"Sometimes a light surprises
The Christian while he sings;
It is the Lord who rises
With healing on His wings;
When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining,
To cheer it after rain."

‘Jehovah-Nissi, the LORD my banner’ by William Cowper

By whom was David taught,
To aim the dreadful blow,
When he Goliath fought,
And laid the Gittite low?
No sword nor spear the stripling took,
But chose a pebble from the brook.

‘Twas Israel’s God and king,
Who sent him to the fight;
Who gave him strength to sling,
And skill to aim aright.
Ye feeble saints your strength endures,
Because young David’s God is yours.

Who ordered Gideon forth,
To storm th’invaders’ camp,
With arms of little worth,
A pitcher and a lamp?
The trumpets made his coming known,
And all the host was overthrown.

Oh! I have seen the day,
When with a single word,
God helping me to say,
My trust is in the LORD.
My soul has quell’d a thousand foes,
Fearless of all that could oppose.

But unbelief, self-will,
Self-righteousness and pride,
How often do they steal,
My weapon from my side?
Yet David’s LORD, and Gideon’s friend,
Will help his servant to the end.

I sought the Lord, author Anonymous

I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
he moved my soul to seek him, seeking me;
it was not I that found, O Savior true;
no, I was found, was found of thee.
It was not I that found, O Savior true;
No, I was found, was found, of thee.

Thou didst reach forth thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm-vexed sea;
‘Twas not so much that I on thee took hold,
as thou, dear Lord, took hold on me.
‘Twas not so much that I on thee took hold,
as thou, dear Lord, took hold on me.

I find, I walk, I love; but, oh, the whole
of love is but my answer, Lord, to thee!
For thou wert long beforehand with my soul;
always, always thou lovedst me.
For thou wert long beforehand with my soul;
always, always thou lovedst me.

"Heav’n above is softer blue, Earth around is sweeter green!
Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen;
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow, flowers with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine."

‘Dear refuge of my weary soul’ by Anne Steele, adapted by Kevin Twit (1998)

1. Dear refuge of my weary soul,
On Thee, when sorrows rise
On Thee, when waves of trouble roll,
My fainting hope relies
To Thee I tell each rising grief,
For Thou alone canst heal
Thy Word can bring a sweet relief,
For every pain I feel

2. But oh! When gloomy doubts prevail,
I fear to call Thee mine
The springs of comfort seem to fail,
And all my hopes decline
Yet gracious God, where shall I flee?
Thou art my only trust
And still my soul would cleave to Thee
Though prostrate in the dust

3. Hast Thou not bid me seek Thy face,
And shall I seek in vain?
And can the ear of sovereign grace,
Be deaf when I complain?
No still the ear of sovereign grace,
Attends the mourner’s prayer
Oh may I ever find access,
To breathe my sorrows there

4. Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet,
Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet

Old-Testament Gospel by William Cowper

ISRAEL in ancient days,
Not only had a view
Of Sinai in a blaze,
But learn’d the gospel too:
The types and figures were a glass,
In which they saw the Saviour’s face.

The paschal sacrifice,
And blood-besprinkled door,
Seen with enlightened eyes,
And once apply’d with pow;r;
Would teach the need of other blood,
To reconcile an angry God.

The Lamb, the Dove, set forth
His perfect innocent,
Whose blood, of matchless worth
Should be the soul’s defense:
For he who can for sin atone,
Must have no failings of his own. 

The scape-goat on his head
The people’s trespass bore,
And to the desert led,
Was to be seen no more:
In him, our Surety seem’d to say,
“Behold, I bear your sins away.”

Dipt in his fellows blood,
The living bird went free,
The type, well understood,
Express’d the sinner’s plea;
Describ’d a guilty soul enlarg’d
And by a Savior’s death discharg’d.

JESUS I love to trace
Throughout the sacred page;
The footsteps of thy grace,
The same in ev’ry age!
O grant that I may be faithful be
To clearer light, vouchsaf’d to me. 

Assurance Hymn

Jesus, You are light and life
To all who cling by faith

Who take hold of your promised grace

And trust in You to save
For You are not a man who lies
Nor will You thus change your mind

That we might trust Your ways
That we might trust Your ways.

Jesus, You are joy and peace

To all who will abide
And gaze upon your perfect ways

On You alone rely

For You are not a man who lies

Nor will You thus change your mind
That we might rest in You
That we might rest in You.

Jesus, You are strong and true

With those who will endure
Through fiery trials and daunting tests
Your Word makes them secure.
For you are not a man who lies

Nor will You thus change your mind
That we might stand assured
That we might stand assured.

Jesus, You are heaven’s Sun
And radiant to behold

For those who know your promised light

Have truth worth more than gold

For you are not a man who lies

Nor will You thus change your mind

That we might glory see
That we might glory see.

30th Aug 2011