Leave None Untouched

 YHWH, our God, our defender and champion,

the nations are raging, encircling around.

See! How your enemies boast in their anger? 

They trumpet the vapors with which they are crowned 

Crueller than iron, consuming like death, 

Father, rescue our souls from their ravenous clutch! 

Walk through their midst in the dark of Your fury; 

No recreant spare, nor leave heathen untouched!

Jesus, Your bride is beset on all sides! How 

the nations despise her for good You have wrought! 

See! How they bow to themselves alone! Idols 

of death unto death else can render them naught. 

Happy we bear the reproach and false witness; 

our witness of grace will, by faith, produce much.

Plead we "forgive them," as we have been pardoned 

As seed drops our blood; leave no sinner untouched!

Spirit, the walls of Your borderless city 

Are wholly surrounded by nations in ruin.

See! How the blind man demands of us glasses,

and hear how the deaf man cries out for a tune! 

Starving, they steal what we offer them freely;

Our Healer, we, too, were as broken as such.

Blow through our midst in Your sweet condescension, 

And stretch out our hand, leaving no soul untouched!

~

AMDG

All Glory

All glory, King Jesus, to You! You alone 

by merit have earned the celestial throne.

The nations parade by that merciful seat,

as spoils of Your vict'ry are cast at Your feet.

No splendor of nature below will be found

To polish the gleam of Your testament crown.

Nor artifice fashioned by man may exceed

the majesty of Your unparalleled deed.

What wonder a cross would be balm to our pain;

what marvel that blood should eliminate stain! 

Such wisdom is deeper than angels may reach; 

Such honor a mystery no magus can teach! 

No glory we bear, but as You have assigned, 

nor reason, except You have purposed our mind 

as talents for which You will reckon account 

when, lovely, Your foot splits the Olivet Mount.

All glory is Yours, and I tremble to see

what grandeur illuminates eternity!

How awful to witness Your unclouded face; 

more terrible, yet, to give measure Your grace!

All excellence, Jesus, our hearts swell to sing 

is rightfully Yours as Redeemer and King.

The scarlet, the golden, the radiant white

raise hands to obedience, my soul to delight!

AMDG

Yours Is The Word

We, YHWH, hear Your chariot thund'ring by

and tremble at the sparks her eye-wheels throw

which rend the shrouding veil of roiling sky, 

reveal the arc by which You come and go. 

Yours is the word that sends the wind and rain

on beast and man alike, on sand and stone. 

Your breath goes forth, returning not in vain, 

but 'pon the fearful heart is heard and known. 

O! YHWH, 'neath Your tread the very earth

portends her doom; her failing pillars groan

and quake, ere worlds meet for eternal worth

be rattled loose from 'midst her splint'ring bones. 

Yours is the word that brings high places down. 

Ravines are, as by labor-moanings, raised. 

The cedars splinter, casting down their crowns, 

And temples turn't to gravel pave Your ways. 

We, YHWH, feel Your all-consuming flame

which spares not elements themselves, reveals

to altar-sons Your hidden, Holy name, 

and blinds the fool, Your glory to conceal. 

Yours is the word that sets the world ablaze

to try the work and worth of mortal hands.

It sears the hardened heart; the heart which prays 

is, daily, kindled bright by joy's demand.

Yet, YHWH, now Your whistle, whisper, breath

passes not by, nor lingers, nay, but dwells - 

The living Word of faith has set His hearth

between the souls of men! Immanuel!

Yours is the word that names Your chosen flock

and leads to quiet leas where want may cease.

Attune our ears as, through our midst, You walk, 

and bond our heart and tongue in hallowed peace. 

~

1 Kings 19:9-12

Ravus

2.26.25

AMDG

Blessings

 

Thy blessings have I counted, Lord;

forgive my insolence!

I own not measure, sense, not word

for such magnificence.

On weighted scales I judge my due

'gainst what Thy love ordains,

appraise my labors, laid to sue

f'r anticipated gains!

