197. O God! What Cords of Love Are Thine

C.M.
by P. Doddridge
1
O God! what cords of love are Thine,
 
How gentle, yet how strong!
 
Thy truth and grace their strength combine
 
To draw our souls along.
“I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.” (Hosea 11:4)
“Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.” (Song of Solomon 8:6-7)
“And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
“Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.” (Song of Solomon 1:4)
2
The guilt of twice ten thousand sins
 
One moment takes away;
 
And when the fight of faith begins,
 
Our strength is as our day.
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12)
“Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.” (Deuteronomy 33:25)
3
Comfort, through all this vale of tears,
 
In blest profusion flows;
 
And glory of unnumbered years
 
Eternity bestows.
“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5-6)
“Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.” (Psalm 84:6)
“I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass.” (Isaiah 51:12)
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” (2 Corinthians 1:3)
4
Drawn by such cords we’ll onward move,
 
Till round the throne we meet,
 
And, captives in the chains of love,
 
Embrace our Savior’s feet.
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Little Flock Hymnbook Index