Oh list! All ye that fear the Lord, Unto His sovereign voice
With feet unshod and holy fear, though love your hearts rejoice;
“Ο sword, against the Man awake—the Fellow of the Lord.
Awake! my faithful Shepherd smite,”—such is Jehovah’s word.
And wherefore wast Thou smitten, Thou righteous Son of God?
Thou who hadst ever done His will, yet bow’d beneath His rod?
This mystery of mysteries say, why did Jehovah wound,
Though enemies of earth and hell, already Thee surround.
Sinner, it was for thee, that sword of justice fell;
It fell on Christ, from His own hand, whom He had served so well.
It was for thee the tempest broke on His devoted head,
It was for thee that God’s own Son was number’d with the dead.
Thy sins were laid on Him, He bore the burden dire,
It was for thee, there fell on Him, Jehovah’s righteous ire.
Believers all, in Him partake, of righteousness divine,
Oh, what a Savior I have found, who know that Christ is mine!
And where’s the answer given by us, to love, so vast, so free—
To love which can’t be measured, to love beyond degree?
Where are the fruits of faith and love laid down before the throne—
Perhaps by man so little seen, yet to our Father known?
Oh, may He grant “the little time” that’s left us here below,
The world and its vain things, we gladly may forego,
Our lamps well trimm’d, shining our lights, waiting to hear the voice
We love, and in His cloudless smile forever to rejoice.
Zech. 13:7.
J. H. S.