Tuesday, November 13, 2007

on a great poem I read this morning

was preparing tonight's CG session this morning, and came across this nifty little poem. Wanted to sms it out to my kakis', but it's 5-sms length long. Ah well, here's sharing it with you all as well:

I once was a stranger to grace and to God,
    I knew not my danger , and felt not my load;
Though friends spoke in rapture of Christ on the tree
   Jehovah-tsidkenu was nothing to me

When free grace awoke me, by light from on high,
    Then legal fears shook me, I trembled to die:
No refuge, no safety, in self could I see;
    Jehovah-tsidkenu my Saviour must be.

My terrors all vanished before the sweet name;
    My guilty fears banished, with boldness I came
To drink at the fountain, life-giving and free:
    Jehovah-tsidkenu is all things to me.

 - Whitelaw, Thomas, Jehovah-Jesus (1913). 

1 comment:

  1. ah, apparently I got a shortened version from the book I've read. Here's the full version:

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    I once was a stranger to grace and to God,
    I knew not my danger; and felt not my load;
    Though friends spoke in rapture of Christ on the tree,
    Jehovah Tsidkenu was nothing to me.

    I oft read with pleasure, to soothe or engage,
    Isaiah’s wild measure and John’s simple page;
    But even when they pictured the blood-sprinkled tree,
    Jehovah Tsidkenu seemed nothing to me.

    Like tears from the daughters of Zion that roll,
    I wept when the waters went over His soul,
    Yet thought not that my sins had nailed to the tree
    Jehovah Tsidkenu — ’twas nothing to me.

    When free grace awoke me by light from on high,
    Then legal fears shook me, I trembled to die;
    No refuge, no safety in self could I see —
    Jehovah Tsidkenu my Saviour must be.

    My terrors all vanished before the sweet name;
    My guilty fear banished, with boldness I came
    To drink at the fountain, life-giving and free—
    Jehovah Tsidkenu is all things to me.

    Jehovah Tsidkenu! My treasure and boast,
    Jehovah Tsidkenu! I ne’er can be lost;
    In Thee shall I conquer by flood and by field—
    My cable, my anchor, my breastplate and shield!

    Even treading the valley; the shadow of death,
    This “watchword” shall rally my faltering breath;
    For while from life’s fever my God sets me free,
    Jehovah Tsidkenu my death-song shall be.

    Robert Murray McCheyne
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Robert Murray McCheyne died in 1843 at the age of thirty, he left God’s people a great treasure is his memoirs and other writings. "The Memoirs and Remains of Robert Murray McCheyne" by Andrew Bonar. Published by "The Banner of Truth" See their Web Site - there is a link on the Menu Page near the bottom.

    In the opinion of the Webmaster - this is one of the finest devotional books ever to be published. it will do your soul good to get and read it. - FJS.


    (Taken from http://www.btinternet.com/~gracegospel/jehovah.htm)

    P.S. Alamak! "wa see bei sua ku ah" - it's a hymnal! :D
    Goto http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/o/ioncewas.htm

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