POEMS TEACHING ABOUT BIBLICAL WOMEN

By Maurice Dyson

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Significant Women
And Adam called his wife's name Eve;
because she was the mother of all living.
Genesis 3:20

When man was created, albeit alone,
A helper was formed from his medial bone;
The life she received by the spirit inbreathed,
Was lost on the day that her soul was deceived.

The woman we know from the Scriptures as Eve,
Acquired all the defects her offspring receive; 
Created a partner well-suited for man,
She plays a key role in the biblical plan.

As Satan had prompted her culpable deed,
A promise was given concerning her seed;
The child of the woman would openly win
The war against Satan, damnation and sin.

But children produced in their sin-tainted state,
Did not bring relief to the man and his mate;
The germ of corruption from what they had done,
Was passed on directly from father to son.

A woman would duly give birth to a Child,
And by Him the world would be once reconciled; 
The promise devolved to the children of Shem,
For God had allotted this portion to them.

The household of Abram continued the line,
With Sarai his wife in the foresaid design;
Called out from their home they were thus set apart,
As God made a pledge to the patriarch's heart.

For Sarai, who journeyed along with her spouse,
A tent made of hair was her temporal house; 
She gave birth to Isaac when ninety years old,
The advent of which had been faithfully told.

Rebekah was chosen before the event;
A trustworthy servant was purposely sent;
Responding by faith she returned with her guide,
And Isaac was blessed with a beautiful bride.

The fruit of their marriage, where favour begins,
Began on the day when Rebekah bore twins.
The two boys would differ as had been inferred;
The younger called Jacob was mother's preferred.

Now Jacob departed and went to Haran,
For trouble arose in the family clan;
And there he met Rachel the love of his life,
Who later became his co-heiress and wife.

Before he was joined in this marital vow,
He spent fourteen years with his hand to the plough;
He first wed her sister, the elder of two,
For so had the father required him to do.

Now Leah was blessed with the fruit of her womb,
The sons she gave birth to by Jacob her groom;
While Rachel bore Joseph who later became
A leader in Egypt of notable fame.

The sons born to Rachel and those of her peers,
Grew into a nation in following years;
When Moses their leader was moved from his post,
His deputy Joshua took charge of the host.

Before he set out to march into the land,
Which God had decreed should fall into his hand,
Two men were despatched to spy out the terrain,
And bring their report back to Joshua again.

They entered a city with barricades tall,
And stayed at a house on the boundary wall;
The hostess called Rahab was daring and wise;
She sized up the danger confronting her eyes.

She said to the men who had lodged at her room,
I know your success spells our ultimate doom,
Because we have heard of the plunder you wrought,
And what the Lord did in the battles you fought.

So then, by the Lord, will you swear unto me,
In view of the kindness of keeping you free,
You also show kindness to those who are mine,
And rescue our lives when they're laid on the line.

The people of Jericho trembled with fear,
Because of the army so dauntingly near;
They thought they were safe in their fortified town,
But suffered defeat when the walls tumbled down.

Yet Rahab was brought from her house on the wall,
Her father, her mother, her brothers and all;
The city was burned and the things it contained,
Because it was doomed as the Lord had ordained.

Thus Israel began her successful campaign,
And Canaan came under the tribal domain;
The twelve tribes were given the portion they claimed;
Wherever they settled by them it was named.

Yet some of the tribes did not drive out the foe;
Their faith in the Lord sank decidedly low;
But each time the people fell into a hole,
The Lord raised a judge to deliver their soul.
--------------------
A woman called Deborah who lived in Ephraim,
Gave judgment to Israel for any who came;
The Lord had commanded that troops be deployed,
For Sisera's army would soon be destroyed.

It fell upon Barak to marshal the troops,
With numbers allotted from different groups;
But he was not willing to go to the fight,
Unless she went with him; disowning his right.

