Everlasting Praise

  Yesterday, I shared with you the story behind our National Anthem and the young man who wrote it - Francis Scott Key. Many would be surprised to know that he also possessed a very strong Christian faith and used his poetry-writing talents to reflect his belief in God. Today, as a follow-up to the previous post, I share with you another of his lesser-known poems and offer it as a prayer of thankfulness to the God I love:

Lord, with Glowing Heard I'd Praise Thee

Lord, with glowing heart I'd praise Thee,

For the bliss Thy love bestows,

For the pardoning grace that saves me,

And the peace that from it flows:

Help, O God, my weak endeavor;

This dull soul to rapture raise:

Thou must light the flame, or never

Can my love be warmed to praise.

Praise, my soul, the God that sought thee,

Wretched wanderer, far astray;

Found thee lost, and kindly brought thee

From the paths of death away;

Praise, with love's devoutest feeling,

Him Who saw thy guilt-bourne fear,

And the light of hope revealing,

Bade the blood-stained cross appear.

Praise thy Savior God that drew thee

To that cross, new life to give,

Held a blood sealed pardon to thee,

Bade thee look to Him and live.

Praise the grace whose threats alarmed thee,

Roused thee from thy fatal ease;

Praise the grace whose promise warmed thee,

Praise the grace that whispered peace.

Lord, this bosom's ardent feeling

Vainly would my lips express.

Low before Thy footstool kneeling,

Deign Thy suppliant's prayer to bless:

Let Thy grace, my soul's chief treasure,

Love's pure flame within me raise;

And, since words can never measure,

Let my life show forth Thy praise.

- Francis Scott Key