303. When Israel, by Divine Command

C.M.
by J. Newton
1
When Israel, by divine command,
 
The pathless desert trod,
 
They found, throughout the barren land,
 
A sure resource in God.
2
A cloudy pillar marked the road,
 
And screened them from the heat;
 
From the hard rock the water flowed,
 
And manna was their meat.
3
Like them, we have a rest in view,
 
Secure from hostile powers:
 
Like them, we pass a desert too,
 
But Israel’s God is ours.
“Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.” (Romans 3:29)
4
His Word a light before us spreads,
 
By which our path we see;
 
His love, a banner o’er our heads,
 
From harm preserves us free.
“NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” (Song of Solomon 2:4)
5
Jesus, the Bread of life, is given
 
To be our daily food;
 
Within us dwells that well from heaven,
 
The Spirit of our God.
“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)
“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” (John 7:37-39)
6
Lord, ’tis enough, we ask no more;
 
Thy grace around us pours
 
Its rich and unexhausted store,
 
And all its joy is ours.
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.” (Ephesians 2:4)
“That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7)
Note: Roll over or tap on a stanza number to view some verses suggested by that stanza.