November 19, 2005

Have faith in God –
The great commission stands;
Have faith in God –
Through all the earth’s far lands;
Have faith in God –
The gospel call demands.
Have faith, dear friend, in God.

Awake, My Soul, to Joyful Lays

Samuel Medley, 1738-1799

    How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7.

    Samuel Medley, a Baptist minister, lived a dissipated life in the British Navy until he was severely wounded in a sea fight between the French and English in 1759, off Cape Lagos, Portugal. While convalescing, he read a sermon by Isaac Watts on Isaiah 42:6 & 7. These verses ultimately led to Medley's conversion and later to his becoming a minister of the Gospel. His Loving Kindness was written as a personal testimony of thanksgiving to God. The text first appeared in published form in 1782. For 27 years Samuel Medley pastored the Baptist church in Liverpool with much success, especially as a preacher to the sailors. Medley wrote a large number of hymns but always stated in the preface of his books that his only purpose for writing was to "comfort Christians and to glorify Christ". It has been said that the underlying purpose of Samuel Medley's ministry, both in preaching and in hymn writing, was to "humble the pride of man, exalt the grace of God in his own salvation, and promote real holiness in the hearts and lives of believers.
    The spirited music for this text is an American camp meeting melody in popular use throughout the South before its publication in the 19th Century.

Awake, my soul, to joyful lays,
And sing thy great Redeemer’s praise;
He justly claims a song from me -
His loving-kindness, O how free!
Loving-kindness, loving-kindness,
His loving-kindness, O how free!

He saw me ruined in the fall,
Yet loved me notwithstanding all;
He saved me from my lost estate -
His loving-kindness, O how great!
Loving-kindness, loving-kindness,
His loving-kindness, O how great!

Though numerous hosts of mighty foes,
Though earth and hell my way oppose,
He safely leads my soul along -
His loving-kindness, O how strong!
loving-kindness, loving-kindness,
His loving-kindness, O how strong!

When trouble, like a gloomy cloud,
Has gathered thick and thundered loud,
He near my soul has always stood -
His loving-kindness, O how good!
Loving-kindness, loving-kindness,
His loving-kindness, O how good!

Often I feel my sinful heart
Prone from my Jesus to depart;
But though I have him oft forgot,
His loving-kindness changes not.
Loving-kindness, loving-kindness,
His loving-kindness changes not.

Soon I shall pass the gloomy vale,
Soon all my mortal powers must fail;
O! may my last expiring breath
His loving-kindness sing in death.
Loving-kindness, loving-kindness,
His loving-kindness sing in death.

Then let me mount and soar away
To the bright world of endless day;
And sing with raptures and surprise,
His loving-kindness in the skies.
Loving-kindness, loving-kindness,
His loving-kindness in the skies.

Have Faith in God by H.M.S. Richards, Used by Permission