Behold, the Sower Goes Forth

In chapter ten of his prophecy, Hosea calls the people of Israel to repentance, using the imagery of planting and harvesting.  He rebukes them by saying:  "You have plowed wickedness; you have reaped iniquity" (10:13).  He urges them to "sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord" (10:12).

This imagery appears again in our Lord's parable of the Sower and the Seed (Mt. 13, Mk. 4, Lk.8), where we are asked to examine whether our own hearts are fertile soil for receiving God's Word and bringing forth fruits for Him.

The basic principles of planting and harvesting also appear in the epistles.  In Galatians (6:7-9) the apostle Paul also reminds us that we will reap what we sow and encourages us to "sow to the Spirit," not the flesh.

"Behold, the Sower Goes Forth" is an appeal to the Lord to melt the hardness of our sinful hearts, so that we value His forgiving grace and spend each day planting seeds of righteousness.

To listen to the melody of "Behold, the Sower Goes Forth" click here.  To view and print the musical score, click here.

 

1. Behold, the sower goes forth

  To cast his seed in the ground;

Where fields are fertile and soil is rich,

  There earthly fruits abound.

(Refrain):

Break up your fallow ground;

  It’s time to seek the Lord;

Sow to the Spirit in righteousness

  And reap the Spirit’s reward.

 

2. Behold, the Savior sends forth

  His Spirit in His Word,

The prideful world with its stony heart

   Stands hard against its Lord.

  

 (Refrain)

3.  O Savior, crush this stone!

  Create my heart anew --

 That I may treasure Your saving grace

   And bear rich fruits for You!

(Refrain)

4.  Who sows to sin and self

  Will harvest grief and pain,

Who sows to righteousness in Christ

    Eternal life will gain.

(Refrain)

The Mountains Melt Like Wax

This hymn focuses, first, on the fearful prospect of standing in the presence of the all-knowing, all-powerful Judge of the earth, and then on the comforting truth that our Savior has ascended to heaven, where He stands as our Advocate before God's throne.  This Gospel message fills us with hope, so that we can say:  "In Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" Psalm 16:11.

To listen to the melody, click here.  To view the musical score, click here.

The mountains melt like wax

  Before Your presence, Lord,

The whole earth trembles at Your voice

  And fears Your sovereign word. (Ps. 97:5)

Is there no place to hide?

  Where can I flee Your face?

In earth and all the universe

  There is no hidden place.  (Ps. 139:7)

Before You all will stand

  And tremble at Your might;

Before You, Lord, no one can boast

  Or claim a due or right.  (1 Cor. 1:29)

And here am I, O Lord --

  My sins before You stand.

Will I be driven from Your sight

  And perish at Your hand?

Thanks be to Christ, our Lord,

   Who now in heav’n appears,

Who stands before God’s mercy-seat

   And calms my inmost fears. (Hebr. 9:24)

Your righteousness, O Christ,

   Brings favor from God’s throne;

Your holy blood pays all my debt

   And makes God’s house my home.

With heaven’s joy I come

   Into Your presence now;

New songs of thankfulness I sing

    As at Your feet I bow.  (Ps. 16:11)

It Makes My Heart Wonder

This Christmas hymn expresses our awe at the miracle of Jesus' incarnation.  It contains allusions to Him as the embodiment of the ladder in Jacob's dream (Gen. 28:12, John 1:51) and as the second Adam, whose righteousness is imputed to all mankind (Rom. 5). The exhortation in the last verse is drawn from Psalm 47:1-2.

To listen to the melody, click here.  

It makes my heart wonder, it makes my heart sing;

The Lord of all glory has come here to bring

His gifts and His blessings, His kindness and love,

To be our dear Brother from heaven above.

Conceived by the Spirit through God’s loving plan,

His strength and our weakness in one perfect man,

His little hands, holding all power divine

Reach out in compassion to your ills and mine.

Just like Jacob’s ladder, He bridges the span

Between earth and heaven, between God and man;

He takes on our flesh with its weakness and pain

To give us God’s heaven and cause us to reign.

He comes, our new Adam, God’s Image unstained,

As man was in Eden this Child is again.

His life, pure and holy, will cover our shame;

His blood, precious price, will atone for our blame.

Stand up, clap your hands, all God’s people, with joy,

And shout out in triumph the birth of this Boy:

“The Lord High, Most Awesome, the King of the earth,

Has come as our Savior!”  How happy His birth!

In Every Hour

When the Apostle Paul prayed to be relieved of his "thorn in the flesh," the Lord's answer was:  "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness," 2 Cor. 12:9.

This hymn invites the worshiper to approach our heavenly Father in prayer with any request, be it small or great.  The Lord's answer to the petitions which are brought through faith in Jesus is always to give "the grace my soul requires."

To listen to the melody of In Every Hour, click here.

In every hour, in every day,
   My God is always there.
He waits e'en now for me to pray,
  To tell Him all my care.

There is no problem, small or great,
  To which He won't give heed,
And even in my lowly state
  He grants me all I need.

When life's long battle seems so grim --
  It seems I've lost the fight --
I transfer all my griefs to Him
  And now the load is light.

So to my God I take all things,
  All troubles and desires,
And from His loving heart He brings
  The grace my soul requires.