Letter of Marque

What God Ordains is Always Good!

Ancient hymns set the great doctrines of the scripture to music and verse! When one compares the theology in a hymn like What God Ordains is Always Good to the false and narcissistic "theology" being peddled by such authors as Joel Osteen, Steven Furtick, Perry Noble and scads of others its easy to see today's common doctrinal errors.

On the one hand, Osteen, Furtick and Noble teach that the heartaches, troubles, sorrows and sufferings of this life can be overcome by positive thinking, speaking affirmations, or by having audacious enough faith to believe that God has greater plans and purposes for your life.

But, the scriptures do not promise that your sufferings in this life will be magically removed by having a positive attitude, speaking affirmations in front of your mirror or by having audacious faith. Instead, as the hymn below confesses, What God ordains is always good, though I the cup am drinking savors now of bitterness. This hymn affirms an important Christian teaching that God doesn't magically remove the curse and consequences of sin in this life. Instead, He saves us THROUGH them. As the hymn so boldly confesses, Though sorrow, need, or death be mine, I shall not be forsaken. This is the same concept taught in the 23rd Psalm:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: For thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. - Psalm 23:4

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"What God Ordains Is Always Good"
by Samuel Rodigast, 1649-1708
Performance by Clyde McLennan of smallchurchmusic.com

1. What God ordains is always good;
His will abideth holy.
As He directs my life for me,
I follow meek and lowly.
God indeed in every need
Doth well know how to shield me;
To Him, then, I will yield me.

2. What God ordains is always good.
He never will deceive me;
He leads me in His own right way,
And never will He leave me.
I take content What He hath sent;
His hand that sends me sadness
Will turn my tears to gladness.

3. What God ordains is always good.
His loving thought attends me;
No poison can be in the cup
That my Physician sends me.
My God is true; Each morn anew
I'll trust His grace unending,
My life to Him commending.

4. What God ordains is always good.
He is my Friend and Father;
He suffers naught to do me harm,
Though many storms may gather.
Now I may know Both joy and woe,
Some day I shall see clearly
That He hath loved me dearly.

5. What God ordains is always good.
Though I the cup am drinking
Which savors now of bitterness,
I take it without shrinking.
For after grief God grants relief,
My heart with comfort filling
And all my sorrow stilling.

6. What God ordains is always good.
This truth remains unshaken.
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
I shall not be forsaken.
I fear no harm, For with His arm
He shall embrace and shield me;
So to my God I yield me.

Look Ye Saints The Sight is Glorious

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Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious;
See the Man of Sorrows now!
From the fight returned victorious,
Every knee to Him shall bow.
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Crowns become the Victor's brow.

Crown the Savior! Angels, crown Him!
Rich the trophies Jesus brings;
On the seat of power enthrone Him
While the vault of heaven rings.
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Crown the Savior King of kings.

Sinners in derision crowned Him,
Mocking thus the Savior's claim;
Saints and angels crowd around Him,
Own His title, praise His name.
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Spread abroad the Victor's fame!

Hark, those bursts of acclamation!
Hark, those loud triumphant chords!
Jesus takes the highest station;
Oh, what joy the sight affords!
Crown Him! Crown Him!
King of kings and Lord of lords!

---

Text: Phil. 2:9-11
Author: Thomas Kelly, 1809
Tune: BRYN CALFARIA

This edition was made available by Pirate Christian Radio
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I Bind Unto Myself Today

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I bind unto myself today

The strong name of the Trinity

By invocation of the same,

The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me forever,

By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation,

His baptism in the Jordan River,

His cross of death for my salvation,

His bursting from the spiced tomb,

His riding up the heavenly way,

His coming at the day of doom,

I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself today

The virtues of the starlit heaven,

The glorious sun’s life giving ray,

The whiteness of the moon at even,

The flashing of the lightning free,

The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,

The stable earth, the deep salt sea,

Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today

The power of God to hold and lead,

His eye to watch, his might to stay,

His ear to hearken to my need,

The wisdom of my god to teach,

His hand to guide, his shield to ward,

The Word of God to give me speech,

His heavenly host to be my guard.

I bind unto myself the name,

The strong name of the Trinity

By invocation of the same,

The Three in One and One in Three,

Of whom all nature has creation,

Eternal Father, Spirit, Word.

