Rampolli by George MacDonald (epub ebook reader txt) 📕

VIII. GRACE.

I.

THE SIXTY-SEVENTH PSALM.

Would that the Lord would grant us grace, And in his volume write us! With its clear shining let his face To life eternal light us; That we may know his work at length, And what men him have faith in; And Jesus Christ our health and strength Be known to all the heathen, And unto God convert them.

God then will thank, and thee will praise The heathen with glad voices; Let all the world for joy upraise A song with mighty noises, Because thou art earth's judge, O Lord, Nor leav'st the righteous quailing; Thy word it is both bed and board, And for all folk availing In the right path to keep them.

Let them thank God, and thee adore, Thy folk of deeds of grace full. The land grows fruitful more and more; Thy word it is successful. Bless us the Father and the Son, And bless us, God, the Holy Ghost, To whom by all be honour done! Before him fear the human host! Now heartily say Amen.


II.

THE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHTH PSALM.

Happy who in God's fear doth stay, And in it goeth on his way; Thine own hand thee shall find thy food, So liv'st thou right, and all is good.

So shall thy wife be, in thy house, Like vine with clusters plenteous, Thy children sit thy table round Like olive plants all fresh and sound.

See, such rich blessing hangs him on Whom God's fear maketh live a man; From him the old curse away is worn To which the sons of men are born.

From Zion God will prosper thee; Thou shalt behold continually Jerusalem's now happy case So pleasing to the God of grace.

He will thy days prolong for thee, With goodness ever nigh thee be That thou with thy sons' sons may'st dwell, And there be peace in Israel.


III.

A SONG OF THANKSGIVING FOR THE BENEFITS MOST GREAT WHICH GOD HATH SHOWN TO US IN CHRIST.

Dear Christians, let us now rejoice, And dance in joyous measure; That, of good cheer, and with one voice, We sing in love and pleasure Of what to us our God hath shown, And the sweet wonder he hath done: Full dearly hath he bought it!

Forlorn and lost in death I lay A captive to the devil; My sin lay heavy, night and day, For I was born in evil. I fell but deeper for my strife There was no good in all my life, For sin had all-possessed me.

My good works they were worthless quite, A mock was all my merit; My free will hates God's judging light, To all good dead and buried. Me to despair my anguish drove, Down unto death my soul did shove: I must be plunged in hell-fire!

Then God was sorry on his throne To see such torment rend me; His tender mercy he thought on, And his good help would send me. He turned to me his father-heart: Ah, then was His no easy part; His very best it cost him!

To his dear son he said: Go down; Things go in piteous fashion; Go thou, my heart's exalted crown, Be the poor man's salvation. Lift him from out sin's scorn and scathe; Strangle for him that cruel Death, And take him to live with thee.

The son he heard obediently; And, by a maiden mother, Pure, tender-down he came to me, For he must be my brother! Concealed he brought his strength enorm, And went about in my poor form, Meaning to catch the devil.

He said unto me: Hold by me, Thy matters I will settle; I give myself all up for thee, And I will fight thy battle. For I am thine, and thou art mine, And my house also shall be thine; The enemy shall not part us.

Like water he will shed my blood, Of life my heart bereaving; All this I suffer for thy good- That hold with firm believing; My Life shall swallow up that Death; My innocence bears thy sins, He saith, So henceforth thou art happy.

To heaven unto my Father high, From this life I am going; But there thy master still am I, My spirit on thee bestowing, Whose comfort shall thy trouble quell, And teach thy heart to know me well, Thee into all truth guiding.

What I have done, what I have said, Thou must go doing, teaching; That so the kingdom of God may spread, To His praise all men reaching. But take heed what men bid thee do- That will corrupt the treasure true: With this last word I leave thee. Amen.


IX. THE COMMANDMENTS.

I.

These are the holy ten commands Which came to us from God's own hands By Moses, who thus did his will On the top of Sinai's hill.
Kyrioleis.

I am the Lord thy God alone; Of Gods besides thou shalt have none; Thou shalt thyself trust all to me, And love me right heartily.
Kyrioleis.

Thou shalt not speak like idle word The name of God who is thy Lord; As right or good thou shalt not praise Except what God does and says.
Kyrioleis.

Thou shalt keep holy the seventh day, That rest thou and thy household may; From thine own work thou must keep free, That God his work have in thee.
Kyrioleis.

Honour thou shall and shalt obey Thy father and thy mother alway; To serve them ready be thy hand That thou live long in the land.
Kyrioleis.

