[BBC List] MEMOIRS OF McCHEYNE

Wed Jun 14 09:25:25 EAST 2006

Jehovah Tsidkenu

 The Lord Our Righteousness

(The watchword of the Reformers.)

I once was a stranger to grace and to God,

I know not my danger, and felt not my load;

Though friends spoke in rapture of Christ on the tree,

Jehovah Tsidkenu was nothing to me.

I oft read with pleasure, to soothe or engage,

Isaiah’s wild measure and John’s simple page;

But e’en when they pictured the blood–sprinkled tree,

Jehovah Tsidkenu seemed nothing to me.

Like tears from the daughters of Zion that roll,

I wept when the waters went over His soul;

Yet thought not that my sins had nailed to the tree,

Jehovah Tsidkenu—’twas nothing to me.

When free grace awoke me, by light from on high,

Then legal fears shook me, I trembled to die;

No refuge, no safety in self could I see—

Jehovah Tsidkenu my Saviour must be.

My terrors all vanished before the sweet name;

My guilty fears banished, with boldness I came

To drink at the fountain, life–giving and free—

Jehovah Tsidkenu is all things to me.

Jehovah Tsidkenu! my treasure and boast,

Jehovah Tsidkenu! I ne’er can be lost;

In Thee I shall conquer by flood and by field—

My cable, my anchor, my breastplate and shield!

Even treading the valley, the shadow of death,

This “watchword” shall rally my faltering breath;

For while from life’s fever my God sets me free,

Jehovah Tsidkenu my death–song shall be.

November 18, 1834

 They Sing the Song of Moses

Dark was the night, the wind was high, 

The way by mortals never trod;

For God had made the channel dry,

When faithful Moses stretched the rod.

 The raging waves either hand

Stood like a messy tott’ring wall,

And on the heaven–defended band

Refused to let the waters fall.

With anxious footsteps, Israel trod

The depths of that mysterious way;

Cheered by the pillar of their God,

That shone for them with fav’ring ray.

But when they reached the opposing shore,

As morning streaked the eastern sky,

They saw the billows hurry o’er

The flower of Pharaoh’s chivalry.

Then awful gladness filled the mind

Of Israel’s mighty ransomed throng;

And while they gazed on all behind,

Their wonder burst into a song.

Thus, thy redeemed ones, Lord, on earth,

While passing through this vale of weeping,

Mix holy trembling with their mirth,

And anxious watching with their sleeping.

The night is dark, the storm is loud,

The path no human strength can tread;

Jesus, be Thou the pillar–cloud,

Heaven’s light upon our path to shed.

And oh! When life’s dark journey o’er,

And death’s enshrouding valley past,

We plant our foot on yonder shore,

And tread yon golden strand at last.

Shall we not see with deep amaze,

How grace hath led us safe along;

And whilst behind—before, we gaze,

Triumphant burst into a song!

And even on earth, though sore bested,

Fightings without, and fears within;

Sprinkled today from slavish dread,

Tomorrow captive led by sin:

Yet would I lift my downcast eyes

On Thee, Thou brilliant tower of fire—

Thou dark cloud to mine enemies—

That hope may all my breast inspire.

And thus the Lord, my strength, I’ll praise,

Though Satan and his legions rage;

And the sweet song of faith I’ll raise,

To cheer me on my pilgrimage.

Edinburgh, 1835

 I Am Debtor.

When this passing world is done,

When has sunk yon glaring sun,

When we stand with Christ in glory,

Looking o’er life’s finished story,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know—

Not till then—how much I owe.

When I hear the wicked call

On the rocks and hills to fall,

When I see them start and shrink

On the fiery deluge brink,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know—

 Not til then—how much I owe.

When I stand before the throne

Dressed in beauty not my own“

When I see Thee as Thou art”

 Love Thee with unsinning heart,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know—

Not till then—how much 1 owe.

When the praise of heaven I hear

Loud as thunders to the ear,

Loud as many waters’ noise,

Sweet as harp’s melodious voice,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know—

Not till then—how much I owe.

Even on earth, as through a glass

Darkly, let thy glory pass,

Make forgiveness feel so sweet,

Make Thy Spirit’s help so meet,

Even on earth, Lord make me know

Something of how much I owe.