Praise to the Lord of my salvation;

Salvation is of Christ the Lord!

---

Author: attr. St. Patrick
Tune: St. Patrick’s Breastplate
1st Published in: 1774

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Text: Rev. 19:1
Author: Horatius Bonar, 1866
Composer: Walter G. Whinfield, 1919
Tune: "Worcester"

This edition was made available by Pirate Christian Radio
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Glory Be To God The Father

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Glory be to God the Father,
Glory be to God the Son,
Glory be to God the Spirit:
Great Jehovah, Three in One!
Glory, glory,
While eternal ages run!

Glory be to Him who loved us,
Washed us from each spot and stain;
Glory be to Him who bought us,
Made us kings with Him to reign!
Glory, glory,
To the Lamb that once was slain!

Glory to the King of angels,
Glory to the Church's King,
Glory to the King of nations;
Heaven and earth, your praises bring!
Glory, glory,
To the King of Glory sing!

Glory, blessing, praise eternal!
Thus the choir of angels sings;
Honor, riches, power, dominion!
Thus its praise creation brings.
Glory, glory,
Glory to the King of kings!

---

Text: Rev. 19:1
Author: Horatius Bonar, 1866
Composer: Walter G. Whinfield, 1919
Tune: "Worcester"

This edition was made available by Pirate Christian Radio
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We All Believe In One True God

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We all believe in one true God,
Who created earth and heaven,
The Father, who to us in love
Hath the right of children given.
He both soul and body feedeth,
All we need He doth provide us;
He through snares and perils leadeth,
Watching that no harm betide us.
He careth for us day and night,
All things are governed by His might.

We all believe in Jesus Christ,
His own Son, our Lord, possessing
An equal Godhead, throne, and might,
Source of every grace and blessing.
Born of Mary, virgin mother,
By the power of the Spirit,
Made true man, our elder Brother,
That the lost might life inherit;
Was crucified for sinful men
And raised by God to life again.

We all confess the Holy Ghost,
Who sweet grace and comfort giveth
And with the Father and the Son
In eternal glory liveth;
Who the Church, His own creation,
Keeps in unity of spirit.
Here forgiveness and salvation
Daily come through Jesus' merit.
All flesh shall rise, and we shall be
In bliss with God eternally. Amen.

---

Text: The Nicene Creed
Author: Martin Luther, 1525
Titled: "Wir glauben all' einen Gott"
Tune: "Wir glauben all' an einen Gott"

This edition was made available by Pirate Christian Radio
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Salvation Unto Us Has Come

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Salvation unto us has come
By God's free grace and favor;
Good works cannot avert our doom,
They help and save us never.
Faith looks to Jesus Christ alone,
Who did for all the world atone;
He is our one Redeemer.

What God did in His Law demand
And none to Him could render
Caused wrath and woe on every hand
For man, the vile offender.
Our flesh has not those pure desires
The spirit of the Law requires,
And lost is our condition.

It was a false, misleading dream
That God His Law had given
That sinners should themselves redeem
And by their works gain heaven.
The Law is but a mirror bright
To bring the inbred sin to light
That lurks within our nature.

From sin our flesh could not abstain,
Sin held its sway unceasing;
The task was useless and in vain,
Our gilt was e'er increasing.
None can remove sin's poisoned dart
Or purify our guileful heart,-
So deep is our corruption.

Yet as the Law must be fulfilled
Or we must die despairing,
Christ came and hath God's anger stilled,
Our human nature sharing.
He hath for us the Law obeyed
And thus the Father's vengeance stayed
Which over us impended.

Since Christ hath full atonement made
And brought to us salvation,
Each Christian therefore may be glad
And build on this foundation.
Thy grace alone, dear Lord, I plead,
Thy death is now my life indeed,
For Thou hast paid my ransom.

Let me not doubt, but trust in Thee,
Thy Word cannot be broken;
Thy call rings out, "Come unto Me!"
No falsehood hast Thou spoken.
Baptized into Thy precious name,
My faith cannot be put to shame,
And I shall never perish.

The Law reveals the guilt of sin
And makes men conscience-stricken;
The Gospel then doth enter in
The sinful soul to quicken.
Come to the cross, trust Christ, and live;
The Law no peace can ever give,
No comfort and no blessing.