My ledgers swell with scarlet ink -

bitter, imagined want.

What vanity, that I dare think

to price Thy crimson font?

Have I not seen Thee save Thine own?

Nor heard my fathers' praise?

Nor from my mother's arms Thee known?

Nor loved Thy word and ways?

The kings of earth pass by in awe,

cry out in death's dismay,

led forth to scales of perfect law,

their lawless guilt to weigh,

behold the undeservèd love

which caused my soul to stand,

mercies which armies cannot move,

grace ne'er to understand.

My blessings have I counted, Lord,

and weep for dour shame.

One gift beggars ny soul t'afford:

to bear Thy precious Name.

Yet one by one my blessings mount,

swelling to skies unseen,

while I despair, delight to count

each mercy in-between!

~

AMDG

Communion Hymn

O! Church of God, confess! Your appetite for sin

has left no place within for peace to satisfy.

Turn down your lustful eye; this table laid in grace

with broken bread embrace and, for your folly, weep!

Repent! Repent! Dare not despise His holy Word.

O, Church of God, repent! This table is the Lord's.

Consider, holy saint; your least-lov'd brother eats.

The Spirit now completes in him what has begun

in you. This cup is one; we share one yielded wine

as branches of one Vine, and of one Father sons.

Regard! Regard! Made perfect by one binding grace!

O, saint of God, regard! The cross bids us embrace!

O! Bride of Christ, sing praise! Your wedding feast draws near;

The dusk of bitter tear and dawn of love's accord.

Jesus, our Groom and Lord has promised to prepare

an eternal table there for those who here partake!

Rejoice! Rejoice! You wait not, labor not, in vain!

O, Bride of Christ, rejoice! 'Til Jesus comes again!

AMDG

Another Funereal Hymn

Abide with Me, My son. The yield

of heav'n's twelve-bearing tree - 

whose boughs will see the nations healed - 

is yours in guarantee.

Your virgin love is precious gold

for which, by which, are you taken hold!

Rise up, My saint, to overcome -

a crown awaits your brow.

Though pain and suffering did come,

and death did I allow,

the second death you will not see.

Put on your immortality!

Eat of the hidden bread, My child

who passed 'neath Satan's throne,

your name by pagan priests reviled.

A new name, grav'n in stone,

bears witness that you never quailed,

and your reward will never fail!

Stand, little priest. On ev'ry side
My zealous wrath must fall;

no whoredom should bestain My bride,

nor sorc'ries gain My hall.

The Morning Star has lit your way;

your iron rod will shatter clay!

Lay down the yoke, slave for My sake

who strengthened what remained,

whose hopeful spirit watched, awake -

white garments you have gained.

Your blood-writ name, by Me confessed,

is sworn by YHWH ever-blest!

My witness, through the open door

no pow'r may bar your way,

nor steal your crown, nor trial you more.

Our Names you will display.

Who spurned the synagogue of Hell - 

Come! Ceaseless in My temple dwell!

Sit down, O man, with Christ your King

upon that throne I earned.

Your words refreshed - a living spring;

your deeds with fervor burned.

Your ears heard, now your eyes will see.

Well done. I AM yours eternally!

~

AMDG

Written on the occasion of the death of a Saint.

Congregation

Arrayed in aether, cloaked in weighty void

the heavens declare Your righteousness. These stars

attend allotted lines, appointed hours,

by purpose anchored; yea, by splendor buoyed.

Bedecked in bulb and blade and blossom sweet

this garden, sown below, her bounty bears;

her generations stars and sand. They, heirs

of first command, fill all her spheres replete.

Concealed from chastening light and cleft from breath,

from grave-quiet lips Your Name receives due fear;

a trembling toward the day You will appear

to reconcile all faithless debt in death.

So,    

                                           Adam, son divine and grace-attired:

what worship by your order is required?

~

AMDG

5.2.20