Poems (Gifford)/"He Touched Him"
"HE TOUCHED HIM."(Luke v. 13.)
Lord, didst Thou touch him?—that polluted one
From whom all others shrank as from a curse
Whose very sight defiled them! Thou mightst speak
And make the leper whole; but yet Thy love,
Thy tender pity prompted Thee to touch
The loathsome object, and at once the plague
Departed from him, and a new, sweet life
Throbbed in his veins, and he was filled with joy.
From whom all others shrank as from a curse
Whose very sight defiled them! Thou mightst speak
And make the leper whole; but yet Thy love,
Thy tender pity prompted Thee to touch
The loathsome object, and at once the plague
Departed from him, and a new, sweet life
Throbbed in his veins, and he was filled with joy.
Lord, didst Thou touch us? knowing as Thou didst
No health was in us; but from head to foot
Deep wounds and bruises, putrefying sores
Made us all loathsome in Thy holy sight!
Didst Thou assume the nature that our guilt
Had so defiled, that Thou mightst win the right
To cleanse us and restore us unto life!
Yea, didst Thou take our sin upon Thyself,
And bear our curse, avert our fearful doom,
And give us ground for hope! And dost Thou now
Extend Thy healing touch to all who ask
Of Thee for pardon, purity, and peace?
Dost Thou send forth Thy Spirit in their hearts
Calling God, Abba, Father? Are they then
Heirs of His Kingdom, fellow-heirs with Thee?
No health was in us; but from head to foot
Deep wounds and bruises, putrefying sores
Made us all loathsome in Thy holy sight!
Didst Thou assume the nature that our guilt
Had so defiled, that Thou mightst win the right
To cleanse us and restore us unto life!
Yea, didst Thou take our sin upon Thyself,
And bear our curse, avert our fearful doom,
And give us ground for hope! And dost Thou now
Extend Thy healing touch to all who ask
Of Thee for pardon, purity, and peace?
Dost Thou send forth Thy Spirit in their hearts
Calling God, Abba, Father? Are they then
Heirs of His Kingdom, fellow-heirs with Thee?
Oh miracle of grace, 'tis even so!
Such wondrous love is Thine, such wondrous power,
Thou canst, Thou wilt, thus bless! Ah, yes, we know
If one be standing in our midst to-day
Bemoaning that foul leprosy whose curse
Has tainted every scion of our race,
Thou, Lord, art also here with still the power
And still the will to touch him and to heal.
Touch him, oh Lord, touch him and make him whole,
Restore him to Thine image, and bestow
The thousand joys that follow in the train
Of that first, best of blessings. Ay, and those
Whom once Th hand hath touched oh touch again
And yet again when fresh plague spots appear,
Purge out all evil, Lord, from every one,
That washed and purified by Thine own hand
We may be meet to dwell in Thine own heaven.
Such wondrous love is Thine, such wondrous power,
Thou canst, Thou wilt, thus bless! Ah, yes, we know
If one be standing in our midst to-day
Bemoaning that foul leprosy whose curse
Has tainted every scion of our race,
Thou, Lord, art also here with still the power
And still the will to touch him and to heal.
Touch him, oh Lord, touch him and make him whole,
Restore him to Thine image, and bestow
The thousand joys that follow in the train
Of that first, best of blessings. Ay, and those
Whom once Th hand hath touched oh touch again
And yet again when fresh plague spots appear,
Purge out all evil, Lord, from every one,
That washed and purified by Thine own hand
We may be meet to dwell in Thine own heaven.
And grant that we a lesson, too, may learn
From Thy great condescension. Now, so oft
It is Thy purpose that Thy servants be
The bearers of Thy messages of love
To those who ask for healing at Thy hand.
This honour, then, this privilege we seek;
We would do good, we would devote to Thee
The strength of all our life, we would go forth
With the glad tidings of Thy saving grace
To those uncertain of Thy light and love.
Let us then learn from Thee, who stooped so low,
To lay aside all thought of pride or scorn,
To love the outcast, and to lay our hand
In soothing tenderness upon His arm,
And seek to draw him unto Thee, that Thou,
The Great Physician, mayst put forth Thy hand,
And touch, and make him whole.
From Thy great condescension. Now, so oft
It is Thy purpose that Thy servants be
The bearers of Thy messages of love
To those who ask for healing at Thy hand.
This honour, then, this privilege we seek;
We would do good, we would devote to Thee
The strength of all our life, we would go forth
With the glad tidings of Thy saving grace
To those uncertain of Thy light and love.
Let us then learn from Thee, who stooped so low,
To lay aside all thought of pride or scorn,
To love the outcast, and to lay our hand
In soothing tenderness upon His arm,
And seek to draw him unto Thee, that Thou,
The Great Physician, mayst put forth Thy hand,
And touch, and make him whole.