“Deceivers” as the World May Deem

Deceivers as the world may deem

Yet true with­out dis­guise;

Unknown

on earth of poor es­teem

Yet well known in the skies.

We die in dai­ly scenes of strife

Beneath the cross and rod;

Yet liv­ing still the life of life

Here hid with Christ in God.

Chastened

yet chast­ened by the Lord

Not whol­ly giv’n to death;

Not killed

since liv­ing on His word

And breath­ing with His breath.

As sor­row­ing o’er sec­ret sin

O’er doubts

and fears; yet still

Rejoicing ev­er

since with­in

God’s joy our hearts does fill.

Poor in the rich­es of this earth

Yet in those trea­sures

which

Are ours by right of a new birth

As mak­ing ma­ny rich.

As ’mid a false and faith­less race

A band both weak and small;

As hav­ing no­thing

yet thro’ grace

Inheritors of all!

E’en such are Christ­ians! pain and loss

Here oft­en weigh them down;

They’re known on earth oft by their cross

In Heav’n but by their crown.

Yet not the cross alone is theirs

Nor wait they to be blest;

For ev­en here

’mid griefs and cares

They en­ter in­to rest.

And thus

by each sal­va­tion spring

Found in life’s de­sert plain

For us to live is Christ

they sing

For us to die is gain.

Such make me

Lord! In mer­cy make

That thus my gain may be

To sleep in Je­sus

and awake

Well sa­tis­fied with Thee!