The Twenty Seventh of May.

MY SOUL SHALL BE JOYFUL --- Isaiah 61:10.

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." --- Isaiah 61:10.

In vain dost thou dress and adorn thyself, O my soul, before thou approachest Christ. To him thou must come, filthy, naked, and miserable as thou art; he will clothe and adorn thee himself; and in this ornament alone thou shalt rejoice.

For the very best of our robes and performances are not without spots, but still want to be washed in the blood of Christ, and covered with this ornament, Revelation 7:14. This, and this alone, is the way to rejoice and maintain true peace. This will enable us to rejoice that our names are written in heaven.

Awake, my heart, arise, my tongue,
Prepare a tuneful voice;
In God, the life of all my joys,
Aloud will I rejoice.

'Tis he adorn'd my naked soul,
And made salvation mine;
Upon a poor polluted worm
He makes his grace to shine.

The Spirit wrought my faith and love,
And hope, and every grace;
But Jesus spent his life to work
The robe of righeousness.

Strangely, my soul, art thou array'd
By the great sacred Three!
In sweetest harmony of praise
Let all thy powers agree.