Charles Wesley - Come, O My God, The Promise Seal Lyrics
Lyrics
1 COME, O my God, the promise seal,
This mountain, sin, remove;
Now in my gasping soul reveal
The virtue of thy love.
2 I want thy life, thy purity,
Thy righteousness, brought in;
I ask, desire, and trust in thee,
To be redeemed from sin.
3 For this, as taught by thee, I pray,
And can no longer doubt;
Remove from hence! to sin I say,
Be cast this moment out!
4 Anger and sloth, desire and pride,
This moment be subdued!
Be cast into the crimson tide
Of my Redeemer's blood!
5 Saviour, to thee my soul looks up,
My present Saviour thou!
In all the confidence of hope,
I claim the blessing now.
6 'Tis done! thou dost this moment save,
With full salvation bless;
Redemption through thy blood I have,
And spotless love and peace.
Video
Come, O my God, the promise seal
Meaning & Inspiration
"Come, O My God, The Promise Seal," released on April 18, 2021, is a profound expression of a believer's deep yearning for complete spiritual transformation and sanctification. Charles Wesley, the lyricist, penned this devotional with an intensity that speaks directly to the core of Christian aspiration: the desire to be made wholly like Christ, free from the grip of sin. The song isn't merely a petition; it's a fervent prayer, built on the assurance of God's promises. From the outset, the plea to "seal" the promise reveals a confidence in God's faithfulness, echoing promises like those found in Jeremiah 31:33: "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts." The singer recognizes the monumental obstacle of "this mountain, sin," and implores God to not just mitigate its effects, but to "remove" it entirely, a desire rooted in the New Testament understanding of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, as the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:3, "For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering, he condemned sin in the flesh."
The second stanza articulates this yearning for inner transformation with remarkable clarity. The desire is not for outward show, but for the very "life," "purity," and "righteousness" of Christ to be imparted. This is a spiritual osmosis, a yearning to be clothed in Christ’s perfect nature, as Paul encouraged believers in 2 Corinthians 5:21: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." The act of asking, desiring, and trusting in God for this redemption from sin is the very essence of faith in action, a testament to the truth that salvation is a gift received through grace by faith, as Ephesians 2:8-9 states, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
Wesley’s confident approach in the third and fourth stanzas is striking. Having been "taught by thee, I pray," the singer expresses an unwavering certainty, a spiritual intuition that their petition aligns with God’s will. This emboldens them to directly confront sin, commanding it to be "cast this moment out!" The naming of specific sins—anger, sloth, desire (implying sinful longing), and pride—shows a deep self-awareness and a deliberate targeting of the inner fortifications of the fallen nature. The powerful imagery of being cast into "the crimson tide of my Redeemer's blood" is a direct allusion to the purifying power of Christ's sacrifice, referencing Revelation 1:5, which speaks of Jesus Christ, "the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood." This is a cry for the complete cleansing and atonement that only Christ’s atoning death can provide.
The final stanzas transition from fervent petition to triumphant declaration. The singer looks "up" to the "Saviour," acknowledging His present power and efficacy. The "confidence of hope" is not a blind optimism, but a firm belief in God's ability and willingness to fulfill His promises. The exclamation, "'Tis done! thou dost this moment save," marks a profound moment of spiritual breakthrough, a reception of God's grace that is immediate and transformative. The recognition of "full salvation," "redemption through thy blood," and the resultant "spotless love and peace" encapsulates the complete work of God in the life of a believer – deliverance from sin, reconciliation with God, and the inhabitation of His perfect peace. This song, therefore, is a rich tapestry woven with the threads of earnest supplication, unwavering faith, and the assured victory found in Christ, offering a powerful model for anyone seeking the profound depths of God's sanctifying grace.