NO REPUTATION

"Who being in the form of God ... made Himself of no reputation." - Philippians 2: 6,7

 

Most wondrous thought! Thou, oh our Saviour God,

Whom e'en the heaven of heavens cannot contain,

Didst stoop to lowest depths; yet o'er that stoop

In all its mighty vastness, its profound

Unfathom'd depths, our souls must fain be mute.

Yet musing o'er Thy pathway, we behold,

Oh matchless Saviour, such stupendous acts

Of grace, and love, and pure humility,

Our hearts o'erflow with praise.

Who but Thyself Would own "no reputation"! would accept

No breath of earthly fame, no word of praise

From flattering lips? Who but Thyself alone

Would deign to be by men o'erlook'd, ignored,

Thought nothing of? yet conscious, all the while,

That glory, honour, majesty, and power,

By right belonged to Thee!

Oh, patient One, Obedient unto death: we hail with joy

The rapturous thought that henceforth evermore

Thyself shalt be th' exalted One, whose name

Above all other names shall homage bear;

Our thrice victorious Lord.

 

Reprinted from Things New and Old, Vol. XX/I (1879), p.121