Text: Psalm 32:1-11, Acts 2:38, Galatians 2:16
It was the song Oliver heard us sing to him from the time he was born. As we tucked him into his crib, then his toddler bed, then his big-boy bed—I would quietly sing in his ear, “blest is the man, forever blest, whose guilt is pardoned by his God…”
Sometimes he wouldn’t mind. I think he really liked it. Other times, he would interrupt me with important toddler questions about dinosaurs or characters on “Thomas the Train.” But I think he grew to love, and even expect, his weepy mommy singing hymns in his room, stroking his hair as he fell asleep. I can just imagine him telling his four-year-old buddies:
It is what it is, you guys. My mom cries more at bedtime than I do.
Oliver is nine now. (Nine-and-a-half, if you’re asking him.) I don’t sing to him often anymore—something even better has happened as he’s grown into a small version of a man. Instead of lying in his toddler bed, wearing robot jammies while he listens to the hymn, he now stands next to me in church on Sunday mornings, holding the sheet music (usually already covered in pre-church doodles), probably wishing he were still wearing robot jammies. If I quiet my own singing, I can tune into his voice joined with our congregation as the words “and not on works but grace relies” now come from his own lips.
It’s a good moment. Not because I’m a perfect mom. Not because he’s a perfect kid. Oh man, you guys, we mess up all the time— especially on Sunday mornings. (I’ve always thought Sundays were the most sanctifying days of the week; not because of the sermons, but because of the hours leading up to the sermons. That’s straight-up refining fire, y’all.)
It’s not a good moment because we’re good. It’s a good moment because we’re not. So whether I’m singing these words to my my son or to myself, or if he’s singing them along with me, we’re just reminding ourselves and each other that we are guilty and we need God. And that the Savior already bled and covered all our days—even our Sunday mornings.
“Blest Is the Man” has been my prayer for the man God has given us to raise. Not just because Isaac Watts knew how to write a solid hymn, but because the lines of this hymn come straight from the pages of Scripture, through the pens of David and Paul and Luke and others. We pray this hymn in worship for our son, and for our daughter, and for ourselves, that though we fall short—though our unrighteousness is plenty—His righteousness pardons us in full.
While bright the evidence of grace
Thro’ all his life appears and shines!
Blest is the Man, Forever Blest
Isaac Watts, 1719
Blest is the man, forever blest,
Whose guilt is pardoned by his God,
Whose sins with sorrow are confessed
And covered with his Savior’s blood.
Blest is the man to whom the Lord
Imputes not his iniquities;
He pleads no merit of reward
And not on works but grace relies.
From guile his heart and lips are free;
His humble joy, his holy fear,
With deep repentance well agree
And join to prove his faith sincere.
How glorious is that righteousness
That hides and cancels all his sins,
While bright the evidence of grace
Thro’ all his life appears and shines!
For an added layer of worship during reading plan, we’ve created a Spotify playlist for Hymns V! You can find the complete SRT/HRT Hymns V Playlist here, or listen to the first track on the player below. Enjoy!
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70 thoughts on "Blest Is the Man"
So true about Sunday mornings being the most sanctifying
❤️
Yes, to the sanctifying hours on Sunday morning! It is real with the toddlers! Especially when you and your husband are the pastors and everyone is always watching. Those are often also the hours when I experience God’s grace the most
Grateful to be blessed by His grace
This was so called for in my life.
I love this today as I am questioning my mothering and reading this reassures me that I am a good momma and that without God I am nothing ,he extends grace when we need it and most importantly he loves Jesus. I also used to sing hymns instead of nursery rhymes at bedtime. Mine was Amazing grace … it was my way of comforting my baby and remembering my dad and wishing him to be part of my babies life (he’s in heaven) and asking for Gods grace during that time In my life even though I wasn’t following him and my husband wasn’t interested in being a father or believing in God. Praise God he has pardoned us all and we, together as a family praise God together ! He is soooo good!
I needed this so badly today.
