Resounding Praise for Abounding Love

Psalm 103:1

The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 

he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 

as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Psalm 130:3-4

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,

Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness,

so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

May our outlook always be an up-look!

The scenery changes with the season...

but never the Reason of hope!

The valley of reflection can feel cold and dark and wet 

It steals the light of laughter if we linger there too long 

The weight of condemnation can crush us with sad regret 

If we forget that God forgives and helps us carry on 

This is the day that He has made to look ahead, not back 

To walk upon the stepping-stones we stumbled on before 

To be aware of what we have in spite of all we lack 

God’s grace always sufficient for whatever lies in store 

Futile to dwell where we can never alter what is done 

Better to focus on the mercy of this present morn 

For He forgives the sinner through the merit of his Son 

As far as east is from the west, man’s transgression is borne 

Then when the deceiver attempts to drag us to a pit 

Of doubt and dark despair remember He who loves us so 

His kindness and compassion do not recount our debt 

But only sees the perfect grace He grants whereby we go 

His love abounds and metes the grounds for peace and happiness 

If we ask he will give and if we seek him we will find 

He is faithful and just and forgives us if we confess 

Then pray we live to love him with heart, soul and strength and mind 

For HE IS, WAS and WILL BE faithful, changeless, GREAT I AM

Ah, what is man that God is mindful of mortal at all

And yet for man He gave His Son to be the slaughtered Lamb

And save all who believe from that which sin conceived; the fall

Therefore no valley of despair is deep or dark enough

To hide us from the One who sees exactly where we are

For nothing can separate us from His abounding love

Ah, look! the hand that holds us bears love's signature, a scar

© Janet Martin