Psalms, Hymns, & Spiritual Songs

Paul tells Christians to "let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16).

Throughout the centuries many Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs have been written. Many are unfamiliar to us for various reasons. Over the past ten years or so, I have been introduced to some of the unfamiliar psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. While being involved with mission work in Central America and in Southeast Asia, I was introduced to psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs of other cultures.

In the Fall of 1998, I was introduced to a hymn written by Basil Manly Jr., at a Founders Conference that has had a profound impact on my life. The hymn reminds me that I do not deserve God's grace, as a sinner the only thing that I deserve is his deepest wrath. Yet by God's grace and his grace alone, God allowed his Son, Jesus Christ, to take my place upon the cross. It is only through Christ's penal substitutionary death that I might have life.

Basil Manly Jr.'s hymn is:

"Lord, I Deserve Thy Deepest Wrath"
~ God, be merciful to me, a sinner.--Luke 18:13 ~

Lord, I deserve Thy deepest wrath,
Ungrateful, faithless I have been;
No terrors have my soul deterred,
Nor goodness wooed me from my sin.
No terrors have my soul deterred,
Nor goodness wooed me from my sin.

My heart is vile, my mind depraved,
My flesh rebels against Thy will;
I am polluted in Thy sight.
Yet, Lord, have mercy on me still!
I am polluted in Thy sight.
Yet, Lord have merch on me still!

Without defense to Thee I look,
To Thee, the only Savior, fly:
Without a hope, without a friend,
In deep destress to Thee I cry.
Without a hope, without a friend,
In deep destress, to Thee I cry.

Speak peace to me, my sins forgive,
Dwell Thou within my heart, O God,
The guilt and pow'r of sin remove,
And fit me for Thy blest abode.
The guilt and pow'r of sin remove,
And fit me for Thy blest abode.