The Lord used Barak in a slaughter complete,
But Sisera fled at this total defeat;
He came to the tent of a woman, Jael,
And laid himself down thinking all would be well.

He asked her to keep a close watch at the door,
And then fell asleep as he lay on the floor;
She picked up a tent peg, not making a sound,
And hammered it clean through his head to the ground.

Then Barak and Deborah broke forth into song,
The Lord God of Israel is mighty and strong;
Let all of His enemies die in the way,
But let those who love Him shine bright as the day.
--------------------
A famine struck Judah and harvest was lean,
With barely as much as a morsel to glean;
A man took his household and went to Moab,
But when death intruded the future looked drab.

Naomi and Ruth were alone and bereaved;
Then news came from Judah: the drought was relieved;
They went back as season of harvest was due;
A train of events we shall further pursue.

Now as she was gleaning Ruth met with her kin,
Who owned the estate that the reapers were in;
He knew of her background and treated her well,
And gave her some food when they paused for a spell.

Naomi arranged for her daughter-in-law,
To meet with this man at the winnowing floor;
Although not a party to what she had planned,
He promptly agreed to the matter in hand.

The happy conclusion to all that ensued,
Compares with a maiden successfully wooed;
The kinsman thereafter was married to Ruth;
Their story is told in the Handbook of Truth. 

The Lord honoured Ruth and her mother-in-law,
With blessings exceeding the hardships before;
To Ruth there was granted a fine baby boy;
A gift from the Lord who would add to their joy.
--------------------
A woman whose longings had suffered a blow,
Went yearly to worship the Lord at Shiloh;
For Hannah, the season for joy was inept,
Because she was childless and therefore she wept.

Amid all the heartaches she prayed to the Lord;
Its form is a pattern we wholly applaud;
The vow that she made in return for a son,
Was heard in the Council where justice is done.
--------------------
Now Abigail's husband was labelled a fool,
But she had no part in this secular school;
When men came requesting a portion of food,
They found he was selfish and hostile in mood.

Because he had taken this obstinate stand,
The matter was likely to get out of hand;
But Abigail's prudence averted a fight,
She brought food to David to help in his flight.
--------------------
Bathsheba's misfortune involving the king,
Had grave repercussions such matters can bring;
Since David was guilty of taking a life,
His household thereafter had multiple strife.

A daughter of David whose name was Tamar,
Was loved by her brother, albeit afar;
So Amnon determined by means of a trick,
To lie with his sister by feigning as sick.

She made him some cakes at her father's request,
While Amnon pretended he needed some rest,
She entered his room with the cakes in her hand,
As yet unaware of the trap he had planned.

Because he was strong in the physical sense,
He used this advantage to break her defence;
The trouble that followed this sorry event
Continued unchecked till the kingdom was rent.

The nation forsook their allegiance to God,
Which brought on the people the weight of His rod;
They went into exile as servants of men,
Until it was time for their freedom again.
--------------------
Queen Esther was placed in a difficult spot,
When told that her people were caught in a plot;
By laying self-interest and danger aside,
Her courage prevented a mass genocide.

The man who had planned this despicable thing,
Was ranked with the princes by deed of the king;
The queen gave a banquet with formal request,
Inviting the king with the prince as her guest.

The plot was uncovered before the accused;
His craving for mercy was flatly refused;
So Haman was hanged on the scaffold he made,
And judgment was passed on his infamous trade.

The Lord was protecting His people the Jews,
No matter what tactics the devil would use;
They cannot be banished by sinister play,
For nothing from Satan can take them away.
--------------------
When time was fulfilled for a sacred event,
And human endeavour was totally spent,
A virgin was chosen to carry a Child,
Whose blood would atone for a people defiled.

Glad tidings came unto a nation undone,
And Mary was told of her forthcoming Son;
The Saviour came down to a sin-ravaged earth,
While angels rejoiced at Immanuel's birth.

