76. Rise, My Soul, Thy God Directs Thee

8,7.
by J.N. Darby, 1837
1
Rise, my soul, thy God directs thee,
 
Stranger hands no more impede;
 
Pass thou on, His hand protects thee,
 
Strength that has the captive freed.
“And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men. And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders. And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment. And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.” (Exodus 12:31-36)
2
Is the wilderness before thee,
 
Desert land where drought abides?
 
Heavenly springs shall there restore thee,
 
Fresh from God’s exhaustless tides.
“And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord? And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” (Exodus 17:1-6)
3
Light divine surrounds thy going,
 
God Himself shall mark thy way;
 
Secret blessings, richly flowing,
 
Lead to everlasting day.
“And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.” (Exodus 13:21-22)
“But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.” (Psalm 78:52-53)
4
God, thine everlasting portion,
 
Feeds thee with the mighty’s meat;
 
Price of Egypt’s hard extortion,
 
Egypt’s food no more to eat.
“The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:24)
“The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.” (Psalm 16:5)
“And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full. He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea. And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire.” (Psalm 78:24-29)
“And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.” (Numbers 11:8)
5
Art thou weaned from Egypt’s pleasures?
 
God in secret thee shall keep,
 
There unfold His hidden treasures,
 
There His love’s exhaustless deep.
“Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” (Hebrews 11:25)
“Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.” (Psalm 31:20)
“In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3)
“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)
6
In the desert God will teach thee
 
What the God that thou hast found,
 
Patient, gracious, powerful, holy,
 
All His grace shall there abound.
“Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” (Psalm 25:4-5)
“Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 15:5)
“If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1 Peter 2:3)
“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:5)
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” (1 Peter 1:15)
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)
7
On to Canaan’s rest still wending,
 
E’en thy wants and woes shall bring
 
Suited grace from high descending,
 
Thou shalt taste of mercy’s spring.
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” (Psalm 34:8)
“If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1 Peter 2:3)
8
Though thy way be long and dreary,
 
Eagle strength He’ll still renew:
 
Garments fresh and foot unweary
 
Tell how God hath brought thee through.
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
“Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.” (Deuteronomy 8:4)
9
When to Canaan’s long-loved dwelling
 
Love divine thy foot shall bring,
 
There, with shouts of triumph swelling,
 
Zion’s songs in rest to sing — 
10
There no stranger-God shall meet thee,
 
Stranger thou in courts above,
 
He who to His rest shall greet thee,
 
Greets thee with a well-known love.
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Little Flock Hymnbook Index