Bless Those Who Curse

Gracious, loving, King Jesus,
By Your Spirit help Your followers to bless,
Those who hate, revile and mock us;
They who delight in sowing distress.

None of us in our sin are good,
But You, the Source of all good, came to Earth.
Though we mocked and abused You, You stood,
In our place to die to give us rebirth.

In so doing You paid our sin’s debt;
Though we cursed You, You’ve blessed us with life.
Our hate, with love, You have met,
For Your heart with grace and mercy is rife.

Who could conceive of One so loving,
As to die to save His enemies?
Yet, while we rebelled, You came running,
To out of sin’s prison, us, seize.

Having now received Your gracious salvation,
Lord help us to follow Your loving example.
Apart from You, the God of creation,
We can’t respond with love when others, us, trample.

It is only by Your Spirit’s enabling,
We can do good to those who hate.
Please, our natural, sinful response, be disabling;
Make our crooked path be straight.

Lord Jesus, it’s true we’re not better,
Than those it’s difficult for us to love.
In regard to all others, we’re simply a fellow debtor,
In desperate need of forgiveness from Heaven above.

Help us to be Your hands and feet,
And meet mankind’s rancor with grace.
Diffuse through us Your aroma sweet,
Even when we encounter worldly disgrace.

For, You oh Lord are the Most High,
Who became a servant most low.
You did not count it loss even to die,
To cleanse us of sin and bear our sorrow.

So that many might know the same joy,
Of believing in and serving You,
Give us humble hearts that we might deploy,
Love to others so they can know you too.

Thank You for loving when did not in return;
Now please enable us to do the same,
That we may be an extension of Your kind concern,
And be used to, many people from darkness, reclaim.