This is one of the hymns we sang tonight at church. It is taken from the Olney Hymnal by John Newton and William Cowper. The 8.8.8.8. refers to the meter the song is sung to. What a wonderful message this hymn has and we sang all eight verses.
A Brand Plucked Out Of The Fire.
John Newton
8,8,8,8
Zechariah 3:1-5
With Satan, my accuser near,
My spirit trembled when I saw
The LORD in majesty appear,
And heard the language of his law.
In vain I wished and strove to hide
The tattered filthy rags I wore;
While my fierce foe, insulting cried,
“See what you trusted in before!”
Struck dumb, and left without a plea,
I heard my gracious Savior say,
“Know, Satan, I this sinner free,
I died to take his sins away.
This is a brand which I in love,
To save from wrath and sin design;
In vain thy accusations prove,
I answer all, and claim him mine.”
At his rebuke the tempter fled;
Then he removed my filthy dress;
“Poor sinner take this robe, he said,
It is thy Savior’s righteousness.
And see, a crown of life prepared!
That I might thus thy head adorn;
I thought no shame or suff’ring hard,
But wore, for thee, a crown of thorn.”
O how I heard these gracious words!
They broke and healed my heart at once;
Constrained me to become the Lord’s,
And all my idol–gods renounce.
Now, Satan, thou hast lost thy aim,
Against this brand thy threats are vain;
JESUS has plucked it from the flame,
And who shall put it in again?
The Bible passage this hymn is based on:
Zechariah 3:1-5 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. (2) And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? (3) Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. (4) And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. (5) And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.