This hymn, like most, is way too short to properly recognize God for all He is and all He does. So far, we've repeated the truths about His grace and mercy, and praised Him for His sovereignty, His wondrous works and His creation.
In this final verse, we see some other foundational truths that show us who God is and what He has done on our behalf. He helped us in our deepest woe. And what was our deepest woe? Our sin-sick condition that separated us from God. There is nothing worse, in life or in death, than being separated from God. And that is what we are until we come to faith in Him through Jesus Christ. But God rescued us out of our deepest woe through sending His son to bear our sins and die a death that we deserved.
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8
He helped us in our deepest woe by taking us out of darkness and bringing us into the kingdom of His Son.
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14
He ransomed us from all our foes. Our main foe is the devil. The devil presides over the domain of darkness that we have been rescued from as we see in Colossians. Death is also our foe, our enemy. But when we have been born again in Christ, we need not worry about death. We know that in God's plan, death is the last foe to be abolished.
For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. I Corinthians 15:25-26
But wait, there's more! In addition to being helped in our greatest woe and rescued from our greatest foes, the Bible tells us that God will supply all our needs. That in Him, we will no lack for anything.
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1
He will supply for our needs according to His riches in glory. Can you imagine what those riches are? They fill up storehouses! And this is what God is supplying to us -through those immeasurable riches!
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
Give thanks to God enthroned on high.
God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne. Psalm 47:8
His grace abideth ever, His mercy faileth never!
Give Thanks to God, for Good is He
Words from The Psalter
Give thanks to God, for good is He, His grace abideth ever;
To Him all praise and glory be, His mercy faileth never.
His wondrous works with praise record, His grace abideth ever;
The only God, the sovereign Lord, whose mercy faileth never.
His wisdom made the heavens be, His grace abideth ever;
He spread the earth above the sea, His mercy faileth never.
Praise Him whose sun doth bring the day, His grace abideth ever;
The moon and stars His might display, whose mercy faileth never.
He helped us in our deepest woe, His grace abideth ever;
He ransomed us from all our foes, His mercy faileth never.
Each creature’s need He doth supply, His grace abideth ever;
Give thanks to God, enthroned on high, whose mercy faileth never.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Give Thanks to God, for Good is He {verse 2}
On this Thanksgiving Day, we have much to be thankful for - and as we look at this second verse of this wonderful hymn from the Psalter, we see another reason to give thanks - for God is the creator of the world, and uses His creation to display His glory.
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 20:11
“O LORD, the God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth." II Kings 19:15
God tells us that there is no one like Him - we can be thankful because He is the one, true God, the one who could make the heavens.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. I Chronicles 16:26
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. Psalm 33:6
He made the heavens, the earth and all that is in it! And all His creation bows down before Him.
You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them and the heavenly host bows down before You. Nehemiah 9:6
God's creation displays His might - the sun that rises, the moon and stars that appear in the night and shine for Him - all of this points to our great God.
Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing. Isaiah 40:26
Paul tells us that God's power and divine nature are clearly seen through what has been made, so that even those who don't know Him have no excuse for not recognizing Him.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20
As we enjoy God's creation every day, and marvel at His grace that abides and mercy that never fails as shown to us through our world, let us join with the angels around the throne saying,
“Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 7:12
Give Thanks to God, for Good is He
Words from The Psalter
Give thanks to God, for good is He, His grace abideth ever;
To Him all praise and glory be, His mercy faileth never.
His wondrous works with praise record, His grace abideth ever;
The only God, the sovereign Lord, whose mercy faileth never.
His wisdom made the heavens be, His grace abideth ever;
He spread the earth above the sea, His mercy faileth never.
Praise Him whose sun doth bring the day, His grace abideth ever;
The moon and stars His might display, whose mercy faileth never.
He helped us in our deepest woe, His grace abideth ever;
He ransomed us from all our foes, His mercy faileth never.
Each creature’s need He doth supply, His grace abideth ever;
Give thanks to God, enthroned on high, whose mercy faileth never.
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 20:11
“O LORD, the God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth." II Kings 19:15
God tells us that there is no one like Him - we can be thankful because He is the one, true God, the one who could make the heavens.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. I Chronicles 16:26
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. Psalm 33:6
He made the heavens, the earth and all that is in it! And all His creation bows down before Him.
You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them and the heavenly host bows down before You. Nehemiah 9:6
God's creation displays His might - the sun that rises, the moon and stars that appear in the night and shine for Him - all of this points to our great God.
Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing. Isaiah 40:26
Paul tells us that God's power and divine nature are clearly seen through what has been made, so that even those who don't know Him have no excuse for not recognizing Him.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20
As we enjoy God's creation every day, and marvel at His grace that abides and mercy that never fails as shown to us through our world, let us join with the angels around the throne saying,
“Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 7:12
Give Thanks to God, for Good is He
Words from The Psalter
Give thanks to God, for good is He, His grace abideth ever;
To Him all praise and glory be, His mercy faileth never.
