As a lily growing out of a bramble bush

1
As a lily growing out of a bramble bush;
As a bright star shining forth in the darkest night;
Is a story excellent, bright and fragrant
Of Boaz and Ruth in a divine romance.
2
Ruth the Moabitess joined to God’s holy elect;
Boaz took care of her and redeemed all her debt.
First she gleaned from his land,
Then got married to him.
This is how she was joined to God’s eternal plan.
  Lord, I love You and treasure You.
Lord, I choose You and respond to You.
You’re my everything, You’re above all,
You’re my Husband, and my rest,
And my all in all.
3
The eternal God entered and stepped into time;
For this He needed persons to carry the line —
Those who fulfilled His plan, to bring God into man
Bringing divinity into humanity.
4
In the universe this is the greatest event,
That is Christ’s incarnation — in His first advent.
Ruth became an ancestor in this mystery —
God and man to be mingled as one entity.
5
God had promised the seed of a woman for man
That would crush Satan’s head and redeem fallen man;
To make God and man one, what a glory to Him!
We are qualified now to partake of Him.
6
We are Moabites too, constituted with sin;
We are under God’s wrath and His condemnation.
But through Christ’s redemption, He’s our portion we claim;
In this organic union, we’re married to Him.
12
Hripsime Hovhannisyan

Yerevan, Armenia

Lord, I love You! and treasure You!

Lord, I choose You! and respond to You!

You’re my everything! You’re above all!

You’re my Husband! and my rest!

And my all in all!


Joanna Smathers

Baton Rouge, LA, United States

you’re my everything

You’re above all,

You’re my husband,

And my rest

And my all in all.


Bridge

Saipan, Mariana Islands, Northern Mariana Islands

Chapter 2 of the book of Ruth speaks of Ruth, as one who had returned to God from her heathen background, exercising her right to partake of the rich produce of the inheritance of God’s elect. May we, just as Ruth, begin to pursue Christ in order to gain, possess, experience, and enjoy Him. (Phil. 3:7-16)


Grace Chan Seng Tze

Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Like Ruth, we are also Moabites who are constituted with sin, under God’s wrath and His condemnation.

But hallelujah Christ’s redemption! He as our Boaz is our portion that we claim! What a right! Thank You Lord for bringing us into this organic union, that we are married to Him, our dear Bridegroom.

Lord Jesus, I love You!


Yohan Yosef

Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines

Lord, I love You and treasure You.

Lord, I choose You and respond to You.

You're my everything

You're above all.

You're my Husband and my rest

And my all in all.

Keep me in the atmosphere and condition of loving You. Grace me to keep this bridal love for You Lord.

Oh Lord Jesus ! I love You!


Ruth Lily Lim

Toronto, ON, Canada

Lord, I was Lily but now become Ruth, thank you for granting Me the right to participate of Your new economy. Hallelujah!


RE

Anaheim, CA, United States

Ruth, a nobody

but chose a Somebody, the Best!

He married her and then she was able to enter into rest and enjoy all that was His.

We are that Ruth, only in The Lord is that we found rest and now we are enjoying all that He is to all who chose Him as their Husband!

Lord Jesus, our dear Bridegroom, we love You!

In every situation we take You as our Bridegroom, enter into rest and enjoy what You are to us...and all You have...we have the right to partake of all You are...


Marlon Tecson

Caloocan, Ncr, Philippines

To make God and man one, what a glory to Him! We are qualified now to partake of Him. Praise the Lord!!


Steve Miller

Detroit, MI, United States

I like to thank hymnal.net for publishing both the song, music and music sheet, so I could share this song at church.

I called this song at church yesterday. It was very sweet. A brother who knew knew Howard, the author, testified that Howard lived across from a college campus and had his home open 24 hrs/day for any student to come over. He had 2 refrigerators stocked with food for students.

My feeling about this song is that it's amazing. The truth is so high, yet it reaches everyone, young, old and new. There are a lot of songs about the marriage of Christ and the church, but this is the most touching to me. This song does not become doctrinal nor depart from the sense of word in an overly emotional way.


Jane Otse

Nigeria

I say Amen to this hymn. I only just learned it last blending in Lagos.

It's a wonderful hymn.