Crowned by Jehovah’s firm decree
With universal sovereignty,
All nature owns his powerful sway—
He speaks, the elements obey.
The emblem then thou may’st pursue,
And safely pass this Jordan through;
The priests but touch the watery space,
When, lo, the floods desert their place.
They gather up upon a heap,
Leave dry the channel of the deep;
The ark and priests there take their stand,
And beckon thee to leave the land.
I come, my best Beloved, I come;
Now lead me to our Father’s home;
On thy dear person fix mine eye,
And faith firm footing shall supply.
I fear no ill while thou art near;
But let thy voice salute my ear,
Should spirits faint and ’scape the sigh,
With these sweet words, “Fear not; ’tis I.”
With courage fresh my soul shall tread
On faith’s firm ground where thou dost lead;
While still upon thy gracious face
My steady eye maintains its place.
And now, my Joshua, choose, and lay
The stones in Jordan’s middle way;
Let them o’ertop the flowing wave,
Memorial of thy power to save.
For, once a suit I did prefer,
With feeble hope and trembling fear,
That I might have a Pisgah view,
In Jordan’s swells, of Canaan new.
Thy softened glory let me see,
Then cause thy face to shine on me;
And tune my heart, and tune my voice,
And language furnish to rejoice.
That all around may lend their tongue,
And sweetly join my dying song;
Then, Newton, saved by grace like me,
We’ll sing of sovereign grace with thee.
_______________
"Let us love, and sing,
and wonder,
Let us praise the Saviour’s name;
He has hushed the law’s loud thunder,
He has quenched mount Sinai’s
flame;
He has washed us in his blood,
He has brought us nigh to God.
Olney Hymns, 82, book 3.
“Let us love the
Lord who bought us,
Pitied us when enemies;
Called us by his grace, and taught us;
Gave us ears, and gave us eyes:
He has wafted us in his blood,
He presents our souls to God.
“Let us sing, though
strong temptation
Threaten hard to bear us down:
For the Lord, our strong salvation,
Holds in view the conqueror’s
crown,
He who washed us in his blood,
Soon shall bring us home to God.
“Let us wonder, grace
and justice
Join and point to mercy’s store;
When through grace, in Christ our trust
is,
Justice smiles, and asks no more.
He who washed us in his blood,
Has secured our way to God.
“Let us praise, and
join the chorus
Of the saints enthroned on high;
Here they trusted him before us,
Now their praises fill the sky.
Thou hast washed us in thy blood,
Thou art worthy, Lamb of God.