Sardis by William Cowper

“Write to Sardis,” saith the Lord,
And write what he declares,
He whose Spirit and whose word,
Upholds the seven stars:
“All thy works and ways I search,
Find thy zeal and love decayed:
Thou art called a living church,
But thou art cold and dead.”

“Watch, remember, seek, and strive,
Exert thy former pains;
Let thy timely care revive,
And strengthen what remains:
Cleanse thine heart, thy works amend,
Former times to mind recall,
Lest my sudden stroke descend,
And smite thee once for all.” 

“Yet I remember now in thee
A few that are upright:
these my Father’s face shall see,
And walk with me in white,
When in judgment I appear,
They for mine shall be confessed;
Let my faithful servants hear;
And woe be to the rest!”

(Rev.3:1-6)

 

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The Prayer Of Jabez by Jones Very

The prayer of Jabez, too, should be our prayer:
“Keep me from evil, that it may not grieve.”
How hard the sight of wrong and ill to bear,
When we cannot the sufferers relieve!
The child of sorrow, he for others’ woe,
As if it were his own, did deeply feel;
Though he had naught of riches to bestow,
Nor power their wrongs and miseries to heal.
God heard his prayer, and answered his request;
And by his sympathy did help impart
Unto the poor; the suffering, and oppressed,
That healed their wounds and robbed them of their smart;
Nor suffered cruel deeds, nor words unkind,
To grieve his heart, or rankle in his mind.

 

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Psalm 19 by Dennis Allen Lange

…………….(available at Amazon)

1 The heavens are telling the glory of God;
   They speak of the work of His hand.
2 They daily are pouring forth knowledge of Him,
   And night after night tell the lands.
3 Their voice is muted, and soundless their words,
4   But gone has their line o’er the earth.
They utter the evidence that He exists,
   So no one can claim there’s a dearth.
The heavens He’s made as a tent for the sun,
5   Who out of his chamber he strides,
With glory like that of the bridegrooms who come,
   Awaited by their joyous brides.
A strong man, rejoicing to run his swift course,
6   It rises with fire in its feet,
Runs circuit in heaven from one end to next,
   And nothing can hide from its heat.

7 The Lord’s law is perfect, restoring the soul;
   The simple, by hearing, made wise.
8 His precepts are righteous, rejoicing the heart;
   His pure word enlightens the eyes.
The fear of Jehovah, enduring, is clean;
   The judgments He’s making are true.
10 They’re sweeter by far than the sweet honeycomb,
   More sparkling than gold or the dew.
11 Moreover, Your servant is cautioned by them,
   And keeping them brings great reward.
13 Your law is a wall that, surrounding, is high,
   The way of the nation to guard.
Discerning my errors, acquit me of faults,
   And keep sin from holding its sway.
Correct me and guide me so I give thanks for
   Transgressions forgiven this day.
14 May words from my mouth and my pondering heart
   Be pleasing, dear God, in Your sight.
For You’re my redeemer from darkness and sin,
   My rock and my refuge and light.

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© Dennis Allen Lange and thebardonthehill.wordpress.com, 2018.

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My Poems Of God’s Psalms And Proverbs by Dennis Allen Lange

……………………………(available at Amazon – see link below)

   Psalms and Proverbs are two of the most beloved books in God’s word. We are attracted to the beauty of Psalms because we find very little of man there, and much of God. God’s majesty, holiness, power, and love shine forth:

     Ps.126:3 The Lord has done great things for us.
     Ps.104:1 He is clothed with splendor and majesty.
     Ps.77:13 He is holy and great.
     Ps.136:4 His lovingkindness is everlasting.
     Ps.145:17 God is righteous in all His ways.

The result of contemplating the person, promises, and protection of God is praise by the psalmist and praise by us believers who read the Psalms.

   Proverbs is loved for another reason – the wisdom of God in its pages to guide our daily lives. God’s instructions are presented in vivid ways that sink into our hearts. We find His wisdom about anger, faithfulness, laziness, discipline, counselors, knowledge, and much more. 

   My poems of these two books provide, as much as possible, the message of God in a new way, and a memorable way.   They will cause the reader to slow down and contemplate God’s thoughts as if he were reading them for the first time. One will hopefully draw nearer to God by meditating upon Him and His word and that will make these poems worthwhile.

…The book makes a wonderful gift to others who love God’s word.

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link to the book at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/172863461X

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Psalm 9 by Dennis Allen Lange

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…..1 O God, I give thanks with my heart:
…………I’m warned by Your thunders;
…………I’m awed by Your wonders;
…..2 To praise and obey is my part.

…..3 My foes are oft found in retreat;
…………You make them to stumble,
…………Cause kingdoms to crumble;
……..You crush them like stubble of wheat.

..4-6 You judge all of man from Your throne:
…………Their cities uprooted;
…………Their memory muted;
…..7 Yet, You, O my God, still go on.

