2 Samuel 24:1-10: Three Conundrums

My goal is God Himself, not joy, nor peace,
Not even blessing, but Himself, my God:
‘Tis His to lead me there, not mine, but His -
‘At any cost, dear Lord, by any road!’

So faith bounds forward to its goal in God,
And love can trust her Lord to lead her there;
Upheld by Him, my soul is following hard,
Till God hath full fulfilled my deepest prayer.

No matter if the way be sometimes dark,
No matter though the cost be oft-times great,
He knoweth how I best shall reach the mark,
The way that leads to Him must needs be strait.

One thing I know, I cannot say Him nay;
One thing I do, I press toward my Lord;
My God, my glory here, from day to day,
And in the glory there my Great Reward.

F. Brook

1 The Lord Jehovah reigns,
his throne is built on high;
the garments he assumes
are light and majesty:
his glories shine with beams so bright
no mortal eye can bear the sight.

2 The thunders of his hand
keep the wide world in awe;
his wrath and justice stand
to guard his holy law;
and where his love resolves to bless
his truth confirms and seals his grace.

3 Through all his ancient works
amazing wisdom shines,
confounds the powers of hell
and breaks their cursed designs;
strong is his arm, and shall fulfil
his great decrees, his sovereign will.

4 And can this mighty King
of Glory condescend?
And will he write his name
My Father and my Friend?
I love his name, I love his word;
join, all my powers, and praise the Lord.

Isaac Watts

Thou Shepherd of Israel, and mine,
The joy and desire of my heart,
For closer communion I pine,
I long to reside where Thou art.

The pasture I languish to find,
Where all who their Shepherd obey,
Are fed on His bosom reclined,
And screened from the heat of the day.

Ah, show me that happiest place,
That place of Thy people’s abode,
Where saints in an ecstasy gaze,
And look on a crucified God.

Thy love for a sinner declare,
Thy passion and death on the tree,
My spirit to Calvary bear,
To suffer and triumph with Thee.

‘Tis there, with the lambs of Thy flock,
There only I covet to rest;
To lie at the foot of the Rock,
Or rise to be hid in Thy breast.

‘Tis there I would always abide,
And never a moment depart,
Concealed in the cleft of Thy side,
Eternally hid in Thy heart.

How good is the God we adore,
Our faithful, unchangeable Friend:
Whose love is as great as His power,
And knows neither measure nor end.

‘Tis Jesus, the First and the Last,
Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home;
We’ll praise Him for all that is past,
And trust Him for all that’s to come.

Charles Wesley (v1-6), Joseph Hart (v.7&8)