When Jesus had grown He embarked on His quest,
Resisting temptation, whatever the test;
A voice at the Jordan had called from above,
This is My beloved, the Son whom I love.
--------------------
The Mary we know by the name Magdalene,
Was held in the bondage of spirits unclean;
As Jesus passed by with His following band,
He cast out the demons by word of command.

She joined with the women who stayed by His side,
And stood near the cross on the day that He died;
When bloody atonement for sin had been made,
She went to the tomb where His body was laid.

On seeing the stone had been taken away,
And not yet perceiving the force of the day,
She ran and told Peter and John at the room,
That someone had taken the Lord from the tomb.

They ran and confirmed it was just as she said,
While still not aware He must rise from the dead;
But as He had told them by sign and by word,
The great consummation had rightly occurred.

As Mary returned to the burial site,
A Person appeared in the new morning light;
The Lord's resurrection had opened the door,
For every believer, of life evermore.

 

Martha and Mary
Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
John 11:5

Martha and Mary were friends of the Lord;
He came for a visit one day.
Martha invited Him into her house,
Befitting the customary way.
She was distracted with so much to do,
While making the Lord feel at home.
But in her serving, she thought, Wait a bit!
I’m doing this all on my own!

Coming to Jesus, she stated her case,
And bid that the Lord would command.
Speak to my sister and tell her to help!
Assist me and give me a hand!
Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet,
And choosing to take in His word.
Teaching more precious and dear to her soul,
Than any she ever had heard.

Jesus was seeking the best for them both,
And Mary had chosen that part.
All Christian service falls short of its goal
If not coming forth from the heart.
First we must listen like Mary of old,
And then when our service is pure;
Offer the Saviour our bodies and then,
He’ll gladly accept them, I’m sure.

 

Dorcas
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple  named Tabitha,
which by interpretation is called Dorcas.
Acts 9:36

A lady called Dorcas was full of good deeds;
She made coats and garments for those who had needs;
In time this dear lady fell poorly and died;
Her body was washed and laid gently aside.

Now Peter was staying at Lydda just then;
The faithful at Joppa sent two able men;
Requesting that Peter would come right away;
And so he went with them and did not delay.

They took him upstairs to the room where she slept;
The widows stood by him in tears as they wept.
They showed him the garments which Dorcas had made;
The loss of their loved one had left them dismayed.

He put them outside and then being alone,
He made his petition to God at the throne;
Then spoke to the body, Tabitha, arise!
And Dorcas awoke and she opened her eyes.

She looked up at Peter who gave her his hand,
And lifted her up as he helped her to stand;
He called in the widows who found with delight,
Their Dorcas alive looking healthy and bright.

The news of this thing was progressively known;
And all throughout Joppa the gospel was sown.
The good works of Dorcas await their reward,
From Jesus the Righteous, our Saviour and Lord.

 

Anna
And there was one Anna, a prophetess…
…a widow of about fourscore and four years.
Luke 2:36, 37

In the Scripture there is Anna,
Who in most devoted manner,
Served the Lord with prayer and fasting day and night;
In the temple, interceding,
With the Holy Spirit’s leading,
She had seen the One whose coming brings the Light.

Giving thanks unto the Father,
Round whose throne the angels gather,
So she spoke to those who waited for the Dawn;
For Redemption they were waiting,
As the Covenant was stating,
For the Lord, the infant Jesus, had been born.

So with Anna and the others,
Both our sisters and our brothers,
We rejoice that Jesus left His throne above;
God is with us, goes the chorus;
His redemptive plan is for us;
As at Calvary He showed His perfect love.

 

 

A Canaanite Woman
Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David!   
Matthew 15:22

A Canaanite woman cried out unto Jesus,
Have mercy upon me, O Lord!
My daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.
But He did not answer a word.
The men who were with Him: His trusty disciples,
Were urging Him, Send her away!
But she kept persisting with her interjections,
And would not be silenced this way.

