ALL THE BIBLE!

I read the Bible little, and so little did I read:
Much of the precious Scripture was unknown to me indeed.
I liked the shepherd Psalm and loved Isaiah fifty-three,
And the fifteenth of Corinthians, though long, it seemed to me;
But often made excuses: much too busy, or, too tired,
And thus despised the Holy Book by God Himself inspired.
But then a thought occurred to me, a thought divine I’m sure:
To read the whole of God’s good Word, and not think this a chore.
And as I read it more and more, what joy did it afford,
To read and feed on every word as spoken by the Lord.
The Bible! all the Bible! Yes, each jot and tittle there:
By grace I’ll read and learn it all, with reverence and prayer.

Oh Book of heavenly wisdom, full of power and majesty!
An endless source of treasure, and a lens by which I see
The glory of the Saviour, all the vileness of sin,
The meaning of affliction, and the joy of truth within.
When reading of the saints and godly patriarchs of old;
The holy Tent, the Temple, full of glory, rich in gold;
Of God’s ways with the people of the chosen Hebrew line,
Of visions so amazing, of great mysteries divine:
In every part I find the Spirit’s message is all one –
Revealing the Messiah, our Redeemer, God’s dear Son.
The Bible! all the Bible! Yes, each jot and tittle there:
By grace I’ll read it, every word, with reverence and prayer.

Now first the books of Moses open up their plenteous stores,
And show to us our origin, with types and righteous laws.
In Joshua comes the conquest of the promised land of rest,
The war and strife of Judges, and then Ruth – how sweet and blessed!
The books of Samuel give the reigns of Saul and Jesse’s son;
The First of Kings: the peaceful times of prudent Solomon.
Then reading on in Kings we find that some kings were quite just,
While others did no good, for molten idols were their trust.
The Chronicles begin anew with Adam, the first man,
And trace the sacred history till captivity began.
The Bible! all the Bible! Yes, each jot and tittle there:
By grace I’ll read it, day by day, with reverence and prayer.

In Ezra and Nehemiah the holy city is reclaimed,
While Esther shows God’s ceaseless care, although He is not named.
In Job we see God’s will is best e’en in the darkest days,
The Psalms are full of heartfelt prayers and joyful songs of praise.
Then Proverbs and Ecclesiastes godly fear impart,
And Song of Songs reveals the love which fills our Bridegroom’s heart.
Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Daniel too,
And twelve more ‘Minor Prophets’, show the great things God will do,
And speak of the Messiah divine, of Whom we’ll read much more
In those New Covenant Scriptures which await us on before:
The Bible! all the Bible! Yes, each jot and tittle there:
By grace I’ll read it carefully, with reverence and prayer.

Four Gospels tell our hearts about our Saviour Jesus Christ,
One who was perfect, and in love for us was sacrificed;
How, risen and ascended now, He still is just the same,
And says to all His followers, “Go forth: My word proclaim!”.
In Acts the apostolic band their Master’s Word make known,
And meet with love the hatred which so oft to them is shown.
The Epistles then so richly God抯 most precious thoughts display,
To expound the Christian teaching, and to guide the Christian’s way.
The Revelation then concludes the wondrous Book of God:
Christ, glorified in heaven and earth, rules nations with a rod.
The Bible! all the Bible! Yes, each jot and tittle there:
By grace I’ll read it over again, with reverence and prayer.

Oh my dear fellow-Christian, please allow me to say this,
With earnestness, entreaties, and with holy emphasis:
Don’t just read favourite portions, for it is the Word of God,
And we’re His much loved children, all redeemed with precious blood.
This Book is from our Father, God, its theme is His dear Son,
And by the Spirit every word’s inspired, yes, every one.
Oh you, who know and love the truth, God’s words do not neglect:
From every part, yes every part, a blessing true expect.
So give much time to God’s dear Book, (your mind for this was made),
Your life will be more holy, and your heart no more afraid.
The Bible! all the Bible! Yes, each jot and tittle there:
Oh let us read it, through and through, with reverence and prayer!

Terry J Blackman