seeing (pro video), the Lord knew long ago what our need would be, and has already taken steps to provide for it. We can, and should, fully trust in such a God.

(1) Unto the hills around do I lift up my longing eyes
O whence for me shall my salvation come, from whence arise?
From God, the Lord, doth come my certain aid,
From God, the Lord, who heaven and earth hath made.

We are each imperfect human beings, weak in ourselves, and prone to take a misstep. But God has the answer. In Him, we have One watching over the pilgrims of earth who never relaxes His vigilance (Ps. 121:3-4). On our journey to our heavenly home, facing some rough and uncertain terrain, there will be the danger of stumbling and falling. But The Lord is sufficient for that need as well (cf. Ps. 26:1; 37:31). Then, in times of darkness, there is further cause for fear. But, unlike human watchmen, God’s people have the comforting assurance, “Behold, He who keeps Israel [and each of His saints] shall neither slumber nor sleep.”

(2) He will not suffer that thy foot be moved: safe shalt thou be.
No careless slumber shall His eyelids close, who keepeth thee.
Behold, He sleepeth not, He slumbereth ne’er,
Who keepeth Israel in His holy care.

Ps. 121:5-6. The blistering heat of the sun in that clime was perilous if travellers had no shelter. It is a poetic symbol for difficult and unavoidable circumstances. And the Lord can shelter us from them (Ps. 91:1, 4). Physically speaking, the moon, of course, is relatively benign, and not as dangerous as the rays of the sun. But it represents the night that comes with its darkness and cold and other problems. It is a poetic way of saying that whatever the daylight has in store, or whatever the night may bring, we can count on the Lord’s overshadowing care.

(3) Jehovah is Himself thy keeper true, thy changeless shade;
Jehovah thy defense on thy right hand Himself hath made.
And thee no sun by day shall ever smite;
No moon shall harm thee in the silent night.

The triple repetition in Psalm 121:7-8 is reassuring and calming. “The Lord shall preserve…He shall preserve…The Lord shall preserve.” Whatever experiences face the believer in the journey of life, they are controlled by a sovereign God. He will allow nothing to touch our lives that He is not able to use for our good and blessing, and for His own glory.

(4) From every evil shall He keep thy soul, from every sin;
Jehovah shall preserve thy going out, thy coming in.
Above thee watching, He whom we adore
Shall keep thee henceforth, yea, forevermore.

Questions:

  1. In the early church, when the followers of Christ were threatened and told to stop preaching the gospel (Acts 4:17, 21), what was a great encouragement to them (vs. 24)?
  2. What is there in this psalm (and the hymn) that is a special encouragement to you, personally?

Links:

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