- O LORD,
- I bless thee that the issue of the battle between thyself and Satan
- has never been uncertain,
and will end in victory. - Calvary broke the dragon’s head,
- and I contend with a vanquished foe,
who with all his subtlety and strength
has already been overcome. - When I feel the serpent at my heel
- may I remember him whose heel was bruised,
but who, when bruised, broke the devil’s head. - My soul with inward joy extols the mighty conqueror.
- Heal me of any wounds received in the great conflict;
- if I have gathered defilement,
- if my faith has suffered damage,
- if my hope is less than bright,
- if my love is not fervent,
- if some creature-comfort occupies my heart,
- if my soul sinks under pressure of the fight.
- O thou whose every promise is balm,
- every touch life,
- draw near to thy weary warrior,
refresh me, that I may rise again to wage the strife,
and never tire until my enemy is trodden down. - Give me such fellowship with thee that I may defy Satan,
- unbelief, the flesh, the world,
with delight that comes not from a creature,
and which a creature cannot mar. - Give me a draught of the eternal fountain
- that lieth in thy immutable, everlasting love and decree.
- Then shall my hand never weaken, my feet never stumble,
- my sword never rest, my shield never rust,
my helmet never shatter, my breastplate never fall, - as my strength rests in the power of thy might.
The Valley of Vision, A collection of Puritan prayers and devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1983), p. 181.