His wondrous works with praise record, His grace abideth ever;
The only God, the sovereign Lord, whose mercy faileth never.
His wisdom made the heavens be, His grace abideth ever;
He spread the earth above the sea, His mercy faileth never.
Praise Him whose sun doth bring the day, His grace abideth ever;
The moon and stars His might display, whose mercy faileth never.
He helped us in our deepest woe, His grace abideth ever;
He ransomed us from all our foes, His mercy faileth never.
Each creature’s need He doth supply, His grace abideth ever;
Give thanks to God, enthroned on high, whose mercy faileth never.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Give Thanks to God, for Good is He
As Thanksgiving approaches, we are naturally more mindful about being thankful. If you're on Facebook, you've probably seen friends posting their daily thoughts of gratitude and thanks, whether they are Christ-followers or not. I love that people are thankful, and I hope that as believers, our hearts are full of thankfulness and praise each day of the year, not just around the holidays. We have much to thank God for! We should be overflowing with praise to our Lord - from the littlest things to the big things - every moment of the day.
Our God is good and His grace is evident! As we approach the holiday for giving thanks, let's look at this wonderful hymn from the Psalter (based on Psalm 136) and remind ourselves to praise Him.
Psalm 136 is that wonderful call and response psalm where every line is answered with "for His lovingkindness is everlasting." Whomever translated this hymn for the Psalter uses a similar mechanism, ending each line with either "His grace abideth ever" or "His mercy faileth never." What wonderful phrases to sing over and over!
God has made a wondrous world, and works wondrously in it. He is the only God, the sovereign Lord, and He is ruling from His throne.
God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne. Psalm 47:8
The Bible is full of examples of God's sovereignty.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. Proverbs 16:33
He commands the earth.
He sends forth His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. Psalm 147:15
He is in charge of the weather!
God thunders with His voice wondrously, doing great things which we cannot comprehend. For to the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the downpour and the rain, ‘Be strong.’ He seals the hand of every man, that all men may know His work. Then the beast goes into its lair and remains in its den. Out of the south comes the storm, and out of the north the cold. From the breath of God ice is made,
and the expanse of the waters is frozen. Also with moisture He loads the thick cloud; He disperses the cloud of His lightning. It changes direction, turning around by His guidance, that it may do whatever He commands it on the face of the inhabited earth. Whether for correction, or for His world, or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen. Job 37:5-13
God knows what we need - whether for correction, or for His world, or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen. God has a plan! And we can rejoice that His mercy never fails.
He puts leaders in place.
It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding. Daniel 2:21
He does whatever His purpose is - and He has predestined it to occur.
For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. Acts 4:27-28
We have a sovereign Lord, the only God. Because of this, we can give thanks - for our God is in control. We can have peace, even in these days with our world in upheaval, we can rest in the fact that victory belongs to our God and His purposes cannot and will not be thwarted.
His grace abideth ever, His mercy faileth never!
Give Thanks to God, for Good is He
Words from The Psalter
Give thanks to God, for good is He, His grace abideth ever;
To Him all praise and glory be, His mercy faileth never.
His wondrous works with praise record, His grace abideth ever;
The only God, the sovereign Lord, whose mercy faileth never.
His wisdom made the heavens be, His grace abideth ever;
He spread the earth above the sea, His mercy faileth never.
Praise Him whose sun doth bring the day, His grace abideth ever;
The moon and stars His might display, whose mercy faileth never.
He helped us in our deepest woe, His grace abideth ever;
He ransomed us from all our foes, His mercy faileth never.
Each creature’s need He doth supply, His grace abideth ever;
Give thanks to God, enthroned on high, whose mercy faileth never.
Our God is good and His grace is evident! As we approach the holiday for giving thanks, let's look at this wonderful hymn from the Psalter (based on Psalm 136) and remind ourselves to praise Him.
Psalm 136 is that wonderful call and response psalm where every line is answered with "for His lovingkindness is everlasting." Whomever translated this hymn for the Psalter uses a similar mechanism, ending each line with either "His grace abideth ever" or "His mercy faileth never." What wonderful phrases to sing over and over!
God has made a wondrous world, and works wondrously in it. He is the only God, the sovereign Lord, and He is ruling from His throne.
God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne. Psalm 47:8
The Bible is full of examples of God's sovereignty.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. Proverbs 16:33
He commands the earth.
He sends forth His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. Psalm 147:15
He is in charge of the weather!
