Scripture Verse

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto Heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me, a sinner. Luke 18:10–13

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, Hymns and Spi­ri­tu­al Songs, Book 1, 1707, num­ber 131, alt. The Pha­ri­see and the pub­li­can.

Music: Em­ma­nu­el Carl C. N. Balle, 1850 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Balle (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Behold how sin­ners dis­agree,
The pub­li­can and Pha­ri­see!
One doth his right­eous­ness pro­claim,
The oth­er owns his guilt and shame.

The hum­ble man at dist­ance stands,
And cries for grace with lift­ed hands;
The oth­er, bold­ly near the throne,
Boasts of the du­­ties he has done.

The Lord their diff­er­ent lang­uage knows,
And dif­fer­ent an­swers He be­stows;
The hum­ble soul with grace He crowns,
Whilst on the proud His an­ger frowns.

Dear Fa­ther! let me ne­ver be
Joined with the boast­ing Pha­ri­see;
I have no mer­its of my own,
But plead the suf­fer­ings of Thy Son.

illustration
The Pharisee and the Publican
Ottobeuren, Germany
Johannes Böckh & Thomas Mirtsch, 3 March 2009
Wikimedia Commons

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