When they resign their breath!
No wonder Balaam wish’d to share
In such a happy death.
II
“Oh! let me die,” said he,
“The death the righteous do—
When life is ended, let me be
Found with the faithful few.”
III
The force of truth, how great!
When enemies confess,
None but the righteous, whom they hate,
A solid hope possess.
IV
But Balaam’s wish was vain,
His heart was insincere;
He thirsted for unrighteous gain.
And sought a portion here.
V
He seem’d the Lord to know,
And to offend him loath;
But Mammon proved his overthrow,
For none can serve them both.
VI
May you, my friends, and I,
Warning from hence receive,
If like the righteous we would die,
To choose the life they live.
21
Gibeon
By Newton
Joshua 10:6.
I
When Joshua, by God’s command,
Invaded Canaan’s guilty land,
Gibeon, unlike the nations round,
Submission made, and mercy found.
II
Their stubborn neighbours who, enraged,
United war against them waged,
By Joshua soon were overthrown,
For Gibeon’s cause was now his own.
III
He from whose arm they ruin fear’d
Their leader and ally appear’d;
An emblem of the Saviour’s grace
To those who humbly seek his face.
IV
The men of Gibeon wore disguise,
And gain’d their peace by framing lies;
For Joshua had no power to spare,
If he had known from whence they were.
V
But Jesus invitations sends,
Treating with rebels as his friends;
And holds the promise forth in view
To all who for his mercy sue.
VI
Too long his goodness I disdain’d,
Yet went at last and peace obtain’d;
But soon the noise of war I heard,
And former friends in arms appear’d.
VII
Weak in myself, for help I cried,
Lord, I am press’d on every side;
The cause is thine, they fight with me,
But every blow is aim’d at thee.
VIII
With speed to my relief he came,
And put my enemies to shame:
Thus saved by grace, I live to sing
The love and triumphs of my King.
22
Jehovah-Shalem—The Lord Send Peace
By Cowper
Judges 6:24.
I
Jesus, whose blood so freely stream’d
To satisfy the law’s demand,
By thee from guilt and wrath redeem’d,
Before the Father’s face I stand.
II
To reconcile offending man,
Made Justice drop her angry rod;
What creature could have form’d the plan,
Or who fulfill it but a God?
III
No drop remains of all the curse
For wretches who deserved the whole;
No arrows dipp’d in wrath to pierce
The guilty but returning soul.
IV
Peace by such means, so dearly bought,
What rebel could have hoped to see?
Peace, by his injured Sovereign wrought,
His Sovereign fasten’d to the tree!
V
Now, Lord, thy feeble worm prepare;
For strife with earth and hell begins;
Confirm and gird me for the war;
They hate the soul that hates his sins.
VI
Let them in horrid league agree!
They may assault, they may distress,
But cannot quench thy love to me,
Nor rob me of the Lord my peace.
23
Gideon’s Fleece
By Newton
Judges 6:37–40.
I
The signs which God to Gideon gave
His holy sovereignty made known,
That he alone has power to save,
And claims the glory as his own.
II
The dew which first the fleece had fill’d,
When all the earth was dry around,
Was from it afterwards withheld,
And only fell upon the ground.
III
To Isr’el thus the heav’nly dew
Of saving truth was long restrain’d;
Of which the Gentiles nothing knew,
But dry and desolate remained.
IV
But now the Gentiles have received
The balmy dew of gospel peace;
And Isr’el, who his Spirit grieved,
Is left a dry and empty fleece.
V
This dew still falls at his command,
To keep his chosen plants alive;
They shall, though in a thirsty land,
Like willows by the waters thrive.
VI
But chiefly when his people meet,
To hear his word and seek his face,
The gentle dew, with influence sweet,
Descends and nourishes their grace.
VII
But ah! what numbers still are dead,
Though under means of grace they lie—
The dew still falling round their head,
And yet their heart untouch’d and dry.
VIII
Dear Saviour, hear us when we call;
To wrestling prayer an answer give;
Pour down thy dew upon us all,
That all may feel and all may live.
24
Samson’s Lion
By Newton
Judges 14:8.
I
The lion that on Samson roar’d,
And thirsted for his blood,
With honey afterwards was stored,
And furnish’d him with food.
II
Believers as they pass along
With many lions meet,
But gather sweetness from the strong,
And from the eater meat.
III
The lions rage and roar in vain,
For Jesus is their shield:
Their losses prove a certain gain,
Their troubles comfort yield.
IV
The world and Satan join their strength,
To fill their souls with fears;
But crops of joy they reap at length
From what they sow in tears.
V
Afflictions make them love the word,
Stir up their hearts to prayer,
And many precious proofs afford
Of their Redeemer’s care.
VI
The lions roar but cannot kill;
Then fear them not, my friends;
They bring us, though against their will,
The honey Jesus sends.
25
Hannah; or the Throne of Grace
By Newton
1 Samuel 1:18.
I
When Hannah, press’d with grief,
Pour’d forth her soul in pray’r;
She quickly found relief,
And left her burden there:
Like her, in every trying case
Let us approach the throne of grace.
II
When she began to pray,
Her heart was pain’d and sad;
But ere she went away
Was comforted and glad.
In trouble what a resting-place
Have they who know the throne of grace!
III
Though men and devils rage,
And threaten to devour,
The saints from age to age
Are safe from all their power;
Fresh strength they gain to run their race
By waiting at the throne of grace.
IV
Eli her case mistook;
How was her spirit moved
By his unkind rebuke!
But God her cause approved.
We need not fear a creature’s face
While welcome at
