In the cross of Christ I glory

149 Rathbun. 8. 7. 8. 7.

1 In the cross of Christ I glory,
   towering o'er the wrecks of time;
   all the light of sacred story
   gathers round its head sublime.

2 When the woes of life o'ertake me,
   hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
   never shall the cross forsake me.
   Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

3 When the sun of bliss is beaming
   light and love upon my way,
   from the cross the radiance streaming
   adds more luster to the day.

4 Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
   by the cross are sanctified;
   peace is there that knows no measure,
   joys that through all time abide.

5 In the cross of Christ I glory,
   towering o'er the wrecks of time;
   all the light of sacred story
   gathers round its head sublime.
                         John Bowring
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

No, it really isn't about destruction

The emphasis is not on the object but on everyone around the object; “no one shall make use of this.” When ḥerem objects are destroyed, the purpose of the destruction is to make sure that nobody can use it, but not all ḥerem objects are destroyed. Most notably, Joshua 11:12–13 reports that all of the northern cities were ḥarem, yet Joshua destroys only one of them (Hazor). Likewise, a field that is ḥerem is not destroyed but becomes the property of the priests (Lev 27:21). Destruction, when it occurs, is a means to an end.— The Lost World of the Israelite Conquest, 170

<idle musing>
You kind of get the idea that they want to make sure we don't keep thinking the ḥerem is about destruction, don't you? I'm getting there. This is the second time through the book because the first time I was mulling it around and had some questions—wasn't sure what to make of it. I'm still not, but I'm becoming convinced that ḥerem isn't about destruction.
</idle musing>

When I survey the wondrous cross

148 Eucharist. L. M.

1 When I survey the wondrous cross
   on which the Prince of glory died,
   my richest gain I count but loss,
   and pour contempt on all my pride.

2 Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
   save in the death of Christ, my God!
   All the vain things that charm me most,
   I sacrifice them through his blood.

3 See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
   sorrow and love flow mingled down.
   Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
   or thorns compose so rich a crown?

4 Were the whole realm of nature mine,
   that were a present far too small.
   Love so amazing, so divine,
   demands my soul, my life, my all.
                        Isaac Watts
                        The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
A classic Watts hymn; according to hymnary.org it occurs in 1960 hymnals! And it has been translated into numerous languages.
</idle musing>

Ask what great things I know

147 Hendon. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7.

1 Ask ye what great thing I know
   that delights and stirs me so?
   What the high reward I win?
   Whose the name I glory in?
   Jesus Christ, the Crucified.

2 Who defeats my fiercest foes?
   Who consoles my saddest woes?
   Who revives my fainting heart,
   healing all its hidden smart?
   Jesus Christ, the Crucified.

3 Who is life in life to me?
   Who the death of death will be?
   Who will place me on His right,
   with the countless hosts of light?
   Jesus Christ, the Crucified.

4 This is that great thing I know;
   this delights and stirs me so:
   faith in Him who died to save,
   Him who triumphed o'er the grave:
   Jesus Christ, the Crucified.
                         Johann C. Schwedler
                         Tr. by Benjamin H. Kennedy
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
As always, you should ckeck out the biographies! Take this, for example, about Schwedler:

He also founded an orphanage at Niederwiese. He was a near neighbour and great friend of Johann Mentzer and N. L. von Zinzendorf. As a hymnwriter he was useful and popular. The principal theme of his hymns was the Grace of God through Christ, and the joyful confidence imparted to the soul that experienced it.

And Kennedy was no slouch, either, being Regius Professor of Greek at Cambridge and authoring numerous treatises on Latin alongside his innumerable hymns and translations of hymns.
</idle musing>

Never further than thy cross

146 Aletta. 7. 7. 7. 7.

1 Never further than Thy cross,
   Never higher than Thy feet;
   Here earth's precious things seem dross,
   Here earth's bitter things grow sweet.

2 Here, O Christ, our sins we see,
   Learn Thy love while gazing thus;
   Sin, which laid the cross on Thee,
   Love, which bore the cross for us.

3 Here we learn to serve and give,
   And, rejoicing, self deny;
   Here we gather love to live,
   Here we gather faith to die.

