THE PRECIOUS BLOOD

Blessed Lord Jesus,

efore thy cross I kneel and see
the heinousness of my sin,
my iniquity that caused thee to be
‘made a curse’,
the evil that excites the severity
of divine wrath.
Show me the enormity of my guilt by
the crown of thorns,
the pierced hands and feet,
the bruised body,
the dying cries.
Thy blood is the blood of incarnate God,
its worth infinite, its value beyond all thought.
Infinite must be the evil and guilt
that demands such a price.
Sin is my malady, my monster, me foe, my viper,
born in birth,
alive in life,
strong in my character,
dominating my faculties,
following me as a shadow,
intermingling with my every thought,
my chain that holds me captive in the
empire of my soul.
Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light,
the air supply breath,
the earth bear my tread,
its fruits nourish me,
its creatures subserve my ends?
Yet thy compassions yearn over me,
thy heart hastens to my rescue,
thy love endured my curse,
thy mercy bore my deserved stripes.
Let me walk humbly in the lowest depths
of humiliation
bathed in thy blood,
tender of conscience,
triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation.

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

salme 38 (Geneva Bible)
A Psalme of Dauid for remembrance.

1 O Lord, rebuke mee not in thine anger, neither chastise me in thy wrath.
2 For thine arrowes haue light vpon me, and thine hand lyeth vpon me.
3 There is nothing sound in my flesh, because of thine anger: neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinne.
4 For mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head, and as a weightie burden they are too heauie for me.
5 My woundes are putrified, and corrupt because of my foolishnes.
6 I am bowed, and crooked very sore: I goe mourning all the day.
7 For my reines are full of burning, and there is nothing sound in my flesh.
8 I am weakened and sore broken: I roare for the very griefe of mine heart.
9 Lord, I powre my whole desire before thee, and my sighing is not hid from thee.
10 Mine heart panteth: my strength faileth me, and the light of mine eyes, euen they are not mine owne.
11 My louers and my friends stand aside from my plague, and my kinsmen stand a farre off.
12 They also, that seeke after my life, laye snares, and they that go about to do me euil, talke wicked things and imagine deceite continually.
13 But I as a deafe man heard not, and am as a dumme man, which openeth not his mouth.
14 Thus am I as a man, that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofes.
15 For on thee, O Lord, do I waite: thou wilt heare me, my Lord, my God.
16 For I said, Heare me, least they reioyce ouer me: for when my foote slippeth, they extol themselues against me.
17 Surely I am ready to halte, and my sorow is euer before me.
18 When I declare my paine, and am sory for my sinne,
19 Then mine enemies are aliue and are mightie, and they that hate me wrongfully are many.
20 They also, that rewarde euill for good, are mine aduersaries, because I follow goodnesse.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord: be not thou farre from me, my God.
22 Haste thee to helpe mee, O my Lord, my saluation.

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