Cowper

A Prayer for Mercy

by

Lamentations 1:20-22 (ESV)
Look, O LORD, for I am in distress; my stomach churns; my heart is wrung within me, because I have been very rebellious. In the street the sword bereaves; in the house it is like death. They heard my groaning, yet there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you have done it. You have brought the day you announced; now let them be as I am. Let all their evildoing come before you, and deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my transgressions; for my groans are many, and my heart is faint.

A Theme to Remember:
Jeremiah, the author of Lamentations, vividly expresses his despair over his sins and the wickedness of those around him. Before we can truly repent it’s important to have a heart that is grieved over the alienation from God our transgressions cause.

Words to Remember:
Man may dismiss compassion from his heart, but God never will.
–William Cowper

AMAZING GRACE

by

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Shall be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

About the writer: John Newton was born in London in 1725. His mother, a pious woman, died when he was only seven years of age. His only “schooling” was from his eighth to his tenth year. He was engaged in the African slave trade for several years and was even himself held as a slave at one time in Sierra Leone. He bragged of his sinful nature but was converted in a storm at sea while returning from Africa. He married a devout Christian in 1750 and became a minister in the Established Church in 1758, preaching at a church in Olney, near Cambridge. He remained here for nearly sixteen years, becoming friends with the poet William Cowper, who was joint author with him of the Olney Hymns, 1779. Soon after the appearance of this volume, he moved to London where he was rector of St. Mary Woolnoth. He died in 1807. Newton wrote his own epitaph, which included the following:  John Newton, once an infidel and libertine, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, and pardoned, and appointed to preach the Faith he had long labored to destroy.

Key Verse: “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” –John 9:25

THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD

by

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’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.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
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.

Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.

Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
‘Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine.

About the writer: William Cowper was born in Hertfordshire, England in 1731. His father, Reverend John Cowper, was a chaplain to George II. He spent ten years in Westminster School and then began reading law; abandoning it for literature after a very brief practice. He became the most distinguished poet of the English language in the latter half of the eighteenth century. Despite this he suffered from debilitating depression. In 1767 he moved to Olney, the home of John Newton. Cowper was a constant and prayerful attendant at Newton’s church services; especially his cottage prayer meetings, for which nearly all of his hymns were written at Newton’s request. The Olney Hymns, 1779, was their joint production; 78 of them coming from Cowper. He died in 1800.

Key Verse: On that day a fountain will be opened for the dynasty of David and for the people of Jerusalem, a fountain to cleanse them from all their sins and defilement. –Zechariah 13:1

Cowper, William

by

William Cowper (1731-1800) was born in Hertfordshire, England. His father, Reverend John Cowper, was a chaplain to George II. He spent ten years in Westminster School and then began reading law; abandoning it for literature after a very brief practice. He became the most distinguished poet of the English language in the latter half of the 18th century. Despite this he suffered from debilitating depression. In 1767 he moved to Olney, the home of John Newton. Cowper was a constant and prayerful attendant at Newton’s church services; especially his cottage prayer meetings, for which nearly all of his hymns were written at Newton’s request. The Olney Hymns, 1779, was their joint production; 78 of them coming from Cowper. His resolve and willingness to accomplish great things for God despite emotional burdens has long served as a source of encouragement for those who suffer from depression.