4 Pressing onward as we can,
   Still to this our hearts must tend;
   Where our earliest hopes began,
   There our last aspirings end;

5 Till amid the hosts of light,
   We in Thee redeemed, complete,
   Through Thy cross made pure and white,
   Cast our crowns before Thy feet.
                         Elizabeth R. Charles
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

More on order vs. chaos

Therefore, we should think of the conquest as bringing order out of nonorder, rather than bringing order out of disorder. Nonorder (the Canaanites) are being cleared away just as tohu wabohu is in Gen 1, so that order may be established. The Canaanites are not indicted as agents of disorder and are not punished or judged in that regard. But their presence would instigate disorder among the Israelites.— The Lost World of the Israelite Conquest, 166 n. 29

Beneath the cross of Jesus

144 St. Christopher. 7. 6. 8. 6. 8. 6. 8. 6.

1 Beneath the cross of Jesus
   I fain would take my stand,
   the shadow of a mighty Rock
   within a weary land;
   a home within the wilderness,
   a rest upon the way,
   from the burning of the noontide heat
   and the burden of the day.

2 Upon the cross of Jesus
   mine eye at times can see
   the very dying form of One
   who suffered there for me:
   and from my stricken heart with tears
   two wonders I confess,
   the wonders of redeeming love
   and my unworthiness.

3 I take, O cross, thy shadow
   for my abiding place:
   I ask no other sunshine than
   the sunshine of his face;
   content to let the world go by,
   to know no gain nor loss;
   my sinful self my only shame,
   my glory all the cross.
                         Elizabeth C. Clephane
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
Do you ever click through to read the biographies of the authors? I find them fascinating; you learn all kinds of interesting things. Some very encouraging; others not so much. Today's author was a young woman who only lived to be 39; during the course of her short life, she penned a number of hymns, some of which have been translated into numerous languages. Click through the link to see which ones!
</idle musing>

Reestablishing order from chaos (no, not our modern world!)

The Israelite nation is holy, co-identified with Yahweh and the cosmic order. The Canaanite nations are thematically related to cosmic chaos. The persistent emphasis of the conquest is to drive out the people of the land; thus the conquest thrusts chaos aside in order to make a space in which order will be established. When stated in this way, it becomes very apparent what the conquest is: a thematic recapitulation of the creation account in Genesis 1, where chaos was driven away to establish order.— The Lost World of the Israelite Conquest, 158

Alas! and did my Savior bleed

142 Martyrdom (Avon). C. M.

1 Alas! and did my Savior bleed,
   and did my Sovereign die!
   Would he devote that sacred head
   for sinners such as I?

2 Was it for crimes that I have done,
   he groaned upon the tree?
   Amazing pity! Grace unknown!
   And love beyond degree!

3 Well might the sun in darkness hide,
   and shut its glories in,
   when God, the mighty maker, died
   for his own creature's sin.

4 Thus might I hide my blushing face
   while his dear cross appears;
   dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
   and melt mine eyes to tears.

5 But drops of tears can ne'er repay
   the debt of love I owe.
   Here, Lord, I give myself away;
   'tis all that I can do.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

But they are invincible!

All of this indicates that Leviticus 18 is describing the people of Canaan in terms of a well-known ancient Near Eastern trope about invincible barbarians destined to be destroyed by the gods. Despite the portrait of the barbarians, their status as living outside the ordered world, and their destiny of destruction, the trope is never used as an excuse to destroy them on behalf of the offended gods (what we would call holy war) because the gods reserve the right to deal with them themselves. It is also never used to justify attacking the barbarians and taking their resources (implied by the English word conquest), because attacking the barbarians militarily is suicide. Normally the trope is employed to rationalize losing battles (not winning them) and avoiding enemies (not assaulting them). This means that Israel would not have used the trope to justify going to war, and if Israel would not have used it, an interpreter of Israel’s actions cannot use it either. Likewise, the interpreter cannot use the reference to make any claims about actual behavior of actual Canaanites, because law treatises (and violations thereof) do not describe actions per se, and the trope of invincible barbarians does not necessarily reflect actual observations.— The Lost World of the Israelite Conquest, 144

O sacred head, now wounded

141 Passion Chorale. 7. 6. 7. 6. D.

1 O sacred Head, now wounded,
   with grief and shame weighed down,
   now scornfully surrounded
   with thorns, Thine only crown.
   O sacred Head, what glory,
   what bliss till now was Thine!
   Yet, though despised and gory,
   I joy to call Thee mine.

