PRAISE THE SAVIOR

I think that today we live in a society that has become increasingly more harsh, negative and critical.  It seems to me that more people constantly complain about everything than ever before.  If you don't think so just look at the letters to the editor in your local newspaper.  On the other hand, maybe you should skip doing that.  You might end up feeling more negative yourself.  I wonder how much of this complaining nature carries over to our spiritual lives.  Do we complain about our situation, our church, the pastor or the people at church? How much time do we really spend thanking and praising God throughout each day?  What about our prayer life?  Are our prayers filled with "give me's" or do we spend time in adoration and praise of the One into whose presence we have come?  Maybe this week's simple hymn will remind us our need to constantly praise and thank our faithful God.  This short hymn was penned by Thomas Kelly in 1806.  Again, I have not been able to find anything about the circumstances behind its writing.  However, it is one of about 765 of Kelly's hymns that were composed and published over a period of 51 years.  Kelly's father was a Judge of the Irish Court of Common Pleas, and he, too, was headed for the Bar, and trained with that intention.  But he underwent a marked spiritual change and became to be known for his earnest evangelical preaching.  This particular work of his reminds us of how much we owe our Savior and how we should give Him all that we are and have.  He arms us for spiritual conflicts and protects us.  He is faithful and never changing and He will never let us go.  It closes with the prayer that we might cleave to Him until we receive what He has promised to His children.  Only then will we be where we belong and what we have been destined to be, unlike our pilgrimage here on earth.  May these words fill your heart and mind this week as you praise our great Savior!

1.    Praise the Savior, ye who know Him!

Who can tell how much we owe Him?

Gladly let us render to Him

All we are and have.

2.    Jesus is the name that charms us,

He for conflict fits and arms us;

Nothing moves and nothing harms us

While we trust in Him.

3.   Trust in Him, ye saints, forever,

He is faithful, changing never;

Neither force nor guile can sever

Those He loves from Him.

4.    Keep us, Lord, O keep us cleaving

To Thyself, and still believing,

Till the hour of our receiving

Promised joys with Thee.

5.    Then we shall be where we would be,

Then we shall be what we should be;

Things that are not now, nor could be,

Soon shall be our own.

Unfortunately I was not able to find a good video of the entire song but here is one that at least includes a few verses.  Listen to it here.   LISTEN