Then Jesus declared to this woman who followed,
The purpose for which He was sent:
I came not except to the lost sheep of Israel.
But she did not lose her intent.
She worshipped Him openly, saying, Lord, help me!
But Jesus went on, Furthermore,
It’s not good to take bread prepared for the children
And cast it to dogs on the floor.

The woman said, True Lord; she caught His expression,
Alluding to those in her land,
Yet even the dogs eat the crumbs from the table
That fall from it onto the ground.
Then Jesus acknowledged this woman’s persistence,
O woman, how great is your faith!
So let it be done for you as you desire it.
Her daughter was found well and safe.

 

Simon and the Prostitute
Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much:
but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
Luke 7:47

A Pharisee informally asked Jesus to a meal;
The welcome he extended did not carry any zeal.
There was no water for His feet; no greeting of a kiss;
Nor was there any fragrant oil; a gesture quite remiss.

A woman came in off the street; a common prostitute.
The host whose name was Simon knew her life was dissolute.
She brought a flask of oil with her; the most she could afford.
It was her way of offering her worship to the Lord.

She knelt behind the Saviour as her tears fell on His feet;
And washed them with her flow of tears as Jesus sat at meat.
Then wiped His feet off with her hair: the emblem of her kind;
And kissed His feet repeatedly as Jesus there reclined.

She took the flask of ointment with its store of preciousness,
And poured it on the Saviour’s feet with loving tenderness.
Although her life had been a waste of sin and could not last,
She loved the Lord and knew He could forgive her sinful past.

As Simon saw this woman kneeling at the Saviour’s feet;
And noted that her conduct was quite rude and indiscreet;
He said within himself, If this man really were a seer,
He’d know just who this woman is: a sinner, it is clear.

Then Jesus said to Simon, I’ve a word to say to you.
There was a certain creditor with payments overdue.
One debtor owed five hundred pence; the other owed much less;
And so the man forgave them both and settled their redress.

Now tell Me, Simon, which of those will love this man the more?
He said, The one forgiven most; who owed him much before.
The Lord replied, You rightly judge; then turning on His seat,
He looked upon the woman who was weeping at His feet.

You see this woman, Simon? When I entered your abode,
There was no water for My feet, so dirtied from the road;
But she has washed My feet with tears and wiped them with her hair;
You gave no kiss, but she has kissed My feet with tender care.

You gave no ointment for My head, but she has dressed My feet;
Anointing them with precious oil; a fragrance pure and sweet.
Although her sins are many they have henceforth been released;
Because she loved so very much; but others love the least.

For those to whom is least forgiven, love so much the less.
A lesson we should take to heart whenever we confess.
Then Jesus told the woman who had kept the lowly place,
Your faith has saved you, go in peace: His parting words of grace.

 

Jairus’ Daughter
There came a man named Jairus... he had one only daughter,
about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying.   
Luke 8:41, 42

A ruler known as Jairus saw the Lord was passing by.
His daughter lay unwell at home; he feared that she would die.
He begged the Lord that He would come and heal the little maid.
As Jesus went along with him, their progress got delayed.

A woman who for twelve long years endured a flow of blood,
Had sought the help of doctors, spending all her livelihood.
She came behind the Lord and touched the border of His coat.
Immediately the flow was stopped: for reasons not remote.

Now there was quite a crowd surrounding Jesus at the place.
He said to them, Who touched Me? having sensed a loss of grace.
When everyone denied it for they thronged Him every side;
The woman came up trembling for she could no longer hide.

And falling down before Him she declared before them all,
How she had touched His coat and been delivered from her thrall.
He said to her, Take courage, for your faith has made you whole.
Depart in peace, be healed of that affliction of your soul.

While Jesus was still speaking, one approached the man and said,
Your daughter has just passed away: the little girl was dead.
So do not bother troubling the Teacher any more.
But Jesus said, Fear not, believe as you have done before.

So when they reached the house He saw the people as they wept;
He told them not to weep because the little girl just slept.
But knowing that the girl was dead they laughed Him unto scorn;
So Jesus put them all outside: their mirth was so forlorn.

