Sunday, June 29, 2008

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs ~ "Hail, Sovereign Love"

I love this theologically rich hymn! The writer did a magnificent job of establishing the order of God's providence, our condition without God, what God accomplished for us through His Son, and our matchless inheritance because of Christ!

I 'see' myself in this hymn every time I sing it or simply read it (and have highlighted those phrases that remind me of His mercy in my life). Enjoy!

Hail, Sovereign Love

Hail, sovereign love that first began,
The scheme to rescue fallen man;
Hail matchless free eternal grace,
That gave my soul a hiding place.

Against the God who rules the sky,
I fought with hand uplifted high,
Despised the mention of His grace,
Too proud to seek a hiding place.

Enwrapped in thick Egyptian night,
And fond of darkness more than light,
Madly I ran the sinful race,
Secure without a hiding place.

But thus th’ eternal counsel ran,
“Almighty Love, arrest that man!”
I felt the arrows of distress,
And found I had no hiding place.

Indignant justice stood in view,
To Sinai’s fiery mount I flew,
But Justice cried with frowning face,
“This mountain is no hiding place!”

Ere long a heavenly voice I heard,
And Mercy’s angel form appeared.
Who led me on with gentle pace,
To Jesus Christ, my hiding place.

On Him Almighty vengeance fell,
That must have sunk a world to hell;
He bore it for a chosen race,
And thus became their hiding place.

Should storms of sevenfold vengeance roll,
And shake this earth from pole to pole;
No flaming bolt could daunt my face,
For Jesus is my hiding place.

A few more rolling suns at most,
Shall land me safe on Heaven’s coast.
There I shall sing the song of grace,
To Jesus Christ, my hiding place!

1 comment:

Marcian said...

"This mountain is no hiding place!"

Oh, how I remember that feeling. The law, which I tried to use to cover me, was so inadequate, because I could not ever keep it. Yet I did not know how to run to Jesus to get rid of my condemnation. But finally, He lifted my burden for me.

What a hymn to memorize, sing, reflect upon. Thanks for sharing this.