Faith clings to Jesus' cross alone
And rests in Him unceasing;
And by its fruits true faith is known,
With love and hope increasing.
Yet faith alone doth justify,
Works serve thy neighbor and supply
The proof that faith is living.

All blessing, honor, thanks, and praise
To Father, Son, and Spirit,
The God that saved us by His grace,-
All glory to His merit!
O Triune God in heaven above,
Who hast revealed Thy saving love,
Thy blessed name be hallowed.

---
Text: Rom. 3: 5
Author: Paul Speratus, 1523, cento
Translated by: composite
Titled: "Es ist das Heil uns kommen her"
Tune: "Es ist das Heil"
German melody, c. 1400

This edition was made available by Pirate Christian Radio
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Come Thou Almighty King

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Come, Thou almighty King,
Help us Thy name to sing,
Help us to praise!
Father all-glorious,
O'er all victorious,
Come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days.

Come, Thou Incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword,
Our prayer attend;
Come and Thy people bless
And give Thy Word success;
Stablish Thy righteousness,
Savior and Friend!

Come, holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness bear
In this glad hour.
Thou, who almighty art,
Now rule in every heart
And ne'er from us depart,
Spirit of Power!

To the great One in Three
Eternal praises be
Hence evermore!
His sovereign majesty
May we in glory see
And to eternity
Love and adore!

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Text: Rev. 4:8
Author: unknown, 1757, ab.
Composer: Felice de Giardini, 1769
Tune: Italian Hymn

This edition was made available by Pirate Christian Radio
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Come Holy Ghost, God and Lord

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Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord!
Be all Thy graces now out poured
On each believer's mind and heart;
Thy fervent love to them impart.
Lord, by the brightness of Thy light,
Thou in the faith dost men unite
Of every land and every tongue;
This to Thy praise, O Lord, our God, be sung.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Thou holy Light, Guide Divine,
Oh, cause the Word of Life to shine!
Teach us to know our God aright
And call Him Father with delight.
From every error keep us free;
Let none but Christ our Master be
That we in living faith abide,
In Him, our Lord, with all our might confide.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Thou holy Fire, Comfort true,
Grant us the will Thy work to do
And in Thy service to abide;
Let trials turn us not aside.
Lord, by Thy power prepare each heart
And to our weakness strength impart
That bravely here we may contend,
Through life and death to Thee, our Lord, ascend.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

---

Author: Martin Luther
Translated by: composite
Tune: "Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott"
15th-century melody

This edition was made available by Pirate Christian Radio
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By Grace I'm Saved

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By grace I’m saved, grace free and boundless;
My soul, believe and doubt it not.
Why stagger at this word of promise?
Has Scripture ever falsehood taught?
No; then this word must true remain;
By grace you too will life obtain.

By grace! None dare lay claim to merit;
Our works and conduct have no worth.
God in His love sent our Redeemer,
Christ Jesus, to this sinful earth;
His death did for our sins atone,
And we are saved by grace alone.

By grace! Oh, mark this word of promise
When thou art by thy sins opprest,
When Satan plagues thy troubled conscience,
And when thy heart is seeking rest.
What reason cannot comprehend
God by His grace to thee doth send.

By grace God’s Son, our only Savior,
Came down to earth to bear our sin.
Was it because of your own merit
That Jesus died your soul to win?
No, it was grace, and grace alone,
That brought him from his heavenly throne.

By grace! This ground of faith is certain;
As long as God is true, it stands.
What saints have penned by inspiration,
What in his word our God commands,
Our faith in what our God has done
Depends on grace - grace through his Son.

By grace to timid hearts that tremble,
In tribulation’s furnace tried,
By grace, in spite of fear and trouble,
The Father’s heart is open wide.
Where could I help and strength secure
If grace were not my anchor sure?

By grace! On this I’ll rest when dying;
In Jesus’ promise I rejoice;
For though I know my heart’s condition,
I also know my Savior’s voice.
My heart is glad, all grief has flown
Since I am saved by grace alone.

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Author: Korneluis Heinrich Dretzel
Tune: O Dass Ich Tausend Zungen Hatte
1st Published in: 1742
This edition was made available by Pirate Christian Radio
and was recorded on the Pirate Christian Pipes