God thunders with His voice wondrously, doing great things which we cannot comprehend. For to the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the downpour and the rain, ‘Be strong.’ He seals the hand of every man, that all men may know His work. Then the beast goes into its lair and remains in its den. Out of the south comes the storm, and out of the north the cold. From the breath of God ice is made,
and the expanse of the waters is frozen. Also with moisture He loads the thick cloud; He disperses the cloud of His lightning. It changes direction, turning around by His guidance, that it may do whatever He commands it on the face of the inhabited earth. Whether for correction, or for His world, or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen. Job 37:5-13
God knows what we need - whether for correction, or for His world, or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen. God has a plan! And we can rejoice that His mercy never fails.
He puts leaders in place.
It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding. Daniel 2:21
He does whatever His purpose is - and He has predestined it to occur.
For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. Acts 4:27-28
We have a sovereign Lord, the only God. Because of this, we can give thanks - for our God is in control. We can have peace, even in these days with our world in upheaval, we can rest in the fact that victory belongs to our God and His purposes cannot and will not be thwarted.
His grace abideth ever, His mercy faileth never!
Give Thanks to God, for Good is He
Words from The Psalter
Give thanks to God, for good is He, His grace abideth ever;
To Him all praise and glory be, His mercy faileth never.
His wondrous works with praise record, His grace abideth ever;
The only God, the sovereign Lord, whose mercy faileth never.
His wisdom made the heavens be, His grace abideth ever;
He spread the earth above the sea, His mercy faileth never.
Praise Him whose sun doth bring the day, His grace abideth ever;
The moon and stars His might display, whose mercy faileth never.
He helped us in our deepest woe, His grace abideth ever;
He ransomed us from all our foes, His mercy faileth never.
Each creature’s need He doth supply, His grace abideth ever;
Give thanks to God, enthroned on high, whose mercy faileth never.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Jesus! I Do Now Receive Him
The final verse of this great hymn reminds us how much we have in Jesus, and how secure we can be in all that we have. It's only four lines long, so everything we have is not named, but the hymnwriter asks us to call it to mind when we sing "More than all in Him I find."
So what is the more than all that we find?
Here are some examples, but certainly not an exhaustive list.
He has granted us forgiveness - our sins are wiped away! But that's not all - we have His presence and the promise of refreshment in Him.
Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
We have peace.
"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
We are God's children through our faith in Jesus Christ.
But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:22-26
We have Jesus as our example.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb 12:1-3
Jesus' power works within us!
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phil 4:13
He gives us strength.
Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:31
He cleanses us from unrighteousness.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:7
He made us new!
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. II Cor 5:17
He saved us from darkness and redeemed us.
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Col 1:13-14
He has caused us to be born again to a living hope, and has given us an inheritance which won't perish or fade away, reserved in heaven!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. I Peter 1:3-6
Rejoice with me today that Jesus is a friend of sinners. More than all in Him I find. And my favorite part of this verse: I am His, and He is mine. Hallelujah, what a Savior.
Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners!
Words by J. Wilbur Chapman
Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.
Refrain
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.
Jesus! what a Strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him.
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my Strength, my victory wins.
Jesus! what a Help in sorrow!
While the billows over me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort, helps my soul.
Jesus! what a Guide and Keeper!
While the tempest still is high,
Storms about me, night overtakes me,
He, my Pilot, hears my cry.
Jesus! I do now receive Him,
More than all in Him I find.
He hath granted me forgiveness,
I am His, and He is mine.
So what is the more than all that we find?
Here are some examples, but certainly not an exhaustive list.
He has granted us forgiveness - our sins are wiped away! But that's not all - we have His presence and the promise of refreshment in Him.
Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
We have peace.
"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
We are God's children through our faith in Jesus Christ.
But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:22-26
We have Jesus as our example.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb 12:1-3
Jesus' power works within us!
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phil 4:13
He gives us strength.
Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:31
He cleanses us from unrighteousness.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:7
He made us new!
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. II Cor 5:17
He saved us from darkness and redeemed us.
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Col 1:13-14
He has caused us to be born again to a living hope, and has given us an inheritance which won't perish or fade away, reserved in heaven!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. I Peter 1:3-6
Rejoice with me today that Jesus is a friend of sinners. More than all in Him I find. And my favorite part of this verse: I am His, and He is mine. Hallelujah, what a Savior.
Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners!
Words by J. Wilbur Chapman
Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.
Refrain
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.
Jesus! what a Strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him.
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my Strength, my victory wins.
Jesus! what a Help in sorrow!
While the billows over me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort, helps my soul.
Jesus! what a Guide and Keeper!
While the tempest still is high,
Storms about me, night overtakes me,
He, my Pilot, hears my cry.
Jesus! I do now receive Him,
More than all in Him I find.
He hath granted me forgiveness,
I am His, and He is mine.
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