A Borrowed Praise
August 2nd, 2008 by DanielPosted in Borrowed, Poems
The Lord is King! lift up thy voice,
O earth; and all ye heavens, rejoice!
From world to world the joy shall ring,
The Lord omnipotent is King.
The Lord is King! who then shall dare
resist his will, distrust his care,
or murmur at his wise decrees,
or doubt his royal promises?
The Lord is King! bow down you must,
the Judge of the all the earth is just;
holy and true are all his ways;
let every creature speak his praise.
He reigns! ye saints, exalt your strains;
your God is King, your Father reigns;
and he is at the Father’s side,
the Man of love, the Crucified.
Come, make your wants, your burdens known;
he will present them at the throne;
and angel bands are waiting there
his messages of love to bear.
The Lord is King! lift up thy voice,
O earth; and all ye heavens, rejoice!
From world to world the joy shall ring,
The Lord omnipotent is King.
- Josiah Conder (1789-1855)
Check out this version, by Nathan Partain. My attention was first caught by this incredible line: The Lord is King, bow down you must. Sit on that awhile…
Then take a second look at the second verse. If the Lord is indeed King, the writer asserts, there is no way, no option, no cause, no justification, and no possibility that we should resist, distrust, or doubt His perfect decrees and promises. If we could slow down and meditate on the Lord’s Kingship as Josiah Conder has done in composing this hymn, we just might begin to contribute to the ringing joy of Christ’s praise.