MAN’S GREATEST END

Lord of all being,

here is one thing that deserves my greatest care,
that calls forth my ardent desires,
That is, that I may answer the great end for which
      I am made –
   to glorify thee who hast given me being,
   and to do all the good I can for my fellow men;
Verily, life is not worth having
   if it be not improved for this noble purpose.
Yet, Lord, how little is this the thought of mankind!
Most men seem to live for themselves,
   without much or any regard for thy glory,
   or for the good of others;
They earnestly desire and eagerly pursue
   the riches, honours, pleasures of this life,
   as if they supposed that wealth, greatness,
      merriment,
   could make their immortal souls happy;
But, alas, what false delusive dreams are these!

And how miserable ere long will those be that
      sleep in them,
   for all our happiness consists in loving thee,
   and being holy as thou art holy.
O may I never fall into the tempers and vanities,
   the sensuality and folly of the present world!
It is a place of inexpressible sorrow, a vast empty
   nothingness;
Time is a moment, a vapour,
   and all its enjoyments are empty bubbles,
   fleeting blasts of wind,
   from which nothing satisfactory can be derived;
Give me grace always to keep in covenant with thee,
   and to reject as delusion a great name here
      or hereafter,
   together with all sinful pleasures or profits.
Help me to know continually
   that there can be no true happiness,
   no fulfilling of thy purpose for me,
   apart from a life lived in and for
      the Son of thy love.

—from The Valley of Vision, Arthur Bennett, editor (Banner of Truth Trust, 2002).

Psalm 92 (Geneva Bible)
A Psalme or song for the Sabbath day.

1 It is a good thing to praise the Lord, and to sing vnto thy Name, O most High,
2 To declare thy louing kindenesse in the morning, and thy trueth in the night,
3 Vpon an instrument of tenne strings, and vpon the viole with the song vpon the harpe.
4 For thou, Lord, hast made mee glad by thy workes, and I wil reioyce in the workes of thine handes.
5 O Lord, how glorious are thy workes! and thy thoughtes are very deepe.
6 An vnwise man knoweth it not, and a foole doeth not vnderstand this,
7 (When the wicked growe as the grasse, and all the workers of wickednesse doe flourish) that they shall be destroyed for euer.
8 But thou, O Lord, art most High for euermore.
9 For loe, thine enemies, O Lorde: for loe, thine enemies shall perish: all the workers of iniquitie shall be destroyed.
10 But thou shalt exalt mine horne, like the vnicornes, and I shalbe anoynted with fresh oyle.
11 Mine eye also shall see my desire against mine enemies: and mine eares shall heare my wish against the wicked, that rise vp against me.
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palme tree, and shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon.
13 Such as bee planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courtes of our God.
14 They shall still bring foorth fruite in their age: they shall be fat and flourishing,
15 To declare that the Lord my rocke is righteous, and that none iniquitie is in him.