He is my hiding place and He preserves me from trouble!
I am cursed and gone astray. I cannot claim salvation. But in that, I am truly blessed with Gods free redemption and salvation! Praise the Lord!
My son always asked me to sing Amazing Grace at bedtime, sometimes he would ask me to sing it to him just because. My daughter always wanted to hear, Tell Me
Why. Tell me why the stars do shine, tell me why the ivy twines, tell me why the sky is so blue and I will tell you just why I love you. Because God made the stars to shine, because God made the ivy twine because God made the sky so blue, because God made you is why I love you. I can’t believe I remembered, she will be 21 in June. I am new to She Reads Truth, I am loving it so far, blessings.
Love this; thanks for sharing! I have 3 year old twins and they love to hear songs at night. I haven’t heard “Tell Me Why”, I will have to learn that one. I’m sure my kids will love it too! Blessings
I’ve been doing the bible in a year plan & oh how I’ve missed the connection made by having a devotional to go along with the reading! This one was lovely. I used to always sing hymns to my daughter before bed (the only songs I had memorized!). She’s 8 1/2 now so the singing days are over, but whenever Come Thou Fount or Be Thou My Vision comes on pandora hymns, I hear her voice ring out above the music — “prone to wander, Lord I feel it…” And I utter a quiet prayer in those moments that the words to these hymns would permeate her heart & stick with her through the hard times in life, when our hearts ARE prone to wander & leave the God we love. May the words stick in our hearts, too — thank you SRT for following the leading to do this study. It blesses me, & I know I’m not alone in saying that!!
Praise the Lord for pardoning our sins!!!
Cozy!
Amen !!!
Amen!
Jesus is my hiding place!
Jesus is my hiding place. He’s my rest. He is my all in all.
Amen!
Amen! We truly are blessed to have a God that cleans us from all sin, who loves us enough to sacrifice his own son and have him crucified in our place. How blessed are we!… Thank you God for you unconditional love.
Beautiful, thank you!
Thanks for joining us today, Lynn! We love having you in our community!
xoxo-Kaitlin
That Sunday morning paragraph was on point for me. Man, God’s grace… Thank you Lord for your grace!
And that the Savior already bled and covered all our days—even our Sunday mornings.
.Ans that the Savior already bled and covered all our days—even our Sunday mornings.
Thank you Lord that you make us whole! Thank you that you don’t see us for what we are not, but you see us for what we are!
http://Www.In-due-time.com
I have never heard of this hymn before, but it gives me great visions of raising my children in the church. It gives me hope to know that my children one day (if they are given to me) will be learning about God and being reconciled to Him through Jesus. The Lord blesses!
I am new to She reads truth and absolutely love it. God bless you all!
Crystal, we’re thrilled to have you in the SRT community!
xoxo-Kaitlin
I thank God for bringing all of you & your heart spoken words into my life. Love you all
Tina, prayers! Remember God is with you today! He never leaves us!
Humble joy. Holy fear. Deep repentance. Oh that these words from this great hymn would be hallmarks in my life. Amen.
This is only my third day with SRT and have been very blessed and encouraged to meditate on these hymns. My 9 year old son has been the subject of my constant prayer to God. I pray that God will give me wisdom and patience and God will help me connect with his heart. He is so different from me personality wise and very strong willed. We’ve been struggling a lot with his behavior and yet I don’t want all our interactions to be about how he is not behaving. Music though is a big thing with him, so I think I’m going to make him his own Spotify play list with some hymns and other songs filled with truth! Hymns have shaped my relationship with God so much, and yet this is the first time I’ve heard this one!
Lacy, I have an almost 7-yr-old son that I could describe in exactly the same way! What a great idea to make a playlist for him. Praying that God answers both our prayers for these boys –that their strength of will be used for Him instead of in rebellion against Him!
Hi Lacy and JessHH, I wanted to give you both some encouragement from a Mom who’s been through it with a very strong willed, defiant child but always had a tender heart. They do come around….my son is 26 now and after some tough times is doing very well and we have a close relationship. So, hang in there, pray and be consistent and it will get better!
