A Boundary
Ray has been teaching about the Ten Commandments recently. Yesterday afternoon we studied: Do not commit adultery. The topic is always a timely one, but perhaps particularly so in this era when marriage is denigrated, ridiculed, and politicized.
As Ray pointed out, when God commanded us not to commit adultery, He was placing a boundary around marriage. That boundary protects men, women, children, and even society. Ray chose the hymn, “Yield Not to Temptation,” for us to sing after the lesson. Horatio Richmond Palmer wrote the song in 1868 when he was 34 years old. It was published in the National Sunday School Teachers’ Magazine.
We need to take its majestic words to heart.
Yield Not to Temptation
Yield not to temptation,
For yielding is sin;
Each vict’ry will help you,
Some other to win;
Fight manfully onward,
Dark passions subdue;
Look ever to Jesus,
He will carry you through.
Refrain:
Ask the Savior to help you,
Comfort, strengthen and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through.
Shun evil companions,
Bad language disdain;
God’s name hold in rev’rence,
Nor take it in vain;
Be thoughtful and earnest,
Kindhearted and true;
Look ever to Jesus,
He will carry you through. [Refrain]
To him that o’ercometh,
God giveth a crown;
Through faith we will conquer,
Though often cast down;
He who is our Savior,
Our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus,
He will carry you through. [Refrain]
I grew up singing “Yield Not to Temptation” and also “Angry Words,” another Horatio Richmond Palmer hymn. Obeying the instruction of both of these hymns would save many families, thus protecting the childhoods of many children—and their adulthoods, too.
Angry Words
Angry words! oh, let them never
From the tongue unbridled slip:
May the heart’s best impulse ever
Check them ere they soil the lip.
Chorus:
“Love one another,” thus saith the Saviour;
Children, obey the Father’s blest command;
“Love one another,” thus saith the Saviour;
Children, obey the blest command.
Love is much too pure and holy,
Friendship is too sacred far,
For a moment’s reckless folly
Thus to desolate and mar. [Chorus]
Angry words are lightly spoken,
Bitt’rest tho’ts are rashly stirred,
Brightest links of life are broken,
By a single angry word. [Chorus]
Be careful. Be safe. Stay strong. It’s worth it.
No temptation has overtaken you
except something common to mankind;
and God is faithful,
so He will not allow you to be tempted
beyond what you are able,
but with the temptation
will provide the way of escape also,
so that you will be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13