Devotional Verses Founded on and Illustrative of select Texts of Scripture [by Bernard Barton] |
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SALUTARY FEAR. |
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SALUTARY FEAR.
“Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.”
—Psalm, ii. 11.
Serve God with holy awe,
And strive to keep his law
With perfect love that knoweth no dissembling;
If, through his grace divine,
The vict'ry should be thine,
Be glad, and grateful; yet rejoice with trembling.
And strive to keep his law
With perfect love that knoweth no dissembling;
If, through his grace divine,
The vict'ry should be thine,
Be glad, and grateful; yet rejoice with trembling.
86
For what is service done
By man,—or trophy won
By the frail son of man, when most victorious,
That he, with haughty tone,
Should deem the palm his own,
Or of his feeble service be vain-glorious?
By man,—or trophy won
By the frail son of man, when most victorious,
That he, with haughty tone,
Should deem the palm his own,
Or of his feeble service be vain-glorious?
Can even pride suggest,
When man has done his best,
That fear is folly?—'tis a thought of madness!
Or when—with heart, and voice,
The Christian can rejoice,
Are there no humbling thoughts to chasten gladness?
When man has done his best,
That fear is folly?—'tis a thought of madness!
Or when—with heart, and voice,
The Christian can rejoice,
Are there no humbling thoughts to chasten gladness?
There is a fear—whose power,
In dark temptation's hour,
Makes him who feels it firmer than the Stoic;
A trembling—in delight,
Which gives the feeble might,
And renders the most humble—most heroic!
In dark temptation's hour,
Makes him who feels it firmer than the Stoic;
A trembling—in delight,
Which gives the feeble might,
And renders the most humble—most heroic!
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