Approach My Soul the Mercy-Seat - John Newton

Approach, my soul, the mercy-seat,
Where Jesus answers prayer;
There humbly bow before His feet,
For none can perish there.

Thy promise is my only plea,
With this I venture nigh;
Thou callest burdened soul to Thee,
And such, O Lord, am I.

Bowed down beneath a load of sin,
By Satan sorely pressed;
By wars without and fears within,
I come to Thee for rest.

Be Thou my shield and hiding-place,
That, sheltered near Thy side,
I may my fierce accuser face,
And tell him, "Christ has died."

O wond'rous love! to bleed and die,
To bear the cross and shame;
That guilty sinners, such as I,
Might plead Thy gracious name.

"Poor tempest-tossed soul, be still;
My promised grace receive;"
'Tis Jesus speaks: I must, I will,
I can, I do believe.

This hymn, by John Newton is one of my ministerial fathers favorite hymns. The message is simple, yet it strikes to the depths of the soul - plainly confessing to God our sin and pleading for the help of Jesus Christ the High Priest of our soul. We know we are not worthy, yet the mercy-seat is the place of our refuge, for so often "mercy is my only plea, have nothing else to pray."

What a privilege, and high honor, yea what consolation and relief to know that we may plead the gracious name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, and with that name our fierce accusers and Satan himself will flee.

And as the final verse says, let us now be still, be calm, "hope thou in God." Jesus does speak, and we must, and I trust we will, can and do believe.