Best DOCTRINE in a Hymn

I know you asked for only one verse, but in this case I really don't think I do the song justice by pulling one stanza out of context. That being said, it's the second verse that really affects me in particular.

I'd say you have to go back another 100 years to find another hymn that is this theologically, well, perfect.

 

"And Can It Be" by Charles Wesley

Stanza 3

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast Bound in sin and nature's night
Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, My heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed thee.

 

Thou art the everlasting Word
The Father's only Son
God manifestly seen and heard
And Heaven’s beloved one.

Worthy, 0 Lamb of God, art Thou
That every knee to Thee should bow.

(Josiah Conder)

Probably not written about a cat

 

And Can It Be?

The whole song is great and doctrinally sound in regards to the gospel.

 

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the world Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

The great doctrine of God the Father, salvation, and God the Son all bound in the verses of this hymn.

 

Do you find yourself breaking out in song as you read these posts?

 

I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies;
No sudden rending of the veil of clay;
No angel visitant, no op'ning skies;
But take the dimness of my soul away.

George Croly

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/s/o/sogdumyh.htm

 

How about this one?

1. Legion was my name by nature,
Satan raged within my breast;
Never misery was greater,
Never sinner more possessed:
Mischievous to all around me,
To myself the greatest foe;
Thus I was, when Jesus found me,
Filled with madness, sin and woe.
2. Yet in this forlorn condition,
When He came to set me free;
I replied, to my Physician,
What have I to do with Thee?
But He would not be prevented,
Rescued me against my will;
Had He stayed till I consented,
I had been a captive still.

This my favorite hymn that I have never sung in a church service! Guess who wrote it; You might be surprised. CLICK HERE to find out and read the other three verses.

 

Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.

Crown Him the Lord of life, who triumphed over the grave,
And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save.
His glories now we sing, Who died, and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.

Crown Him the Lord of love, behold His hands and side,
Those wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright.

Crown Him the Lord of Heaven, enthroned in worlds above,
Crown Him the King to Whom is given the wondrous name of Love.
Crown Him with many crowns, as thrones before Him fall;
Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns, for He is King of all.

Crown Him the Lord of lords, who over all doth reign,
Who once on earth, the incarnate Word, for ransomed sinners slain,
Now lives in realms of light, where saints with angels sing
Their songs before Him day and night, their God, Redeemer, King.

Crown Him the Lord of years, the Potentate of time,
Creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime.
All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou has died for me;
Thy praise and glory shall not fail throughout eternity.

 

rlvaughn said:

Guess who wrote it; You might be surprised.

Didn't know the answer beforehand, but once I saw it, I wasn't at all surprised.

 

I heard an old, old story
How my Savior came from glory.
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me.
I heard about His groaning
Of His precious blood atoning
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory

 

Salvation unto us is come
By God's free grace and favor;
Good works cannot avert our doom,
They help and save us never.
Faith looks to Jesus Christ alone,
Who did for all the world atone;
He is our one Redeemer.

Paul Speratus

 

What is surprising, IMO, is that we let that hymn "fall through the cracks." Guess it's a little too much for the prevailing Arminian trend in America over the last 150 years or so.

This morning, I contemplated Newton's words in contrast to those of a preacher on the radio: "Accept Jesus and let him come into your heart" versus "But He would not be prevented, Rescued me against my will; Had He stayed till I consented, I had been a captive still."

The following is not a hymn, but I find it a most vivid and poetic expression of the sovereign grace of God:

 

Joy to the World! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the groung;
He comes to make His blessings flow
far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
the glories of His righteousness,
and wonders of His love.

Isaac Watts

"O what a wonderful reign that will be!"