Dearest John and all the Doves,
I was awoken early in the dark hours of the morning of the 12th of November in prayer for family and with a "song of the Restrainer" going through my head. I often use the Psalms of David(set to meter) to WORSHIP, and have been given (on a few occasions) a "new Psalm" to record. This one was unquestionably the story of the Holy Spirit' work in us in song-form, and, I greatly desired to write it out. I probably didn't work on it quickly enough and ended up arranging a few passages I had previously written down for WORSHIP, then towards the end of the Psalm, placed a bit of some verses from Isaiah that seemed needful and timely.
It seems to address the purpose and use of the Holy Spirit within us and its blessings upon the unbelieving world at large and also our departure, then towards the end, our relationship to the nation of Israel.
A Psalm of the Restrainer
O, Jehovah, of your decrees
the WORD came to my ear
for then it was my heart did seek
Your living WORD revere
Revive and resurrect those who
are held in thy right hand
In fullness of the time, that they
before your Son may stand
And in your day of wrath revealed
look down upon your lambs.
and seek to gather them unto
the Son of thy right hand
For they do overcome thereby
God's sacrificial blood
and by the WORD declared by them;
your testimonies flood:
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They did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from their death.
Therefore rejoice, you heavens all
and you who dwell amidst!
Upon the Clouds, He will there ride,
and breaking low the hills.
His voice there like a trumpet sounds
and gathering them He will.
Now comes the salvation and the strength
and Kingdom of our God,
and in the power of His Son
Christ, His anointed one.
The right hand of Jehovah holds
the pasture of His sheep
And through the door the lambs He guides,
and there, His fold He keeps.
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And there, the door to them, His Son
Yeshuah is His name.
And through the gate He letteth those
that enter by the same.
Strength unto Yahweh do ascribe;
for his excellency
Is over Israel, his strength
are in the clouds with He.
This cloud of witnesses that shine
forth like an army great
Their banner there of love, for He,
for them would not forsake
Deliverance' He wrought for them
and through His little lambs
Did foil the wicked councilors
and bring to naught their plans
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And from thy temple wonderful;
Isr'el's own God is he,
We who the temple are, the Lord's
rejoicing ever be
Who gives his people faith and power,
Rejoicing in His strength
and ever trusting in His WORD
Him wait upon at length
The righteous leave and none do think
merciful men are gone,
consid'ring not the righteous are
removed from wrath to come
I'll bear the indignation
of Jehovah because,
I have sinned against Him, until
He pleads for me my cause.
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And execute judgement for me:
He will bring me henceforth
Unto the light of His brightness
His righteousness behold
Those set apart to dwell amidst
the woods and fruitful vines
and feed them in your pasture high
there ever do them hide
And in that day, that thy walls are
to be rebuilt upon
For in that day shall thy decrees
Appointment be thereon
Woe unto me, for I am as
when they have gathered
The summer fruits of grape-gleanings
of vintage harvested
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No cluster there to eat, desired
my soul, the frirst-ripe fruit.
The good-man perished from the earth.
the upright man removed
I now will sing to my beloved
a song for His vineyard.
They rest upon a fruitful hill,
there fenced and cleared of stones
Its planted with the choicest vines
a tower built amid
and there hewed out a wine-press for
a vintage harvested
He looked therefor fruit of the vine,
but rotten grapes it made
producing none but barren branch
and fruitless heritage
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Oh men of Judah, please be judge
folk of Jerusalem.
Between my vineyard and myself
judge rightly between them
What could I do, that I've not done
to make the ground prepared
Why then when I did look for yield
its grapes were rotten fare.
And now I'll tell you what I'll do
unto my vineyard poor.
I'll take away its hedge and burn
and trample down its wall.
I'll lay it waste; shall not be pruned,
nor dug, but briers bare,
and thorns shall come. No water clouds
to water them down there.
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That vineyard of Jehovah God,
the house of Israel.
The men of Judah are His plant
His pleasant heritage
He looked for justice, but, behold,
bloodshed for righteousness.
And looked for mercy from the just,
behold, a barren cry!
The righteous fled and none do think
the merciful are gone,
considering not the righteous are
removed from wrath to come
Thou from thy temple wonderful;
Isr'el's own God is he,
We who the temple are, the Lord's
rejoicing ever be
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Who gives his people faith and power,
Rejoicing in His strength
and ever trusting in His WORD
Him wait upon at length
His Holy Spirit comforted them,
Rejoice in His right hand
and ever trust in Yeshuah
on faith in Him we stand
your brother in Christ, Chris K.