Sunday, September 12, 2010

Lord, I Cry in Deep Despair

This hymn was written in 2008 and was inspired by the tune by Lois Brokering, EVERYTHING IS ONE.  Today's wonderful epistle lesson (1 Timothy 1:12-17) was a great reminder that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners.  The Lord Jesus Christ alone justifies, purifies, fortifies, satisfies and glorifies all believers.


1.  Lord, I cry in deep despair;
     Do you hear my tear-choked prayer?
     Dare I come before Your throne
     With this weight of sin I own?
     Is there One to speak for me
     And declare this captive free?
        You and You alone, Lord Jesus,
        You need justify, justify my soul.


2.  All my scarlet sins you know,
     Can You make them white as snow?
     Ev'ry dark and crimson stain,
     Can You make like wool again?
     Will you cast into the sea
     All the sins that trouble me?
        You and You alone, Lord Jesus,
        You need purify, purify my soul.


3.  When I hear the tempter's voice,
     Can I make the godly choice?
     When the world would have me stray,
     Will I walk Your holy way?
     Though my nature is corrupt,
     Can its power You disrupt?
        You and You alone, Lord Jesus,
        You need fortify, fortify my soul.


4.  What of things that turn to rust--
     Are they worthy of my trust?
     What of things that moths destroy--
     Will they give me lasting joy?
     Can they make me rich indeed
     Or my beggared spirit feed?
        You and You alone, Lord Jesus
        You need satisfy, satisfy my soul.


5.  All my times are in Your hand,
     Yours alone, at Your command;
     Will You stay by me to cheer
     When my final hour is near?
     Will You then, Lord, be the Way
     That will lead from night to day?
        You and You alone, Lord Jesus,
        You need glorify, glorify my soul.

6 comments:

Dan at Necessary Roughness said...

Is this coming to a hymnal supplement? :)

Amberg said...

In verse three is You the subject of disrupt?

amelithpastor said...

Yes, I think that was intent...is my grammar off?

Amberg said...

No, it's not. I had thought for a second "Can its power disrupt You" might have been a challenge to God to answer prayer, but now that I see it again, that wouldn't work.

This is a wonderful text, I wish I knew the tune. Do you know if it is linked online anywhere? I tried a search, but came up with nothing.

I must confess I'm still nervous about verse three. I'm sure that what is meant is a Joshua choice. It's not that I'm against a regenerate heart deciding, but I only wonder if it matches the way Paul speaks of crucifying the flesh. When we hear the tempter's voice, what choice is made? Is it to listen to him or listen to God? When the tempter tells me to believe false doctrine or to indulge my flesh, is the needful thing a choice or is it repentance, crucifying the flesh that wars against the spirit that needs to be fortified? How do I defeat the devil except through repentance and faith? And Melanchthon in the Apology basically equates repentance with mortification.

And what takes away the power of the sinful flesh that listens to the devil except the forgiveness of sins? That is the disruption of the power (1 Cor. 15:56,57) because this is Jesus "in the route casting out, pow'rs of darkness, sin and doubt." I'm thinking also of "Jesus, Grant that Balm and Healing."

But I'm ashamed to say that I am not as sure of this as I should be. I only remember a good Lutheran telling me that in the hymn "Rock of Ages" the reformed make a distinction between the "guilt" and "power" of sin, whereas Lutherans say that when the guilt is taken away, so is the power and so we understand it when we sing it.

amelithpastor said...

This text is somewhat different than most I write. In stanza 3, one could arguably answer the first two questions "no." Yes, the regenerate man does cooperate with the Holy Spirit in issues of sanctification but certainly not justification. We need God to justify, purify, fortify, satisfy and glorify us.

If you send me your email address, I will send you the .pdf of the tune.

With regards to sin's guilt and power, I agree with what that good Lutheran told you. I am not as informed with regards to Reformed views of sin's guilt and power, but it would make sense in light of the "double cure" language of that hymn. Oh, if the Old Adam would only stay dead! My sinful nature needs daily crucifying, that's for sure!!

Amberg said...

Yes, we do need that. I guess I was only thinking of in what way we are fortified. I was thinking of SD II. 63-65 http://www.bookofconcord.org/sd-freewill.php#para63; and also the Large Catechism on the 6th petition. http://www.bookofconcord.org/lc-5-ourfather.php#para106. I'm sending you my email address via Facebook.