I enjoy hymns.  I enjoy all kinds of hymns.  I am not too fond of today's "Christian Music" (CCM for short), but I do like well written hymns, or reworked music to good hymns.  There are, of course, good hymns and bad hymns.  Sometimes, though, in thinking through the wonders of theology, I enjoy writing my own.  They help me with worshipping Christ afresh for devotions, yet within the bounds of orthodoxy and the ancient teachings of the church and Bible.  Here are a few of my own:

O God, My Lord and Christ!
Thou O Lord
Contrite and Poor Men wilt Thou See,  Isaiah 66:2
God’s Word
Life’s Eternal Marrow
For Our Good
Furnace of Fire
Salvation’s Road
A Lifting Up for the Downcast
His Perfect Choice
He Reigns 

O God, My Lord and Christ!

1) O God, My Lord and Christ

Incarnate You did come

To die upon the cruel cross, and save my soul.

How may my mouth express

The joy within my soul?

But I will praise with highest voice, that You may know.

2) O God, My Lord and Christ

O Priest and King adored

You've saved my soul from death and hell, forever more.

O Jesus, God divine, upon my heart does shine,

Your grace restored me to new life, and now I'm Thine!

3) Oh God, My Lord and Christ

Your Kingdom haste it come

Until that day, I will obey and serve Your Son.

How shall I follow You? In all Your Holy Laws?

I ask You help me, keep me strong, until You come. (AMEN)

Thou O Lord

1) You O Lord, are abundant' higher

Higher than all heav'n above

You O Lord are wholly wiser, full of wisdom and of love.

Love abounding; God amazing; sent His Son to die for me,

How shall any neglect salvation?

Jesus Christ, the Lamb who bleeds.

2) You O Lord are surely wrathful

Not on sin Your eyes will look

But on those who reject salvation, names are blotted from Your book,

Power unmatching, Rule and Reigning; Sov-reign-ty is seen around

All who call upon Him--blessed! Then His grace on them resounds.

3) You O Lord are full of mercy

Filled with mercy; none compares.

You O Lord are so forgiving, giving Christ for sin to bear.

Wholly giving, love abounding upon those He seeks to care,

O my Lord You are forgiving, Sending Christ for sin to bear. AMEN

Contrite and Poor Men wilt Thou See,  Isaiah 66:2

1) Oh our minister preached Sabbath Day, bringing forth Your words of love

Herald high Your will and saving way, seeing Christ in heav'n above.

So we tremble here at Your word now preached, and we tremble with great fear

The contrite and poor man wilt You see, and Your Spirit draws him near.

2) We Your people now confess our sins, knowing Christ forgives and heals

We do sorrow at Your word undone, and repent with cries and tears

So we tremble here at Your word now preached, and we tremble with great fear

The contrite and poor man wilt You see, and Your Spirit draws him near.

3) Oh in dust and ashes do we seek, Your gracious throne above!

To remove the stains of sin and guilt, and restore us to Your love!

So we tremble here at Your word now preached, and we tremble with great fear

The contrite and poor man wilt You see, and Your Spirit draws him near. AMEN

God’s Word

1) Gazing on God’s word with wonder, He reveals to us His truth

Meditating through its pages, hiding it within for food

O the blessing!  Filled with blessing! Blessing from His word so true.

2) Giv-en to us through the prophets, heralds whom knew God so well.

Spoken by the blessed Apostles, saving souls from death and hell.

O the power! See the power!  Power and authority.

3) Strength is given to the faithful, taking in the words of Christ.

Preaching, teaching, hear His doctrine, all God’s Word is our delight

Such a privilege! Such a privilege! Privilege reading words of life.

4) Searching, looking through its pages, seeking Christ the Living Word.

Hiding oracles within us, in our hearts His voice is heard.

Christ the living! Christ the living! Living Word and God most high. AMEN.

Life’s Eternal Marrow

1)     Praise Him in the morning, praise Him in the evening

Praise through every breath we take in

Seek Him by our prayers, words in need of hearing

Christ for us is interceding

He does hear, by His will

He does send His blessings, all the Spirit’s blessings.

2)     Thoughts are set upon Him, ever thinking upwards

Set your mind on things in heaven

Spirit’s gracious mys’tries, filling us with wonder

Meditations sweet, we love Him

Visits come, fills us up

God’s grace ever pouring, cups are overflowing.

3)     Glory in His presence, in the congregation

Saints do join in holy chorus

Words received with gladness, and with understanding

Precious jewels of faith and practice

This is grace, saving faith

Here we see the marrow, life’s eternal marrow. (AMEN)

For Our Good

1) God above the world, so holy, look upon us sinners here

We desire Your hand of mercy, lifting us from earth’s travail

2) Bless our souls that we may prosper, light our minds with golden rays

Jesus gives his people blessings, edified from day to day

3)     Though the waves do thrash upon us, and the clouds do darken skies

Even though the lightning flashes, Christ is gracious by and by

4)     He is ever close to guide us, through night’s seas He leads the way

Though we’d want the storm to cease here, He sails us to light of day

5)     Never sleeping nor in slumber, God is working for our good

He has promised to be faithful, Christ does all He said He would

6)     God above the heavens, so glorious, haste the day we see your face

Help us while on earth were waiting, bless us with election’s grace. AMEN.