He took the young girl by the hand and said, Young maid, arise.
Her spirit was revived again; she opened up her eyes;
And rose up from the bed and got up slowly to her feet;
Then Jesus told the parents, Give the girl something to eat.

Her parents were astonished at this thing which He had done;
But Jesus charged them not to tell this thing to anyone.
The Lord knew that His mission was to do the Father’s will,
By offering Himself to God upon a lonely hill.

 

Esther Exposes Evil
And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman.
Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
Esther 7:6

With Esther preparing to stand in the court,
She knew it could spell her removal;
Her role as first lady would then be cut short
Unless there was royal approval.

The king did not hesitate as she appeared,
Extending his beautiful sceptre;
His manner had pacified what she had feared,
For thus he agreed to accept her.

She made her petition in what she did tell,
Inviting the king to her banquet;
And also Prince Haman she honoured as well,
Although she’d not mentioned his rank yet.

For Haman was planning a Jewish demise:
He plotted their extermination;
This exilic people he’d come to despise;
Their downfall would bring him elation.

When Esther had given her feast yet again,
She made an appeal with emotion;
The plot formed by Haman was duly made plain,
Provoking a royal commotion.

For Haman had also determined a plan:
A hanging for someone respected;
The gallows he made would demolish this man;
So Haman had wrongly expected.

But Haman was placed on the gallows he built;
His screaming exceeded his boasting;
Thus sinners who die in their unashamed guilt
Will suffer a similar roasting.

 

 

Naomi and Ruth
Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee:
for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
Ruth 1:16

The Scripture is a book of satisfaction;
The Lord of hosts is always our attraction;
He built a woman from existing matter;
Communication soon gave way to chatter.

Responsiveness was her deciding feature,
Designed to be directed to her Teacher;
The devil knew this trait by observation,
Which prompted his demonic infiltration.

Deception is the instrument he uses,
Along with any issue that he chooses;
But God is our reliable protection;
His Word will always give the right direction.

Two ladies are the subject of our writing;
Their life was neither happy nor exciting;
Yet they in turn must bow before the Master;
For only God can overcome disaster.

These ladies were impoverished and grieving;
Inseparable at Moab they were leaving;
They came to Bethlehem at harvest season;
We learn the time appointed and the reason.

Whatever strange disasters come upon us,
Discipleship is what the Saviour honours;
Our life is like a droplet in the ocean;
We must beware of Satan’s evil potion.

For Ruth and for Naomi there was glory,
As blessing overtook them in the story;
It demonstrates that faith is all-embracing,
For judgment is the end we shall be facing.

 

 

Lydia Firstfruits
And when she was baptized, and her household,
she besought us, saying,
 If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord,
come into my house, and abide there.
And she constrained us.
Acts 16:15

When Paul had come to Philippi
With others in his care,
He found a river running by
Where people met for prayer.

A woman known as Lydia,
A worshipper of God,
Took note of Paul’s vernacular,
Of which she understood.

The Lord had opened up her heart
To heed the gospel word,
So that became her noble start
In life as it occurred.

She then went through the sacrament:
The ordinance by mode,
Constraining Paul with much intent
To stay at her abode.

Thus Lydia of purple trade;
The first of Philippi,
By that decision which she made
Now dwells with God on high.

 

Ruth and Naomi – Providence
Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes,
that thou shouldest take knowledge of me,
 seeing I am a stranger?
Ruth 2:10

Naomi had only her daughter,
Returning to Bethlehem town;
Not even her sadness could thwart her;
 But meanwhile her spirits were down.

She sent out her daughter for gleaning,
To gather some grain in the field;
For that was the custom or leaning
To eat what their labours would yield.

Her daughter went forth as requested
And came to a favourable ground;
She was not disturbed or molested,
As often the practice is found.

