O For A Closer Walk With God

As some of you may know, William Cowper was the kind of person that experienced wonderful “highs” in his life.  He was a friend of John Newton (author of Amazing Grace) and he co-authored the Olney Hymns with Newton.  He was one of the most popular poets of his day.  But he also had his “low” moments.  Times in his life where he felt far from God.  He battled melancholy and depression during different parts of his life, and was even institutionalized for a couple of years, and even tried to commit suicide on multiple occasions.

Although I am not aware of a specific incident related to this song, it is believed that this hymn was based upon the passage of Scripture found in Genesis 5:24 – “And Enoch walked with God.”

These lyrics tell you of a man who desired to walk with God.  As you read these lyrics, I hope you see a troubled man who longed to be closer to the Lord.  The hymn is a personal testimony and prayer, and maybe today, you can empathize with the author of this hymn.  Maybe you are in a low place today, and are desiring that closer walk with the Lord.  I hope these lyrics encourage you today.

O for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame,
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!

Where is the blessedness I knew,
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul refreshing view
Of Jesus and His Word?

What peaceful hours I once enjoyed!
How sweet their memory still!
But they have left an aching void
The world can never fill.

Return, O holy Dove, return,
Sweet messenger of rest!
I hate the sins that made Thee mourn
And drove Thee from my breast.

The dearest idol I have known,
Whate’er that idol be
Help me to tear it from Thy throne,
And worship only Thee.

So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.

Couple of comments on the lyrics:

• “An aching void” – There is an old saying that says “There is a God-shaped hole in every human heart” and I believe that is true.  There is something inside all of us that longs to have a right relationship with God.  People try to fill that void with a variety of things.  Career, fame, fortune, family, drugs, alcohol, etc.  Those things cannot fill the aching void of not having a relationship with the Creator of the Universe.  All of these things are empty and void of satisfaction.  Only God, by the Holy Spirit, can fill the void and silence the aching that we feel.

• “Return O holy Dove” – Cowper realized that he needed a renewing of the Holy Spirit in his life.  A refilling.  A refreshing. A comforting.  The Holy Spirit is those things for us.  He empowers and endues.  He comforts and calms.  The Holy Spirit is a fresh wind, and the Living water.  Cowper is praying for the Holy Spirit to return in a mighty way to give him rest.

• “The dearest idol I have known” – In reading the Old Testament, one of the things that you encounter over and over again is the Hebrew people chasing after pagan idols.  They would exchange the God of the Universe with idols made of gold and wood.  The Baals.  Ashteroths.  When they would turn back to God, one of the things that they would routinely do is tear down and burn up the idols.  There had to be the removal of the things that caused separation between them and God.  The same was true in Cowper’s day, and the same is true for us today.  We may not have golden idols that we worship, but we have things that separate us from God.  Those things, those dearest idols, have to be torn down in order to get closer to the Lord.

I want to encourage you today with some verses about having that closer walk with the Lord that you find in this great  hymn.  These are great promises for those seeking a closer walk with God.

James 4:8 – Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Proverbs 8:17 –  I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.

Jeremiah 29:13 – And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

I hope your prayer today is “O for a closer walk with God” and that you will embark on a diligent journey to find Him.  In prayer and in His Word.

I have attached a link to a version of this song by the Getty’s. I trust you will enjoy.