1. Who is God’s messenger?
One who on Christ stands waiting day and night,
Who traced his holy steps, his name averred
From Jordan banks to Bethphage height:
2. Who hath learned lowliness
From the Lord’s cradle, patience from his cross,
Whom lowly eyes and hearts consent to bless,
To whom, for Christ, the world is loss:
3. Who both in agony
Hath seen him, and in glory, and in both
Owned him divine, and yielded, nothing loath,
Body and soul, to live and die:
4. In witness of the Lord,
In humble following of the Savior dear—
This is the one to wield th’ unearthly sword,
Warring unharmed with sin and fear.
5. But who can e’er suffice—
What mortal—for this, more than angels’ task,
Winning or losing souls, thy life’s-blood price?
The gift is too divine to ask:
6. But thou hast made it sure
By thy dear promise to thy church and bride,
That thou, on Earth, wouldst e’er with her endure
Till Earth and Heav’n be purified.
7. Who, then, uncalled by thee,
Dare lead thy bride, thy very self below?
Or who dare count as summoned worthily,
Except thine hand and seal to show?
8. Where can thy seal be found,
But on the chosen seed, from age to age
By thine anointed heralds duly crowned,
As kings and priests thy war to wage?
9. Then fearless walk we forth,
Yet full of trembling, messengers of God,
Our warrant sure, but doubting of our worth,
By our own shame and glory awed.
10. Dread searcher of the hearts,
Thou who didst seal by thy descending Dove
Thy servant’s choice, O help us in our parts
Else helpless found to teach thy love.
Source: Hymns and Devotions for Daily Worship #175b
Keble, John, M.A., was born at Fairford, in Gloucestershire, on St. Mark's Day, 1792. His father was Vicar of Coln St. Aldwin's, about three miles distant, but lived at Fairford in a house of his own, where he educated entirely his two sons, John and Thomas, up to the time of their entrance at Oxford. In 1806 John Keble won a Scholarship at Corpus Christi College, and in 1810 a Double First Class, a distinction which up to that time had been gained by no one except Sir Robert Peel. In 1811 he was elected a Fellow of Oriel, a very great honour, especially for a boy under 19 years of age; and in 1811 he won the University Prizes both for the English and Latin Essays. It is somewhat remarkable that amid this brilliantly successful career,… Go to person page >
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