The owner came down as was normal;
The workers were under his care;
His manner was kind and informal;
He asked of the visitor there.

So Boaz and Ruth got acquainted;
She worked till the harvest was done;
The story is thoughtfully painted;
They married and brought forth a son.

This beautiful short illustration
Is treasured by Gentiles and Jews;
Ruth trusted the Lord of salvation
Like many who trust the good news.

 

Elijah and the Widow
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah:
and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.   
1 Kings 17:15

Elijah the Tishbite, a prophet of old,
Brought news to King Ahab: incisive and bold;
Now as the Lord liveth before whom I stand,
There shall be no rainfall nor dew in this land.

The Lord told Elijah to get out and hide,
And by the brook Cherith near Jordan abide.
He drank from the waters and then overhead,
The ravens supplied him with protein and bread.

When Cherith had dried up: for there was no rain;
The Lord told Elijah to move once again;
Now get thee along to Sidonian’s land;
A widow shall keep thee as I gave command.

He found the poor widow out gathering wood,
For she was surviving as well as she could.
Elijah requested some water and bread,
But this was the answer she gave him instead.

Now as the Lord liveth I have not a cake,
But just enough meal as a handful to bake;
The oil in the cruse jar has just about gone;
There’s almost enough for myself and my son.

I’m gathering sticks so that I can prepare,
The last of the food, for the cupboard is bare.
And then we shall eat it, both my son and I;
And when we have eaten we’re going to die.

Fear not, he assured her, but do as you’ve said;
And go now and make me a small cake of bread;
And when thou hast made it please bring it to me,
Then afterward make one for thy son and thee.

For thus says Jehovah the God of Israel,
The barrel of meal and the oil shall not fail,
Until there shall fall on the earth once again,
E’en that which He sendeth: the dew and the rain.

The widow attended to all he did say;
The meal and the oil were renewed every day;
And just as the word of the Lord cannot fail,
So those who will trust Him shall always prevail.

 

The Samarian Woman of Sychar
Come, see a man, which told me all things
that ever  I did; is not this the Christ?
John 4:29

The Pharisees had overheard
That certain changes had occurred;
The news came through to everyone
That Jesus baptized more than John.

The Lord departed from Judea;
The way ahead was always clear.
He must go through Samaria,
And meet up with a woman there.

He halted by a plot of ground;
The site where Jacob’s well is found.
His friends had gone to buy some meat
As they had nothing left to eat.

The woman came with pot in hand;
It was midday you understand;
There was a long accepted rule
To come out when the day was cool.

The Lord disarmed her straightaway.
She did not know quite what to say.
To ask a drink! And He a Jew!
It’s simply not the thing to do!

If she but knew the gift of God,
And who it was who spoke the word,
She would have asked and so received
His living water, Spirit-breathed.

The well was deep and furthermore
He had no means, she clearly saw:
Where do You get that living flow?
She could not see how it was so.

Our father Jacob watered here,
And left this well for us to share.
She added somewhat dubiously,
Are You a greater One than he?

To which the Lord gave His reply,
This water cannot satisfy.
The living water which I bring
Shall be an everlasting spring.

At this the woman made her plea,
Sir, give that water now to me,
That I may never thirst nor draw
This water as I have before.

The Lord brought up a moral view,
Go bring your husband here with you.
She said, I haven’t got a spouse.
Although a man lived at her house.

You have well spoken, He replied.
In saying that you haven’t lied.
You’ve had five husbands up to date.
The man you have is not your mate.

You are a prophet, Sir, I see.
She answered Him, evasively.
Our fathers worshipped on this mount,
But You say that’s of no account.

The Lord then carefully explained,
The mode of worship now ordained,
For all believers at the Throne:
In spirit and in truth alone.

The woman gaining confidence,
Came back at Him with her response:
Messiah’s coming; He will bring
The truth and tell us everything.

He said with due solemnity,
The One who speaks to you is He.
At that the woman left her jar,
And spread the news around Sychar.

