The Loving Shepherd

The love is patient and is kind—
It lifts me up most tenderly;
It never want shall let me find—
That Christ my Shepherd bears for me.

He boasts my dullness not against,
He heatedly me bears no ill,
But leads my soul and keeps it fenc’d
In pastures green by waters still.

Restoring me, he never lords
It o’er, nor putteth me to shame,
But leads me in what path accords
With righteousness, for his great name.

Because in vales of death and woe
Thou emptied’st self to bring me near,
When thence with thee thou bidd’st me go,
There is no evil I will fear.

I love thy rod, for ne’er ’tis brought
Against me sharply as thy foe;
I love thy staff, that’s never thought
Mine endless strayings’ sums to know.

Thou lovest not iniquity
But cleansest me from ev’ry fault;
The flesh, the world, the Enemy
Shall find no pow’r this grace to halt.

Thy truth rejoiceth me within:
‘Tis wine that cheers to overflow,
‘Tis oil that makes my face to shine,
‘Tis bread, my heart in strength to grow.

(Ps 104:15)

You bear, believe, hope, and endure
Through all my weak or sinful ways;
Thy goodness and thy mercy, sure,
Shall me pursue for all my days.

Thy love shall never fail nor fall!
O Shepherd, in thine arms thy sheep
With kindness bear unto thy hall
In steadfast love to ever keep.

—12/13/25. On 1 Corinthians 13 and Psalm 23. To “O Waly Waly.”

Timorousness

Jesus, neath thy splintered cross
May I reckon lesser loss?
Ev’ry dream, and hope, and dare—
Ev’ry trial, fear, and care—
Anything that comes from me
Is surpassed by knowing thee.

(Phil 3:7-8)

Jesus, on thy nails again
May I come and hang my sin?
As thou bring’st thy light to bear,
More and more the dark I fear.
Purge all filth and stain from me;
Let me cleanness find in thee.

(Rom 7:21-25; 1 John 1:9)

Jesus, in thine empty tomb
Might there be for me now room?
Wrap me, weak and full of fear,
In thy grace; inter me there;
And in power raise thou me
Unto confidence in thee.

(Col 2:12; 2 Cor 13:4)

Jesus, at thy feet above
May I lay all other love?
Winnow all my chaff from me;
What is good, secure in thee,
That it may direct my gaze
To its perfect Source in praise.

(Isa 28:27-29; Jam 1:16-17)

Jesus, ere thy rainbowed throne
May I cast whatever crown
Thou think’st fit to set on me
For the good begun by thee
And which thou still workest, too,
Till thou lift me, whole, to you?

(Rev 4:9-11; Phil 1:6)

—12/9/25

Peace

The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm xlvi. 11.

Behold the desolations of the Lord,
How war is ended by his mighty Word:
He breaks the bows and shatters all the spears;
With burning eye the chariots he sears,
And mid the wrack and ruin on his hill
And all the smoking wreckage on its climb,
His whisper soughs above the flames: “Be still,
And know that I am God, and I will be
Revered among all nations; I will be
Exalted in the earth for all of time.”
The Lord of hosts with us has sworn to dwell;
The God of Jacob is our citadel.

—12/2/25. On Psalm 46:8-11.

Insomnia II

If wander my vision away from the cross,
I am lost.
If ever my gaze tear away from the Son,
I am done.
If Jesus should exit the frame of my view,
I am through.

He listens and answers his little one’s prayers,
For he cares.
Bestowing each blessing the lovingest would,
He is good.
Whatever I need to remain at his side,
He’ll provide.

For ev’ry temptation that flies in my face,
He has grace.
If discipline’s needed to teach me to live,
He will give.
In every trial he calls me to share,
He is there.

To the wisdom that orders my life here and now
I will bow.
To the glory that waits where my Savior has gone
I press on.
To the throne of the Father and Spirit and Son
I will run.

—11/30/25

Meditations: November 2025

Thank you that your grace in me balances
The debt I owe to mercy.

The apostle prayed for strength
To comprehend the love of God:
Kindness so rich it must be borne.
If we receive suffering from the Lord,
Shall we not also endure blessing?

(Eph 3:18; Job 2:10; Jer 33:9; 2 Cor 4:17)

Update: Old Work

I recently found my Dropbox folder that has a bunch of old poetry, and I've got a week off from school, so I figured this was a good opportunity to update what has become my portfolio here. I have also been maintaining a hymn index by first line since earlier this year. I will update this post as I keep adding things.

I had originally planned to update this post with work migrated in from my older blog, but since it all lives in the index above and that's a lot of work to link it again now that the school week has started back up, I've altered the plan. Pray I don't alter it further. Never mind, we're doing it.