This is only my 3rd day on SRT as well. :) prayers going up for you.
Hi Lacy! So excited you’ve been with us for the past 3 days! It’s so good to see you here! I love your Spotify playlist idea for your son, and it brings me so much joy thinking about you two listening to hymns together. We love having you in our community!
xoxo-Kaitlin
I feel as you do, but with an 11 year old daughter. The days that end feeling like I’ve failed far outnumber the ones I feel were successful. All I really want for her, for all 3 of my girls, is to know the Truth of Jesus & His love for them, & for that to ring so real in their souls that they have peace & joy & LIFE. I’m praying for you tonight. God is faithful.
How glorious is that righteousness
That hides and cancels all his sins,
While bright the evidence of grace
Thro’ all his life appears and shines!
Last night we had some very unusual thunderstorms. It was my son’s 6th birthday and the first one we didn’t have snow, instead, it was 60 degrees and thundering, odd. But anyway, our room ended up with two of our three children seeking solace in it. When I worked to console my ten-year-old, she explained that she knew she’d be fine and that these days, usually, she can handle it, but sometimes her anxiety gets the best of her. I was stunned by her maturity. The girl is starting to get it, starting to understand what she wrestles with and it is a wonderful thing. As she and I finished our conversation I thought to anxieties and how they are like thunderous storms in our hearts. With each overwhelming thought, they roar through our bodies like distant rumbles of an impending chaos. So while our hearts know we will be ok, our heads tell us it is time to panic anyway….and in so many things. I was there for a few moments last week and I remember the overwhelming feeling of standing in storm and letting the wave of emotions overtake me. One by one fears poured down on my heart and words pounded against me like hail on a tin roof, echoing my worries AND simultaneously my condemnation and were it not for the sweet call of my tender Lord, I could have gotten lost in the dark clouds of despair. “How glorious is that righteousness, that hides and cancels all sin” … THIS. Even as I stand in the storms of my heart, I am not alone … like standing in the eye of a hurricane Christ’s love and grace surround me, freeing me from the elements of the storm. No matter my fears, my sin, my life “the bright evidence of grace” appears … shining like a beacon on the shore of Hope, Christ rescues. He calls us from our stormy places and guides us home. Prayerful that my thoughts, my heart and my actions are humble, that in all my attempts at doing and saving myself, I can stand, arms out and eyes closed to the storm knowing it isn’t about *my* doing, *my* work but instead it is about what’s been done for me, *who* stands with me and THAT is the greatest peace AND gift I know.
I wanted to add how thankful I am for your prayers the other day. You, women are a guiding force and I am thankful for each of you here, more than you know.
Love the visual you describe here of standing in the storm. Appreciate you
I love how you compared the storms with anxieties. It is such a clear visual and I know I stand there often- knowing in my heart it will all be okay, yet still worrying and letting fear overtake me. Thank you for your words, B! I pray I can remember that in these moments, I am not alone- He is far greater than my weakness.
Beautifully said! So enjoy reading the comments of many of you who have a with words….something I
do not have!
B- What an awe inspiring visual. Thank you. Christ indeed rescues…
What a powerful word picture and prayer….your words minister to me so much…..so much love and prayers headed your way, friend!
This is not a deep thought but it is heart felt, thank you Raechel Myers, I have often said that I have had my most unholy thoughts & inglorious moments while getting my family ready & to church on Sunday mornings. I know I’m forgiven but also appreciate knowing I’m not alone!
Sandy, you are absolutely not alone! We love having you in our community!
xoxo-Kaitlin
What a load you have been carrying…and yet you are not alone. Jesus wants to make your burden lighter in this difficult and sad season. Let Him carry this load, lean into Him as you know how to do and let Him give you the wisdom and peace you seek. Praying for your church family, Shelley and for you today for grace and the arms of the Savior to hug you all. ♥♥♥
Ugh! This was meant for Tina. I mess up on the new format all the time :(
Wish we had the delete back! And didn’t have to scroll all the way back through all the comments after we reply to one. Thoughts from the cheap seats :) It’s all good.
