The Highest Joy That Can be Known

The highest joy that can be known
To those who heav’nward wend—
It is the Word of Life to own,
And God to have as Friend;
It is the Word of Life to own,
And God to have as Friend.

The Word doth give me wealth untold,
All good it has in store;
My deepest sorrows lose their hold
To joys forevermore;
My deepest sorrows loose their hold
To joys forevermore.

How often when in deep despair
My soul has been restored,
And when the tempter would ensnare
’Twould strength to stand afford;
And when the tempter would ensnare
’Twould strength to stand afford.

It tells me of a love divine,
How Jesus’ blood was shed;
Each day this joyous song is mine
As paths of grace I tread;
Each day this joyous song is mine
As paths of grace I tread.

When stars above shall shine no more
God’s Word is still my light;
When pleasures of this world are o’er,
My joys shall reach their height;
When pleasures of this world are o’er,
My joys shall reach their height

Nils Frykman1886 transl. from Swedish by Signe L. Bennett, 1928

There is a profound simplicity to knowing God in Jesus.  All else is worthless in comparison to Him.  Knowing Him, truly knowing Him, makes everything else that offers satisfaction and joy a blanched and anaemic false-friend.  We find the depths and wealth of joy in knowing Christ in the solid objective reality of His Word: the Word of Life.

Men and women the world over are suffering the harshest penalties that the deepest perversions of the human heart can devise for the sake of having Scripture.  I bear it so lightly – there is no threat to my house and home, my family and friends because we have the Bible.  We love it too little: familiarity really has bred contempt; or at least a careless dispassion.

I must learn to love again so that I would give my life for the Word of Life!

[Jesus said] “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Matthew 13:45-46