Furnace of Fire

1)     From the furnace of fire, in a land not their own

They did work with their hands until raw to the bone

And their masters were hard men afflicting their souls

Oh Jehovah send freedom that we all may go home.

2)     In the furnace of fire, in a land not their own

Through His purposeful plan a baby was born

He would lead all his people from bondage within

Oh Jehovah send freedom that His people may live.

3)     From the furnace of fire, from a land not their own

Great Pharaoh had no choice but to let Israel go

Through the workings of Moses God’s leader of men

They all left that hard bondage for God’s promised land.

4)     From the furnace of fire, redemption was planned

Such a foreshadow of, a much weightier plan

For another has come, a Redeemer of men

The Lord Jesus did come to save men from their sin

5)     To a furnace of fire go the lost in their sin,

But our Jesus surely died to save wicked men,

And His Spirit blows through them and changes their souls

O Jehovah sent Jesus that men may go home.  AMEN.

Jerusalem

1) Jerusalem the city of peace awaits the Savior’s  grace.

In Bethlehem the angels said that peace on men shall rest. 

2) Jerusalem sits quietly its eyes anticipating

to feel the feet which brings good news for all who live in waiting.

3) Jerusalem the city of God, of Christ the reigning Lord

From days of old the prophets said that peace on thee shall fall.

4) Jerusalem desires its peace and hopes in solemn patience

In expectation of His love, forgiveness and redemption.

5) Jerusalem the city of hate that took the Savior’s life.

Upon the tree they nailed his hands, his feet, and pierced His side.

6) Jerusalem shouts vainly, its heart depraved and wanting,

With shaking fists and ridicule they all spoke out contemptibly.

7) Jerusalem received her peace upon the Savior’s death.

And resurrected from the dead so peace on men shall rest.

8) Jerusalem sits quietly its heart in holy longing. 

The hope that Christ one day shall return and make the city golden.

Salvation’s Road

1)   When I dreamed I spied him walking by the fields of woe

Pilgrim sad and weighted heavily burdened with a load

Save me! Save me! Most Holy Lord

Under this sin, How shall I be redeemed?

Flee from all the wrath which cometh

Run to salvation’s road.

2)  Christian walked upon a special hill leading to a cross

Merely looking upon Calvary the burden was lost

Oh Praise! Oh Praise! For Jesus Christ!

His blood hath paid my price in full.

Christian leaped with joy along the road

Saved, being white as snow.

3)  Hardship, trials, toils, wicked snares, Christian fought towards home.

And one day he reached Mount Zion, no more must he roam

Praise God! Praise God! I’m here at last!

Worth the pain and trials on the path

All true Christians on salvation’s road

One day shall see him there. (AMEN)

A Lifting Up for the Downcast

1)   Upon Christ my sin was set, died for sinners, paid the debt

Ransomed men from Satan’s grasp, Held now in the Father’s hand

Nothing men can ever do, Filthy rags replaced with new.

2)  World and flesh and devil war, sin doth call us more and more

Fighting, striving, yearning, plead, such weak flesh, our Christ we need

Upward eyes, the righteous pray, seeking God each night and day

3)  Incense rise before His throne, hears our pleas and sighs and groans

Interceding for our souls, hands and feet do bear the holes

Morning Star renews our faith, new beginning in the race

4)  Though we struggle every day, Christ will help us on the way

Throw despair and doubt away, glory shines with golden rays

Lifting up for all down cast, Christ has vanquished sin at last. (AMEN)

His Perfect Choice

1) Reverently we bow before Thee, at Thy feet on Zion’s hill,

Ever seeking Christ’s good pleasure, Deeply hungering for His will,

Open up our hearts to see you, by great faith behold His voice

Hear Him in the congregation, yield our spirits to Thy choice.

2) Holy fervor rising upwards with thy prayers besiege His door

Asking, seeking, knocking always, echo prayer more and more

Do we seek that godly wisdom, questioned by His written voice?

Ask of God in prayer always, then we’ll know His perfect choice.

3) Whether solely or in corporate, saints ought never to rely

On their fallen hearts and answers, on that path they’d surely die

Mortify our fleshly passions, never heed sin’s awful voice

If we do we’ll never realize Christ’s own will and righteous choice.

4) Reverently receive instruction, at His feet be ever still

Always listen to His counsel,-and with grace to them He fills

All the saints now joined and bonded, unity the common voice

All have gained the mind of Jesus, (slow) and do know His perfect choice. AMEN

He Reigns 

1) He reigns for evermore, the Lamb upon the throne

The angels and the saints sing praise before His glory shone.

Loud voices cry, The Christ did die, to save all His people’s souls.

2) He was the sacrifice, the offering given once

Atonement made, the price now paid that killed God’s only Son.

The blood now shed and gifts now giv’n to men who deserve much less.

3) He is eternal God, now and forever more.

Who was and is and is to come in whom we always trust.

We apprehend not comprehend His mercy and grace and love.

4) He reigns from heav’n above; His footstool is the earth.

Omnipotent, omniscient too, our God the ever blessed.

Our hearts on fire with great desire for He is our present rest.

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