God's Gift Divine

LOVE: GOD'S GIFT DIVINE

by HELEN STEINER RICE



LOVE IS ENDURING
AND PATIENT AND KIND,
IT JUDGES ALL THINGS
WITH THE HEART NOT THE MIND,
AND LOVE CAN TRANSFORM
THE MOST COMMONPLACE
INTO BEAUTY AND SPLENDOR
AND SWEETNESS AND GRACE...
FOR LOVE IS UNSELFISH,
GIVING MORE THAN IT TAKES,
AND NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS
LOVE NEVER FORSAKES,
IT'S FAITHFUL AND TRUSTING
AND ALWAYS BELIEVING,
GUILELESS AND HONEST
AND NEVER DECEIVING...
YES, LOVE IS BEYOND
WHAT MAN CAN DEFINE,
FOR LOVE IS IMMORTAL
AND GOD'S GIFT IS DIVINE!
AND UNDERNEATH THIS REFUGE
ARE THE EVERLASTING ARMS-
SO CAST YOUR BURDEN ON HIM,
SEEK HIS COUNSEL WHEN DISTRESSED,
AND GO TO HIM FOR COMFORT
WHEN YOU'RE LONELY AND OPPRESSED-
FOR GOD IS OUR ENCOURAGEMENT
IN TROUBLE AND IN TRIALS,
AND IN SUFFERING AND IN SORROW
HE WILL TURN OUR TEARS TO SMILES.





BECAUSE YOUR STEADFAST LOVE
IS BETTER THAN LIFE,
MY LIPS WILL PRAISE YOU.



PSALM 63:3
NRSV



CREATE IN ME A PURE HEART, O GOD,
AND RENEW A STEADFAST SPIRIT WITHIN ME.



PSALM 51:10
NIV



HE WILL NOT FEAR EVIL TIDINGS;
HIS HEART IS STEADFAST,
TRUSTING IN THE LORD.



PSALM 112:7
NAS



POUR OUT YOUR UNFAILING LOVE
ON THOSE WHO KNOW YOU!
NEVER STOP GIVING YOUR
SALVATION TO THOSE WHO
LONG TO DO YOUR WILL.



PSALM 36:10
TLB



FOR MY LOVE THEY ARE MY ADVERSARIES:
BUT I GIVE MYSELF UNTO PRAYER.



PSALM 109:4
KJV



THE LORD WILL COMMAND
HIS LOVINGKINDNESS IN THE DAYTIME;
AND HIS SONG WILL BE WITH ME IN THE NIGHT,
A PRAYER TO THE GOD OF MY LIFE.



PSALM 42:8
NAS



THE LORD HAS HEARD MY SUPPLICATION;
THE LORD WILL RECEIVE MY PRAYER.



PSALM 6:9
NKJV



LISTEN TO MY PRAYER FOR MERCY
AS I CRY OUT TO YOU FOR HELP,
AS I LIFT MY HANDS TOWARD YOUR HOLY SANCTUARY.



PSALM 28:2
NLT



LOVE AND TRUTH BELONG TO GOD'S PEOPLE;
GOODNESS AND PEACE WILL BE THEIRS.



PSALM 85:10
NCV



HE HATH DELIVERED MY SOUL IN PEACE
FROM THE BATTLE THAT WAS AGAINST ME:
FOR THERE WERE MANY WITH ME.



PSALM 55:18
KJV



THOSE WHO LOVE YOUR LAW HAVE GREAT PEACE
AND DO NOT STUMBLE.



PSALM 119:165
NLT



I WILL BOTH LIE DOWN AND SLEEP IN PEACE;
FOR YOU ALONE, O LORD, MAKE
ME LIE DOWN IN SAFETY.



PSALM 4:8
NRSV



BUT ALL WHO HUMBLE THEMSELVES BEFORE
THE LORD SHALL BE GIVEN EVERY BLESSING,
AND SHALL HAVE WONDERFUL PEACE.



PSALM 37:11
TLB