Hymns

“May the mind of Christ, the humble”
A Prayer for Daily Strength
The Faithful Pastor
Election
The Second Coming
Faith, Hope, & Love
“Death, where now hath gone thy stinging?”
A Prayer for Family Worship

Poetry

The Noble Book
Funereal Thoughts
“Tonight have I supp'd with the heroes of old”
Lost Love
Maggie with the Roses in Her Hair
Foolishness
“If I were not already late for work”
Shame
Shame II
Meditations: December 2022
Meditations: Summer 2023
The Love of Christ
Weathering

Previously Added Hymns

Break unto Us the Living Bread
The Perseverance of the Saints
Easter Hymn
Prompte et Sincere
The LORD is my shepherd
Psalm 134
Unser Herrscher, unser König
Perfect love casteth out fear
A Traveler's Prayer
Psalm 99
A Plea
Psalm 51
Psalm 43
Flow Forth, My Tongue, in Song
Christ lag in Todesbanden
Christmas Lullaby
Komm, Jesu, Komm

Magnificat

And Mary said, Luke i. 46.

O magnify, my soul, the Lord,
And in thy God rejoice.
He doth thy lowliness record
With blessing in his voice.
His might is worthy of all fame,
And holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear
His name in ev’ry day.
His mighty arm doth scatter near
And far the proud away.
He hath the mighty toppled all
But lifted up the small.

The hungry take from him their fill;
The rich may only pine.
Thus to his servant Israel
His face hath turned to shine.
He mercy to our fathers swore
Which standeth evermore.

—11/14/25. From Luke 1:46-55. To “Morning Song” (Ananias Davisson), perhaps.

Resurrection

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, 1 Cor. xv. 20.

Christ is raised for our salvation!
For our sins he bled and died,
(Perfect, pure propitiation!
Justice he has satisfied!)
Then he rose the third-day morning
As the firstfruits of his kin
Whom he gave himself to win,
All their wretchedness unscorning.
Now by faith his life they see,
E’en the lowest— even me.

(1 Cor 15:1-9, 20)

As in Adam we must perish,
So in Christ we shall revive:
Great appearing that we cherish!
He who versus death doth strive
Will fulfill all resurrection,
Then in heav’n assume his seat,
All creation at his feet
Placed in firm, complete subjection
By the Father, in whose praise
He shall lead the saints always.

(1 Cor 15:21-28; 2 Tim 4:8; Heb 2:12-13)

Never kernel grew nor flourished
Save it fell into the ground,
Yet when God the seed hath nourished,
Lo, what fruit doth then abound!
Just as man excels creation,
As the sun all stars outshines,
So the frame our Lord designs
Passeth earthly expectation—
As we have been born of dust,
Likewise soon of heav’n we must.

(1 Cor 15:35-49; John 12:24; 1 John 3:2)

Therefore I will fear no terror,
Not another’s death, nor mine,
For I know the Mercy-Bearer
Brings consuming life divine
Unto death’s envenomed power:
Where, O grave, is victory?
Ill in us he cannot see,
Having sated Sinai’s glower.
Nothing can our souls distress,
Since the Savior deigns to bless.

(1 Cor 15:54-57; Hab 1:13)

Though against us stand betaken
Either sin, or hell, or foes,
Grace doth keep us yet unshaken
As thy gospel in us grows;
Always in thy work abounding,
Knowing labor is not vain,
Sure and steadfast we remain,
E’er in praise to thee resounding
And in patience waiting here
Till thy glory shall appear.

(1 Cor 15:57-58; James 5:7-8)

—11/4/25. From 1 Corinthians 15. To “Sollt’ ich meinem Gott nicht singen” (Johann Schop).

Meditations: October 2025

The thorn pricks to wound and tear;
Grace’s needle pricks to stitch back together.

(2 Cor 12:7-9)

Crucify my anxiety on this truth:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases.

(Lam 3:22)

[[Why did they bring the adulteress to Jesus?
Why did he not condemn her?
Did she, understanding the weight of sin,
Beg to be judged by the friend of sinners?]]

[[John 7:53-8:11]]

Security

Who is sufficient for these things? 2 Cor. ii. 16.

O Comfort from the Lord,
Who all his depths declares,
Who plants in us the living word
And girds our prayers:
For thorns and flaming darts,
Be all sufficiency,
And unto glory seal our hearts
As guarantee.

O Wisdom from on high,
Who sojourned here below
And intercedes unceasingly
In us to grow:
Guide every step we take,
Watch o’er us while we sleep,
And still be with us when we wake
To converse keep.

O Patriarch of Lights,
In constance shining e’er,
Who every blessing in the heights
Dost freely share,
Predestining in love,
Adopting by thy grace:
We lift our eyes to thee above
With fear and praise.

—10/20/25. To “Leoni” (“The God of Abraham Praise”).