Hymns and Devotions for Daily Worship ‎#205

205. When First My Soul Enlisted

1. When first my soul enlisted,
My Savior's foes to fight,
Mistaken friends insisted,
I was not armed aright:
So Saul advised young David
He certainly would fail,
Nor could his life be saved,
Without a coat of mail.

2. But David, though he yielded
To put the armor on,
Soon found he could not wield it
And ventured forth with none.
With only sling and pebble,
He fought the fight of faith;
The weapon seemed but feeble,
Yet proved Goliah's death.

3. Had I by him been guided,
And quickly thrown away
The armor friends provided,
I might have gain'd the day;
But armed as they advised me,
My expectations failed;
The enemy surprised me
And had almost prevailed.

4. Satan will not be shaken
By such a worm as I;
Then let me learn with David
To trust in the Most High;
To plead the name of Jesus,
And use the sling of prayer;
Thus armed, when Satan sees us,
He'll tremble and despair.

Text Information

• First Line: When first my soul enlisted
• Title: When First My Soul Enlisted
• Author: John Newton (1779)
• Meter: 7.6.7.6 D
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 2024
• Scripture:
  1 Samuel 17:37
• Topic: Ordinary Time: Week 7
• Notes: Text by Anglican priest John Newton, from Olney Hymns (1779), alt.

Tune Information

• Name: LLANGLOFFAN
• Meter: 7.6.7.6 D
• Incipit: 51122 321
• Key: g minor
• Source: Welsh melody, Parry's The Welsh Harper, vol. 2, 1848; Arr. The English Hymnal, 1906
• Notes: Welsh folk tune LLANGLOFFAN, from The Welsh Harper, vol. 2 (1848), arr. as in The English Hymnal (1906).