God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
1 Corinthians 1:27
Words: Isaac Watts, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book 1, 1707, number 33. Absurdity of infidelity.
Music: Church Joseph P. Holbrook, in Songs for the Sanctuary, edited by Charles S. Robinson (New York: A. S. Barnes, 1868) (🔊 pdf nwc).
Alternate Tunes:
If you know where to get a good photo of Holbrook (head & shoulders, at least 200×300 pixels),
Shall atheists dare insult the cross
Of our Redeemer, God?
Shall infidels reproach His laws,
Or trample on His blood?
What if He choose mysterious ways
To cleanse us from our faults?
May not the works of sovereign grace
Transcend our feeble thoughts?
What if His Gospel bids us fight
With flesh, and self, and sin,
The prize is most divinely bright
That we are called to win.
What if the foolish and the poor
His glorious grace partake,
This but confirms His truth the more,
For so the prophets spake.
Do some that own His sacred name
Indulge their souls in sin?
Jesus should never bear the blame,
His laws are pure and clean.
Then let our faith grow firm and strong,
Our lips profess His Word;
Nor blush nor fear to walk among
The men that love the Lord.