2 What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered
   was all for sinners' gain;
   mine, mine was the transgression,
   but Thine the deadly pain.
   Lo, here I fall, my Savior!
   'Tis I deserve Thy place;
   look on me with Thy favor,
   vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

3 What language shall I borrow
   to thank Thee, dearest Friend,
   for this, Thy dying sorrow,
   Thy pity without end?
   O make me Thine forever!
   And should I fainting be,
   Lord, let me never, never
   outlive my love for Thee.
                         Authorship uncertain
                         Tr. by Paul Gerhardt
                         Tr. by James W. Alexander
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
I've always liked this hymn, especially the third verse, the final lines:

   And should I fainting be,
   Lord, let me never, never
   outlive my love for Thee.

Far from being a depressing thought, I find it an encouragement, because I know that the love of God and the power of the Holy Spirit is so strong that I can't help but fall deeper in love with him.

Hymnary.org adds a fourth verse, which I don't recall seeing before:

4 Be near when I am dying,
   O show Thy cross to me!
   And, for my succor flying,
   come, Lord, to set me free:
   these eyes, new faith receiving,
   from Thee shall never move;
   for he who dies believing
   dies safely in Thy love.

They also note that some attribute the hymn to Bernard of Clairvaux and others to Arnulf, Abbot of Villers-la-Ville, about whom they have no information.
</idle musing>

Where's the magic pill?

We can't buy good health; we must earn it. We are given only one body in this lifetime, so I encourage you to take proper care of it. Over time, your health and happiness are inescapably linked. You don't get a new body when you destroy your health with disease-causing foods.—Joel Fuhrman, Eat to Live, 314

Hermeneutics (Tozer for Tuesday)

Here is a good working rule to help you rightly understand Scripture: If you do not have more than one verse to support what you read, do not teach it. Because, if it is not found in more than one verse in the Bible, chances are it is not found there either, and what you think is a passage teaching a certain thing does not teach it at all.—A.W. Tozer, Living as a Christian, 169

What's the point of righteousness?

The Pharisees can serve as an illustration of this. The problem was not that they were immoral or burdensome, because they were neither of these things; their righteousness is commended in Matthew 5:20. The problem was that they had failed to understand why they were supposed to be righteous; thus, instead of their righteousness representing God as wise and just, their righteousness represented him as petty, arbitrary, and susceptible to manipulation. The point was never the righteousness; the point was always the representation, which is why the Pharisees are repeatedly equated with their idolatrous ancestors. Misrepresentation by righteousness is no different than misrepresentation by unrighteousness.— The Lost World of the Israelite Conquest, 124

<idle musing>
Ouch! How many of us fall into that category? Lord, have mercy!
</idle musing>

There is a fountain

140 Cleansing Fountain. C. M. D.

1 There is a fountain filled with blood
   Drawn from Immanuel's veins;
   And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
   Lose all their guilty stains:
   Lose all their guilty stains,
   Lose all their guilty stains;
   And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
   Lose all their guilty stains.

2 The dying thief rejoiced to see
   That fountain in his day;
   And there may I, though vile as he,
   Wash all my sins away:
   Wash all my sins away,
   Wash all my sins away;
   And there may I, though vile as he,
   Wash all my sins away.

3 Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
   Shall never lose its pow'r,
   Till all the ransomed Church of God
   Be saved, to sin no more:
   Be saved, to sin no more,
   Be saved, to sin no more;
   Till all the ransomed Church of God
   Be saved to sin no more.

4 E'er since by faith I saw the stream
   Thy flowing wounds supply,
   Redeeming love has been my theme,
   And shall be till I die:
   And shall be till I die,
   And shall be till I die;
   Redeeming love has been my theme,
   And shall be till I die.