I agree – majorly hard time with the new format – I feel so disconnected :(
I am a mess here too. Feel your pain N! :) Also, wanted to say thank you for your prayer over me the other day. I have a hard time responding here and it hampers my ability to return notes … so thank you friend!
I haven’t forgotten you!! I’ll email ♥
My churchs’ heart is broken…from information we received this weekend…because of a choice our lead pastor made….we will all suffer the rippling effect of this choice, from immediate family to the wider family, far and wide….lives, and not just the churches, have changed forever because man made a choice….
But God, oh But God…
Praise be to the Great and Faithful God we serve, who calls us to Himself, who loves us.. our warts, our mistakes, our shame and all…
Blest is the man, forever blest,
Whose guilt is pardoned by his God,
Whose sins with sorrow are confessed
And covered with his Savior’s blood.
How glorious is that righteousness
That hides and cancels all his sins,
While bright the evidence of grace
Thro’ all his life appears and shines!
This has been a bit of a surreal couple of days, and yet I have felt God speak in these chosen hymns, from Monday’s Blessed Assurance, to yesterday’s Churches one Foundation, to today’s… Blest is the man…
Thank you SRT, Thank you Lord God for going ahead, for the planning ahead for such a time as this, for these timely devotions that have me praising my Savior through this sad and confusing time for all in our church family…
Today SIsters, my friend buries her son, please might I solicited prays for her and the family…it’s been 33 days since he died, she has been up, down, side ways, but today…today …she will need God’s loving arms to hold her up to even stand, because in her own strength, she would be a heap on the floor…
Thank you in advance for your prayers ….
…and perhaps a small one for me as Shelley has asked me to read her letter to Sam her son…
May God turn His face to shine on you today as I pray He will us, SIsters, every blessing with love and hugs…x xxx
His everlasting arms will be around you and your friend today.
Praying for Shelley and her family to know God’s love and comfort today. Praying for you too as you read the letter, and also for your church family that God will be close to you in all the pain you are feeling and that you’ll know him guiding and helping you.
Adding my prayers to all the others and to your own. For grace, oh tons of grace, and compassion in your church and for strong faith that rises far beyond our human failings. For comfort and peace for Shelly and her family, that there would be many who would wrap their love around her today and for many days to come, the hard days. And may the joy and love she felt when she first held her boy be rekindled even in her tremendous sorrow to a roaring flame of gratitude for the days she had with him on this earth. May her friends speak often of him, reminding her of their own love for him. May the words you read on her behalf be in a strong voice, as strong as her love for her son, and may God give you the strength to stand as her friend in support of her at this most tender of times. Praying His Presence is powerfully with you all.
Amen…..
Praying for both your friend and your congregation. May the love and faithfulness of God hold you all until the promises of God are fulfilled.
Praying for your dear friend today. May God comfort her and hold her during this time.
Goodness T! Prayerful over your heart in this, for your church, the congregation, for your pastor …. this is a hard place and one the enemy can weasel himself into easily. I don’t envy the position of those in ministry. Also prayerful over your friend. She crosses my mind as I think to her loss and how thankful I am that she has you. While I hate that you both endure this, there is beauty in God’s connection. Love to you!
Adding my prayers, Tina. Praying that God’s strength will carry you through.
Lifting you all up today and praying you will know His arms are wrapped around you and He is weeping with you.
Praying for you Tina
Blessings,grace and strength to make it through this time Tina and for Shelly and her family. You have all of us supporting you today.
Tina, We are all lifting you up today. What a beautiful thing you are doing by reading Shelley’s letter. At times like these there is tremendous peace in knowing He is with you and with Shelley’s family and your church family. May you know you are lifted up by us as well… love to you all…
lifting you, your church and friend up my friend….
amen!!