In anger hot thou shalt not kill, Nor hate, nor take revenge for ill; Be patient and of gentle mood, And ev'n to thy foe do good.
Kyrioleis.

Thy marriage-bond thou shalt keep clean, That to no other thy heart lean; Thy life thou must keep pure and free, Temperate, with fine chastity.
Kyrioleis.

Money or goods steal not, nor yet Traffic in others' blood and sweat; But open wide thy kindly hand To the poor man in thy land.
Kyrioleis.

Evil reports thou shalt not bear, Nor 'gainst thy neighbour falsely swear; His innocence thou shalt defend, And hide his shame from foe or friend.
Kyrioleis.

Thy neighbour's wife or house to win Thou shalt not seek-or aught therein; But wish all good to him may be, As thy own heart doth to thee.
Kyrioleis.

To us come these commands, that so Thou, son of man, thy sins mayst know, And with this lesson thy heart fill, That man must live for God's will.
Kyrioleis.

May Christ our Lord help us in this, For he our mediator is; Our own work is a hopeless thing, Wrath alone all it can bring.
Kyrioleis.


II.

Oh man, wouldst thou live blissfully, And dwell with God eternally, Thou shalt observe the ten commands, Written by God with his hands:
Kyrioleis.

Thy God and Lord I am alway; No other God shall make thee stray; Thy heart must ever trust in me; Mine own kingdom shalt thou be:
Kyrioleis.

My name to honour thou shalt heed, And call on me in time of need. Thou shalt keep whole the sabbath day, That so in thee I work may:
Kyrioleis.

To thy father and mother thou Shalt, next me, in obedience bow; None kill, nor yield to anger wild; And keep thy marriage undefiled:
Kyrioleis.

From any one thou shalt not steal; Falsely with others never deal; Thy neighbour's wife thou shalt not eye: Let his be his welcomely!
Kyrioleis.


X. THE CREED.

In one true God we all believe, Maker of the earth and heaven; Who, us as children to receive, Hath himself as father given. Now and henceforth he will feed us; Soul and body, will be round us; 'Gainst mischances all will heed us; Nought shall come on us to wound us. He watches for us, cares, defends; And everything to his might bends.

And we believe in Jesus Christ, His son, our Lord. Evermore he Sits beside the Father high'st, Equal God in might and glory. He of Mary, the young maiden, Verily was born true human By the Holy Ghost. Grief-laden For our sakes, lost man and woman, He on the cross expired in faith, And rose again, through God, from death.

We believe in the Holy Ghost With the Father and the Saviour, In whom the fearful learn to boast, Who the meek doth crown with favour. Christendom, in earth and heaven, Of one heart and mind he keepeth. Here all sins shall be forgiven; Wake too shall the flesh that sleepeth; After these sufferings there shall be Life to all eternity. Amen.


XI. PRAYER.

I.

THE LORD'S PRAYER, BRIEFLY AND PLAINLY SET FORTH, AND TURNED INTO METRE.

Our Father in the heaven who art, Who tellest all of us, in heart Brothers to be, and on thee call, And wilt have prayer from us all- Grant, not from mouth alone it flow; From deepest heart oh let it go!

Hallowed be thy name, O Lord; Amongst us oh keep pure thy word, That we too may live holily, And in thy true name worthily! Defend us, Lord, from lying lore; Thy poor misguided folk restore.

Thy kingdom come now here below! And after there on ever go! The Holy Ghost his temple hold In us with graces manifold! The devil's wrath and greatness strong Crush, that he do thy church no wrong.

Thy will be done the same, Lord God, On earth as in thy high abode! In pain give patience for relief, Obedience in love and grief; All flesh and blood keep off and check That 'gainst thy will makes a stiff neck.

Give us this day our daily bread, And all that doth the body stead; From strife and war, Lord, keep us free, From sickness and from scarcity; That we in happy peace may rest, By care and greed all undistrest.

Forgive, Lord, all our trespasses, That they to us have no access; As to our debtors we gladly let Pass every wrong and every debt. To serve make us all ready be In honest love and unity.

Into temptation lead us not. When th' evil spirit makes battle hot Upon the left and the right hand, Help us with vigour to withstand Firm in the faith, armed 'gainst a host Through comfort of the Holy Ghost.

From all that's evil free thy sons- The time, the days are wicked ones. Deliver us from endless death; Comfort us in our latest breath; Grant us also a blessed end: Our spirit take into thy hand.

Amen! that is, let this come true! Strengthen our faith ever anew, That we may never be in doubt Of that we here have prayed about. In thy name, trusting in thy word, We say a soft Amen, O Lord.


II.