Sunday's Hymn

Lately, I’ve been posting lesser known hymns by well-known and prolific hymn writers. We’ve had two hymns by John Newton, two by Charles Wesley; now I’ve moving on to Isaac Watts. You probably know at least of few of Watt’s hymns, like Alas! and Did My Sav­ior Bleed?, Our God, Our Help in Ag­es Past, and Jesus Shall Reign. But I bet you don’t know this one—and it’s perfect for the season we’re in right now.

Plunged in a Gulf of Dark Despair

Plunged in a gulf of dark despair
We wretched sinners lay,
Without one cheerful beam of hope,
Or spark of glimmering day.

With pitying eyes the Prince of grace
Beheld our helpless grief;
He saw, and, O amazing love!
He ran to our relief.

Down from the shining seats above
With joyful haste He fled,
Entered the grave in mortal flesh,
And dwelt among the dead.

He spoiled the powers of darkness thus,
And brake our iron chains;
Jesus hath freed our captive souls
From everlasting pains.

In vain the baffled prince of hell
His cursèd projects tries
We that were doomed his endless slaves
Are raised above the skies.

O for this love let rocks and hills
Their lasting silence break,
And all harmonious human tongues
The Savior’s praises speak.

Yes, we will praise Thee, dearest Lord,
Our souls are all on flame;
Hosannah round the spacious earth
To Thine adored Name.

Angels, assist our mighty joys,
Strike all your harps of gold;
But when you raise your highest notes,
His love can ne’er be told.

Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

• Hosanna, Loud Hosanna at Conjubilant with Song
• Lord’s Day 14, 2009 at The Thirsty Theologian
• Fairest Lord Jesus at The Happy Wonderer
• Ah, Holy Jesu, How Hast Thou Offended at Nova Scotia Scott
• Be Thou My Vision at Hiraeth
• God, Be Merciful to Me at Fieldstone Cottage
• All Glory, Laud and Honor at joythruChrist
• Your weekly dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: Active Obedience (I love thinking about Christ’s active obedience. If you only consider his dying for you, and not his living for you, you are missing half of the wonder of Christ’s work on your behalf.)
• All Glory, Laud and Honor at Tapestry of Graces

Have you posted a hymn today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.

Sunday's Hymn

I’ve been posting lesser-known hymns written by well-known hymnographers. Here’s another hymn from Charles Wesley, one that seems appropriate to this season, when we remember and celebrate Christ’s work.

Jesus, Show Us Thy Salvation

Jesu, show us Thy salvation,
In Thy strength we strive with Thee,
By Thy mystic incarnation,
By Thy pure nativity;
Save us Thou, our New-Creator,
Into all our souls impart,
Thy divine, unsinning nature,
Form Thyself within our heart.

By Thy first blood-shedding heal us;
Cut us off from every sin,
By Thy circumcision seal us,
Write Thy law of love within;
By Thy Spirit circumcise us,
Kindle in our hearts a flame;
By Thy baptism baptize us
Into Thy all glorious Name.

By Thy fasting and temptation
Mortify our vain desires,
Take away what sense, or passion,
Appetite, or flesh requires:
Arm us with Thy self denial,
Every tempted soul defend,
Save us in the fiery trial,
Make us faithful to the end.

By Thy sorer sufferings save us,
Save us when conformed to Thee,
By Thy miseries receive us,
By Thy painful agony;
When beneath Thy frown we languish,
When we feel Thine anger’s weight,
Save us by Thine unknown anguish,
Save us by Thy bloody sweat.

By that highest point of passion,
By Thy sufferings on the tree,
Save us from the indignation
Due to all mankind, and me;
Hanging, bleeding, panting, dying,
Gasping out Thy latest breath,
By Thy precious death’s applying
Save us from eternal death.

From the world of care release us,
By Thy decent burial save,
Crucified with Thee, O Jesus,
Hide us in Thy quiet grave:
By Thy power divinely glorious,
By Thy resurrection’s power
Raise us up, o’er sin victorious,
Raise us up to fall no more.

