The bitten people lay upon the ground
Dying and dead;
And still, the fearful serpents hovered round,
And terror spread,
Till Israel God’s strange remedy received,
And on the brazen serpent “looked and lived.”
That was a shadow dimly setting forth
A greater thing:
The sufferings and death, the matchless worth,
Of Christ we sing;
No life, no merit had that brazen sign,
But Jesus’ excellence is all divine.
Looking to Him alone, by precious faith,
God’s spotless Lamb,
We’re saved from wrath and everlasting death,
From guilt and shame
To Him and not the cross on which He died;
Our only hope is Christ, the Crucified.
And only looking, thence our life proceeds,
And we are blest;
Not from our tears, or prayers, or holy deeds
Expect we rest;
Yet, looking unto Him, for sin we mourn,
And righteousness and truth our lives adorn.
Oh to be looking all our earthly days
To Christ the Lord,
Trusting His merits, showing forth His praise
By deed and word!
Then go to see Him face to face above,
Completely healed, forever filled with love
ML-01/29/1978