5 When this poor lisping, stamm'ring tongue
   Lies silent in the grave,
   Then in a nobler, sweeter song
   I'll sing Thy pow'r to save:
   I'll sing Thy pow'r to save,
   I'll sing Thy pow'r to save;
   Then in a nobler, sweeter song
   I'll sing Thy pow'r to save.
                         Willaim Cowper
                        The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

You are NOT rational

Addictions affect our ability to think rationally; they prejudice our judgment in favor of maintaining the addiction. That is why it is so difficult even to decide to change, much less actually change. Those addicted to rich, heart attack-causing foods are more than happy to believe the lie that a low cholesterol level is not desirable and readily parrot high-protein enthusiasts who spread the myth that low cholesterol is dangerous. Many people addicted to animal foods would embrace the belief that the earth is flat if they could use it to justify their consumption of fatty meats, butter, and cheese.—Joel Fuhrman, Eat to Live, 167

<idle musing>
Truth!
</idle musing>

Why are the gods condemned in Psalm 82?

This is the difference between Yahweh and the gods who stand accused in Psalm 82. These gods fail to uphold justice (Ps 82:2–4), not because they are evil and want to encourage injustice—ancient Near Eastern kings testify that their gods demanded justice—but because they are codependent; if they punish their people as they should, they will no longer receive sacrifices to meet their needs (compare the sentiment expressed in Jer 7:9–10). In contrast, Yahweh’s relationship with his people is not defined by codependence but justice.— The Lost World of the Israelite Conquest, 123–24

It is finished!

139 Christi Mutter. 8. 8. 7.

“It is finished!” Man of sorrows!
   From thy cross our frailty borrows
   Strength to bear and conquer thus.

2. While extended there we view thee,
   Mighty Sufferer! draw us to thee;
   Sufferer victorious!

3. Not in vain for us uplifted,
   Man of sorrows, wonder-gifted!
   May that sacred emblem be;

4. Lifted high amid the ages,
   Guide of heroes, saints, and sages,
   May it guide us still to thee!

5. Still to thee! whose love unbounded
   Sorrow’s depths for us has sounded,
   Perfected by conflicts sore.

6. Honored be thy cross forever;
   Star, that points our high endeavor
   Whither thou hast gone before!
                         Frederick H. Hedge
                        The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
Interestingly, the author is a Unitarian, which would explain the lack of any reference to Jesus as divine! Nevertheless, a good hymn, even if he leaves Jesus as simply a "Guide of heroes, saints, and sages," rather than an enabling presence.
</idle musing>

O Love divine, what hast thou done?

137 Selena. 8. 8. 8. 8. 8. 8.

1. O Love divine, what hast thou done!
   The immortal God hath died for me!
   The Father's coeternal Son
   bore all my sins upon the tree.
   The immortal God hath died for me!
   My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

2. Is crucified for me and you,
   to bring us rebels back to God.
   Believe, believe the record true,
   ye all are bought with Jesus' blood.
   Pardon for all flows from his side:
   My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

3. Behold him, all ye that pass by,
   the bleeding Prince of life and peace!
   Come, sinners, see your Savior die,
   and say, "Was ever grief like his?"
   Come, feel with me his blood applied:
   My Lord, my Love, is crucified!
                         Charles Wesley
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
I don't recall ever singing this hymn, to my loss. And in the past, whenever I would read a hymn or two devotionally, I would always just read ones I knew. This is the first time I've gone through this hymnal from front to back. It's been fun! And educational, too.

Hymnary.org adds a fourth verse:

4 Then let us sit beneath his Cross,
   And gladly catch the healing stream;
   All Things for him account but Loss,
   And give up all our Hearts to him:
   Of nothing speak, or think beside,
   But Jesus and him crucify'd.

Not sure why they would omit it; it's loaded with good theology!
</idle musing>

O come and mourn with me a while

134 St. Cross. L. M.

1 O come and mourn with me awhile;
   O come ye to the Savior's side;
   O come, together let us mourn:
   Jesus, our Love, is crucified!

2 Have we no tears to shed for Him,
   While soldiers scoff and foes deride?
   Ah! Look how patiently He hangs:
   Jesus, our Lord, is crucified!

3 Seven times He spake seven words of love;
   And all three hours His silence cried
   For mercy on the souls of men:
   Jesus, our Lord, is crucified!

4 O love of God! O sin of man!
   In this dread act your strength is tried;
   And victory remains with love:
   Jesus, our Lord, is crucified!
                         Frederick W. Faber
                        The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
We go from the exultation of Palm Sunday in yesterday's hymn to the agony of the passion in this one. I do like the fact that the hymn, despite being all about the agony of the garden and the cross, ends on a high note of "victory remains with love."
</idle musing>