Chosen not for good in me,

Wakened up from wrath to flee,

Hidden in the Saviour’s side

By the Spirit sanctified,

Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,

By my love, how much I owe.

Oft I walk beneath the cloud,

Dark as midnight’s gloomy shroud;

But, when fear is at the height,

Jesus comes, and all is light:

Blessed Jesus! bid me show

Doubting saints how much I owe.

 When in flowery paths I tread,

Oft by sin I’m captive led;

Oft I fall, but still arise

The Spirit comes—the tempter flies:

Blessed Spirit! bid me show

Weary sinners all I owe.

Oft the nights of sorrow reign—

Weeping, sickness, sighing, pain,

But a night thine anger burns—

Morning comes, and joy returns:

God of comforts! bid me show

To Thy poor, how much I owe.

May 1837.

 Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet, and a Light Unto My Path.

When Israel knew not where to go

God made the fiery pillar glow;

By night, by day, above the camp

It led the way—their guiding lamp:

Such is Thy holy Word to me

In day of dark perplexity.

When devious paths before me spread,

And all invite my foot to tread,

I hear Thy voice behind me say—

“Believing soul, this is the way;

Walk thou in it.” O gentle Dove,

How much thy holy law I love!

My lamp and light

In the dark night.

When Paul amid the seas seemed lost,

By Adrian billows wildly tossed,

When neither sun nor star appeared,

And every wave its white head reared

Above the ship, beside his bed

An angel stood, and “Fear not” said.

Such is Thy holy Word to me

When tossed upon affliction’s sea:

When floods come in unto my soul

And the deep waters o’er me roll,

With angel voice Thy Word draws near

And says, “Tis I” why shouldst thou fear?

Through troubles great my saints must go

Into their rest, where neither woe

 Nor sin can come; where every tear

>From off the cheek shall disappear,

Wiped by God’s hand. “O gentle Dove”

Thy holy law how much I love?

My lamp and light

In the dark night.

When holy Stephen dauntless stood

Before the Jews, who sought his blood,

With angel face he looked on high,

And wondering through the parted sky

Saw Jesus risen from His throne

To claim the martyr as His own.

Angelic peace that sight bestowed,

With holy joy his bosom glowed;

And while the murderous stones they hurled,

His heaven–wrapt soul sought younder world

Of rest. “My spirit, Saviour, keep,”

He cried, he kneeled, he fell asleep.

Such be Thy holy Word to me

In hour of life’s extremity!

Although no more the murdering hand

Is raised within our peaceful land—

The church has rest, and I may ne’er

Be called the martyr’s crown to wear:

Yet still, in whatsoever form

Death comes to me—in midnight storm

Whelming my bark, or in my nest

Gently dismissing me to rest—

O grant me in thy Word to see

A risen Saviour beckoning me.

No evil then my heart shall fear

In the dark valley. Thou art near!

My trembling soul and Thou, my God

Alone are there; Thy staff and rod

Shall comfort me. O gentle Dove.

How much Thy holy law I love!

My lamp and light

In the dark night.

1838HYPERLINK \l "BM__ftn1"[1]

Charis, 

Mike Abendroth 

'God rides forth conquering in the chariot of His Gospel. . . He conquers
the pride of the heart, and makes the will which stood out as a Fort Royal
against Him, to yield and stoop to His grace; He makes the stony heart
bleed. Oh! it is a mighty call! Why then do some men seem to speak of a
moral persuasion? That God in the conversion of a sinner only morally
persuades and no more? If God in conversion should only morally persuade and
no more, then He does not put forth so much power in saving men as the Devil
does in destroying them.'   Thomas Watson

HYPERLINK "http://www.bbcchurch.org"www.bbcchurch.org 

   _____  

HYPERLINK \l "BM__ftnref1"[1]Bonar, Andrew A., Memoirs of McCheyne,
(Escondido, CA: Ephesians Four Group) 1999.

-- 
Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.8.0/352 - Release Date: 5/30/2006

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.bbcchurch.org/pipermail/bbc_list/attachments/20060614/87bdc551/attachment.htm