thy mercy
"thy mercy my God is the theme of my song,
the joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue.
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affection and bound my soul fast.
Without Thy sweet mercy, I could not live here.
Sin would reduce me to utter despair,
But through Thy free goodness, my spirit's revived
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.
Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart.
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground
And weep for the praise of the mercy I've found.
Hallelujah
Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own
In the covenant love of Thy crucified Son.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine."
- john stocker, 1776 (recorded by Caedmon's Call or check out the better version by Sandra McCraken)
I do not know if there is a better song that describes the state of my heart right now. I wish I had time to break the song down. For example, to explain the depths of the meaning behind the line-
"Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own, in the covenant love of Thy crucified Son."
Our great Father in His infinite wisdom has bestowed upon us grace after grace. He has granted to us a righteousness that we could never possess on our own, but through Jesus was can possess this righteousness eternally. Without this atonement (lit. at + one + ment) we would be reduced to utter despair - completely hopeless and helpless. Now we can rest and live in the fact that Jesus has sealed for us mercy and pardon (no more guilt or condemnation) and not only that, but He has declared us righteous.
This is the gospel - no more or no less.
the joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue.
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affection and bound my soul fast.
Without Thy sweet mercy, I could not live here.
Sin would reduce me to utter despair,
But through Thy free goodness, my spirit's revived
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.
Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart.
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground
And weep for the praise of the mercy I've found.
Hallelujah
Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own
In the covenant love of Thy crucified Son.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine."
- john stocker, 1776 (recorded by Caedmon's Call or check out the better version by Sandra McCraken)
I do not know if there is a better song that describes the state of my heart right now. I wish I had time to break the song down. For example, to explain the depths of the meaning behind the line-
"Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own, in the covenant love of Thy crucified Son."
Our great Father in His infinite wisdom has bestowed upon us grace after grace. He has granted to us a righteousness that we could never possess on our own, but through Jesus was can possess this righteousness eternally. Without this atonement (lit. at + one + ment) we would be reduced to utter despair - completely hopeless and helpless. Now we can rest and live in the fact that Jesus has sealed for us mercy and pardon (no more guilt or condemnation) and not only that, but He has declared us righteous.
This is the gospel - no more or no less.
Labels: derek webb, gospel, grace, old hymn, righteousness, substitutionary atonement