…..8 You’re just as You judge all the earth;
………….Your judgments are equal,
………….And final, no sequel.
……..Man’s trust in Your grace finds its worth.

.9-10 For those who’re oppressed, You’re their strength –
………….A stronghold in trouble,
………….A fortress that’s double –
………You last and You lead the full length.

11-12 Declare to the world all His deeds;
………….Sing praises in Zion
………….For each is a scion;
……….We’re heirs and He fills all our needs.

13-14 From depths of the pit rescue me –
………….Lord, see my affliction,
………….My foes and their friction,
………That praise in Your gates is a sea.

15-17 The trap that the nations have made
………….Will on them be springing,
………….And woe to them bringing,
……….When all of the cards have been played.

……….Like lion You rise from Your den,
………….The wicked all perish
…..18….That You some may cherish,
…..20.That men may all know they’re mere men.

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I’ve written all of Psalms and Proverbs in poetry that rhymes and has rhythm.  The book will be available at Amazon before Christmas.  If you’re interested (and have not already said so),  let me know in the comments.

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copyright Dennis Allen Lange and thebardonthehill@wordpress.com, 2018.

 

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Proverbs 22:13 by Dennis Allen Lange

 

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I’ve written all of Psalms and Proverbs in poetry that rhymes and has rhythm.  The book will be available at Amazon before Christmas.  If you’re interested (and have not already said so),  let me know in the comments.

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copyright Dennis Allen Lange and thebardonthehill@wordpress.com, 2018.

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Proverbs 12:21 by Dennis Allen Lange

The righteous man escapes much trouble,
But wicked men receive it double.  (Proverbs 12:21)

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I’ve written all of Psalms and Proverbs in poetry that
rhymes and has rhythm.  I’m in the process of having
the book published before Christmas.  If you are
interested, let me know in the comments.

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Photo by Billy Frank Alexander at
http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/o5Qx1di/Proverbs+Banner

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© Dennis Allen Lange and thebardonthehill.wordpress.com, 2018.

 

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Order And Names Of Old Testament Books – anonymous

The Great Jehovah speaks to us,
In Genesis and Exodus,
Leviticus and Numbers see,
Followed by Deuteronomy,
Joshua and Judges sway the land,
Ruth gleans a sheaf with trembling hand,
Samuel and numerous Kings appear,
Whose Chronicles we wondering hear;
Ezra and Nehemiah now
Esther the beauteous mourner show;
Job speaks in sighs, David in Psalms,
The Proverbs teach to scatter alms.
Ecclesiastes then comes on,
And the sweet song of Solomon.
Isaiah, Jeremiah then
With Lamentations takes his pen.
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea’s lyres
Swell Joel, Amos, Obadiah’s.
Next Jonah, Micah, Nahum come,
And lofty Habakkuk finds room,
Rapt Zephaniah, Haggai calls,
While Zechariah builds the walls;
And Malachi, with garments rent,
Concludes the ancient Testament.

 

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The Kansas Emigrants by John Greenleaf Whittier

….The Kansas Emigrants

We cross the prairie as of old
…The Pilgrims crossed the sea,
To make the West, as they the East,
…The homestead of the free. 

We go to rear a wall of men
…On Freedom’s southern line,
And plant beside the cotton tree
…The rugged Northern pine! 

We’re flowing from our native hills
…As our free rivers flow:
The blessing of our Motherland
…Is on us as we go. 

We go to plant her common schools
…On distant prairie swells,
And give the Sabbaths of the wild
…The music of her bells. 

Upbearing, like the Ark of Old,
…The Bible in our van,
We go to test the truth of God
…Against the fraud of man. 

No pause, nor rest, save where the streams
…That feed the Kansas run,
Save where our Pilgrim gonfalon
…Shall flout the setting sun! 

We’ll tread the prairie as of old
…Our fathers sailed the sea,
And make the West, as they the East,
…The homestead of the free!

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gonfalon – a flag, a banner

 

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Sonnet 27 – The Empty Tomb Stories by Dennis Lange

Sonnet 27 – The Empty Tomb Stories

On that first day, two tales sprang from the grave.
Like couriers, one headed north, one south.
We choose which is the knight, which is the knave,
Which tells the truth, which comes from lying mouth.

The first has always been its own worst foe:
We slept; disciples stole the corpse away.
But if they were asleep, how did they know?
And if awake, they would have won the fray.

The second’s known, for it is strong, survives.
The ones who scattered as their teacher died
Said He arose, and we can see changed lives.
E’en though it cost them all, they testified.

Two stories of the empty tomb were told:
One made men laugh; the other made men bold.

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Stanza 2 – An angel appeared and rolled away the stone.
The Roman guards shook in fear and became like dead
men.  When they recovered, they went to the Jewish
leaders for protection (to avoid being killed by Pilate).
They were given money and told to say that the
disciples came and stole the body of Jesus while they
were sleeping (Matt.28:2-4; 11-15).

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© Dennis Lange and thebardonthehill.wordpress.com, 2014.

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