She told the men who gathered round,
About the Friend whom she had found;
Come, see a Man who knows my past!
Is this the Christ who’s come at last?

And many folk from there went out
To meet this Man she spoke about,
And verified as they gave heed,
We know that this is Christ indeed.

 

Lydia
Lydia… heard us: whose heart the Lord opened,
that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
Acts 16:14

Within the city Philippi,
A lady did her trading;
In cloth which had a purple dye,
According to its grading;
Upon the Sabbath she would go,
Along with other stayers,
Down by the river even so
Entreating God with prayers.

The city with its given name
Was foremost in the region;
It had attained its special claim
By providential reason;
One day the ladies went for prayer
As was their weekly meeting,
And met some men with godly flair
Who offered them a greeting.

This lady known as Lydia,
Of kindly inclination,
Was not a person needier
Than any in creation;
She listened very carefully
To words so boldly spoken,
And as she heard them prayerfully
Her heart was strangely woken.

The good news that she gladly heard
About the risen Saviour,
Produced in her a spirit stirred
Affecting her behaviour;
For then, thereafter, sun or rain,
She rose up every morning,
As life took on a higher plane
With praise her works adorning.

 

Hannah’s Prayer
For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath
given me my petition which I asked of Him.
1 Samuel 1:27

My heart is filled with gladness in the Lord my King;
My strength is lifted highly in His name;
My enemies I smile at with the taunts they fling,
For joy of Thy salvation I acclaim.

For none is counted holy but the Lord so true;
And there is not another one besides;
A fortress and a rock that nothing can subdue;
A refuge for the needy that abides.

Talk nevermore so proudly in your common speech;
Let not a word be found upon your tongue;
For God knows every circumstance within your reach,
And weighs the actions as they come along.

The strength of all the mighty men is broken down;
The weak have been empowered from on high;
And those considered full have hired themselves in town,
For cisterns which they counted on are dry.

The hungry have been satisfied with wholesome bread;
The barren one has children on her knee;
And she with many offspring whom the Lord has fed,
Is feeble for her lack of piety.

The Lord elects to kill, He also makes alive;
He brings down to the grave and raises up;
The proud one He abases but the humble thrive;
He fills with joy the beggar’s empty cup.

He raises up the poor man from the lowly dust,
And lifts the outcast from the heap of ash;
To set them in positions of renown and trust,
With royal robes of honour and a sash.

The pillars of the earth are in Jehovah’s hand;
Upon them He has set the world in place;
He guards the feet of followers and makes them stand,
Because of His immeasurable grace.

The wicked shall be silent when the darkness falls;
For by his strength no mortal can prevail;
The enemies of God who know what death forestalls,
Will perish and be shattered without fail.

The Lord will judge the earth from His exalted throne;
With thunder He will prove the sons of wrath;
And so will He establish One He calls His own;
And strengthen His Anointed on the path.

 

Song of Mary
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Luke 1:46, 47

My soul doth magnify the Lord;
My Saviour whom I fear;
My spirit strikes a joyful chord
In Him who is so dear.

Because He hath regarded so,
His handmaid’s low estate;
For as His love and kindness show,
It counts with One so great.

From this time forward everyone,
Will truly call me blest;
For mighty things the Lord hath done,
As all His deeds attest.

His mercy rests abidingly,
On those who fear His name;
For generations yet to be,
And evermore the same.

His arm hath shown His awesome strength;
The proud He scatters far;
The mighty He puts down at length,
Though strong and great they are.

He lifts up those of low degree,
And places them with kings;
And those who hunger rightfully,
He filleth with good things.

The wealthiness the rich possess
Is only for a day
So in their fleeting emptiness
He sendeth yet away;

The Lord hath helped His servant well;
His mercy never fails;
The promise made to Israel,
That evermore prevails.

Just as He spoke to Abraham,
And to his promised seed;
The everlasting great I AM,
Who meets our every need.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------