The Son Must Surely Die (I Samuel 14:24-52)

Like father so is son,
When sin is thus begun.
So rashness births resentment,
Unreason -- disrespect,
From insolence to anger,
Heap defect with defect.

With sin that we supply,
Relationships will die.
Our selfishness a coffin,
Our love a sepulcher,
Our progeny forgotten,
But apathy endures.

The son must surely die,
Without a sacrifice:
The covenant is broken.
Though Saul or Abraham,
Let neither slay his children,
For God's Son is our lamb.

Lord, raise me from the crypt,
With Your relationship,
And be my holy Father,
That I may be like You.
And Father, too, my family,
Make Christ our common glue.

The Cross to Cross the Gap

The cross is all sufficient, Lord,
I stand assured in it.
The blood of Christ alone restores,
His holiness my bridge:
A chasm spans between the Lord and I,
Without the cross to cross the gap, I die.

Through my pretending I disguise,
All of my sinful deeds.
I will not grow til I realize,
How desperate is my need.
I am depraved down to my deepest part,
And Your redemption must renew my heart.

No work of mine may make me right,
Nor change my helpless place.
Performance only blinds my sights,
And denigrates Your Grace.
Your holiness alone is what I see,
And freely You have given it to me.

You see how desperate is my need,
More than I think is so.
And You're more holy than I see,
Or mortal mind may know.
And yet You, Jesus, chose to condescend,
Your cross can bridge the gap from God to Men.

This Miraculous Son (I Samuel 1:12-28)

When I fasted in mourning and cried,
While my rival provoked me to grief,
And the man that I love chose to chide,
Since I would not drink, nor would I eat.

Though undrinking, rebuked as if drunk,
By the war-weary priest of the Lord,
By this final rebuke I am stung,
Yet still I’ll be gracious in word.

Now I cast off my sorrowful face.
Having faith that God heard my request.
And He gave me a son by His grace,
Evermore His great name will I bless.

May your soul live! Sir, I was the one,
Who had prayed at your feet in her tears.
Now behold this miraculous son!
He will worship God all of his years.