Look ye Saints

 

Love this!

 

Sovereign grace o'er sin abounding.

We sang this hymn in church today, and each time we sing it I am overwhelmed by the amazing grace of God bestowed upon sinners.  The words of the fourth stanza fill me with praise and wonder as I sing them:

On such love, my soul, still ponder,
Love, so great, so rich, so free;
Say, while lost in holy wonder,
Why, O Lord, such love to me?

Truly we serve a gracious and loving God!

 

Sov’reign grace o’er sin abounding,
Ransomed souls, the tidings swell;
’Tis a deep that knows no sounding,
Who its breadth or length can tell?
On its glories, on its glories,
Let my soul forever dwell!
On its glories, on its glories,
Let my soul forever dwell!

 

What from Christ the soul can sever,
Bound by everlasting bands?
Once in Him, in Him forever,
Thus th’ eternal cov’nant stands.
None shall pluck thee, none shall pluck thee
From the Savior’s mighty hands!
None shall pluck thee, none shall pluck thee
From the Savior’s mighty hands!

 

Heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus,
Long ere time its race begun;
To His name eternal praises,
O what wonders love has done!
One with Jesus, one with Jesus,
By eternal union one.
One with Jesus, one with Jesus,
By eternal union one.

 

On such love, my soul, still ponder,
Love, so great, so rich, so free;
Say, while lost in holy wonder,
Why, O Lord, such love to me?
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Grace shall reign eternally!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Grace shall reign eternally!

Words by John Kent, music by Sandra McCracken.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Lifted up was He to die;

“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Philip P. Bliss, 1875

I asked the Lord

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek, more earnestly, His face.

’Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer!
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request;
And by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
“’Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”

John Newton

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy

We sang this hymn in Church today, and what a gospel feast it is.  Meditate on the words of this beautiful, Christ centered hymn, this is food for the hungry and water for the thirsty.  Soli Deo Gloria!
Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy Author: Joseph Hart, 1712-1768 Musician: William Owen, 1814-1893

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and pow'r;
He is able He is able, He is able
He is willing; doubt no more!
He is willing; doubt no more!

Come, ye needy, come and welcome;
God's free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Ev'ry grace that brings you nigh,
Without money Without money, Without money,
Come to Jesus Christ and buy!
Come to Jesus Christ and buy!

Let not conscience make you linger
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness He requireth
Is to feel your need of Him:
This He gives you— This He gives you— This He gives you—
'Tis the Spirit's glimm'ring beam!
'Tis the Spirit's glimm'ring beam!

Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and broken by the fall;
If you tarry till you're better,
You will never come at all:
Not the righteous Not the righteous Not the righteous
Sinners Jesus came to call;
Sinners Jesus came to call.

Lo! th'incarnate God ascended,
Pleads the merit of His blood;
Venture on Him, venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude;
None but Jesus, None but Jesus, None but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good.
Can do helpless sinners good.

Bible passage:
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Isaiah 55:1


 

Sticken, smitten, and afflicted

We sang this today in church, and the third stanza just hit me so hard. How easy it is to take sin lightly, but at the cross we see its nature rightly for it was our sins that our great God and Saviour paid for on the cross. Oh how great His love and grace!

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See Him dying on the tree!
’Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He!
’Tis the long expected prophet,
David’s Son, yet David’s Lord;
Proofs I see sufficient of it:
’Tis a true and faithful Word.

Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning,
Was there ever grief like His?
Friends through fear His cause disowning,
Foes insulting his distress:
Many hands were raised to wound Him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced Him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.

Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great,
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed!
See who bears the awful load!
’Tis the Word, the Lord’s anointed,
Son of Man, and Son of God.

Here we have a firm foundation,
Here the refuge of the lost.
Christ the rock of our salvation,
Christ the name of which we boast.
Lamb of God for sinners wounded!
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on Him their hope have built.

Words: Thom­as Kel­ly, Hymns on Var­i­ous Pass­ag­es of Script­ure, 1804, alt.

Music: Wo Ist Je­sus, Mein Ver­lang­en, Geist­lich­es Volks­lied, 1850

Rock of ages

I love this old hymn, especially verse 3, may it encourage your heart today!

1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
save from wrath and make me pure.

2. Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law's commands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.

3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.

4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyes shall close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.

Text: Augustus M. Toplady, 1740-1778
Music: Thomas Hastings, 1784-1872