By the pomp of Thine ascending,
Live we here to Heaven restored,
Live in pleasures never ending,
Share the portion of our Lord:
Let us have our conversation
With the blessed spirits above,
Saved with all Thy great salvation,
Perfectly renewed in love.

Glorious Head, triumphant Savior,
High enthroned above all height,
We have now through Thee found favor,
Righteous in Thy Father’s sight:
Hears He not Thy prayer unceasing?
Can He turn away Thy face:
Send us down the purchased blessing,
Fulness of the Gospel-Grace.

By the coming of Thy Spirit,
As a mighty rushing wind,
Save us into all Thy merit,
Into all Thy sinless mind;
Let the perfect gift be given,
Let Thy will in us be seen,
Done on earth as ’tis in Heaven,
Lord, Thy spirit cries Amen!

Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

• Sun of My Soul, Thou Savior Dear at Conjubilant with Song
• Lord’s Day 13, 2009 at The Thirsty Theologian
• Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing at The Happy Wonderer
• The Fifth Sunday in Lent at Nova Scotia Scott
• Praise to the Lord, The Almighty at Hiraeth
• I Need Thee Every Hour at Fieldstone Cottage
• Now God Be With Us at joythruChrist
• Your weekly dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: Better to Be Cold than to Warm Ourselves Where We Are Exposed to Temptation
• Holy, Holy, Holy! at Whatever Things…

Have you posted a hymn today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.

Sunday's Hymn

I’ve been posting lesser-known hymns written by well-known hymnographers. I’ve done two by John Newton, and now I’m moving on to Charles Wesley, one of our most prolific hymn writers. Over six-thousand hymns, he wrote, and this is one of them.

(That’s a portrait of a young Charles Wesley to the right.)

Peace, Doubting Heart!

Peace, doubting heart! my God’s I am;
Who formed me man, forbids my fear;
The Lord hath called me by my name;
The Lord protects, for ever near;
His blood for me did once atone,
And still He loves and guards His own.

When passing through the watery deep,
I ask in faith His promised aid,
The waves all awful distance keep,
And shrink from my devoted head;
Fearless their violence I dare;
They cannot harm, for God is there!

To Him mine eye of faith I turn,
And through the fire pursue my way;
The fire forgets its power to burn,
The lambent flames around me play;
I own His power, accept the sign,
And shout to prove the Savior mine.

Still nigh me, O my Savior, stand!
And guard in fierce temptation’s hour;
Hide in the hollow of Thy hand,
Show forth in me Thy saving power,
Still be Thy arms my sure defense,
Nor earth nor hell shall pluck me thence.

Since Thou hast bid me come to Thee,
Good as Thou art, and strong to save
I’ll walk o’er life’s tempestuous sea,
Upborne by the unyielding wave,
Dauntless, though rocks of pride be near,
And yawning whirlpools of despair.

When darkness intercepts the skies,
And sorrow’s waves around me roll,
When high the storms of passion rise,
And half o’erwhelm my sinking soul,
My soul a sudden calm shall feel,
And hear a whisper, “Peace; be still!”

Though in affliction’s furnace tried,
Unhurt on snares and death I’ll tread;
Though sin assail, and hell, thrown wide,
Pour all its flames upon my head,
Like Moses’ bush, I’ll mount the higher,
And flourish unconsumed in fire.

Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

• Take Up Your Cross, the Savior Said at Conjubilant with Song
• Lord’s Day 11, 2009 at The Thirsty Theologian
• You Shine at The Happy Wonderer
• The Third Sunday in Lent at Nova Scotia Scott
• O Lord, How Shall I Meet Thee? at Hiraeth
• Jesus, With Thy Church Abide at Fieldstone Cottage
• Lord, the God of My Salvation at joythruChrist
• Your weekly dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: On Sanctified Humor

Have you posted a hymn today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.