Take heart, dear souls, you exiles of the Fall

and banished from God’s presence by your sins!

The Lord has stretched out His almighty arm—

salvation’s Word resounding from the throne,

declared in muted tones for human ears,

His spitting image put to fragile flesh.

The Son has taken up the Father’s will

and borne it humbly in His wounded hands

to death. Admire how it flourishes!

A sprout–a sapling–mighty tree of life–

the hope of man and glory of the LORD

secured in One. In Jesus we may dare 

to look on Deity–and never die.