THE MEDIATOR

Everlasting Creator-Father,

have destroyed myself,
my name is defiled,
the powers of my soul are degraded;
I am vile, miserable, strengthless,
but my hope is in thee.
If ever I am saved it will be by goodness
undeserved and astonishing,
not by mercy alone but by abundant mercy,
not by grace but by exceeding riches of grace;
And such thou has revealed, promised, exemplified
in thoughts of peace, not of evil.

Thou hast devised means
to rescue me from sin’s perdition,
to restore me to happiness, honor, safety.
I bless thee for the everlasting covenant,
for the appointment of a Mediator.
I rejoice that he failed not, nor was discouraged,
but accomplished the work thou gavest him
to do;
and said on the cross, ‘It is finished.’
I exult in the thought that
thy justice is satisfied,
thy truth is established,
thy law magnified,
and a foundation is laid for my hope.
I look to a present and personal interest
in Christ and say,
surely he has borne my griefs,
carried my sorrows,
won my peace,
healed my soul.
Justified by his blood I am saved by his life,
Glorying in his cross I bow to his sceptre,
Having his spirit I possess his mind.

Lord, grant that my religion may not be
occasional and partial,
but universal, influential, effective,
and may I always continue in thy words
as well as thy works,
so that I may reach my end in peace.

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

salme 17 (Geneva Bible)
The prayer of Dauid.

1 Heare the right, O Lord, consider my crye: hearken vnto my prayer of lips vnfained.
2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence, and let thine eyes beholde equitie.
3 Thou hast prooued and visited mine heart in the night: thou hast tryed me, and foundest nothing: for I was purposed that my mouth should not offend.
4 Concerning the workes of men, by the wordes of thy lips I kept mee from the paths of the cruell man.
5 Stay my steps in thy paths, that my feete doe not slide.
6 I haue called vpon thee: surely thou wilt heare me, O God: incline thine eare to me, and hearken vnto my wordes.
7 Shewe thy marueilous mercies, thou that art the Sauiour of them that trust in thee, from such as resist thy right hand.
8 Keepe me as the apple of the eye: hide me vnder the shadowe of thy wings,
9 From the wicked that oppresse mee, from mine enemies, which compasse me round about for my soule.
10 They are inclosed in their owne fat, and they haue spoken proudely with their mouth.
11 They haue compassed vs now in our steps: they haue set their eyes to bring downe to the ground:
12 Like as a lyon that is greedy of pray, and as it were a lyons whelp lurking in secret places.
13 Vp Lord, disappoint him: cast him downe: deliuer my soule from the wicked with thy sworde,
14 From men by thine hand, O Lord, from men of the world, who haue their portion in this life, whose bellies thou fillest with thine hid treasure: their children haue ynough, and leaue the rest of their substance for their children.
15 But I will beholde thy face in righteousnes, and when I awake, I shalbe satisfied with thine image.

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