HYMN TIME #13: "Mephibosheth" by SOUND DOCTRINE

Albie's note: This is another hymn that is quite modern, but very very good.  Gary Duty-- the Baptist pastor whose other song "Blessed Old Book" was featured in my hymn series a while back [see it HERE if you like]--  wrote this song and sang it with his Bluegrass group SOUND DOCTRINE back in the '90s.   That group seems to be disbanded now (at least I can no longer find the website) but their albums are all great and really worth checking out.

Here Brother Duty faithfully re-tells the beautiful story of the grace shown to lame Mephibosheth by King David in II Samuel Chapter 9, laying special emphasis on its revelation of Almighty God's greater grace to us poor flawed humans. 

Enjoy this amazing song.

In a place called Lodebar lived a young man who was crippled from a fall.
His name was Mephibosheth: the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul.
He was trying to survive; since Jonathan and Saul were slain, it seemed all hope was in vain,
And each lonely night was spent in fear of what another day would bring.
But one day King David said, "There is one thing I'd like to do.
Is there one of the house of Saul, someone I can show my kindness to?"
Someone said, "Down in Lodebar, there lives a son of Jonathan: Mephibosheth, the crippled one."
David said "Go find him, and bring him this message from the King".

CHORUS
Mephibosheth, forever put your fears to rest; come and be my table guest.
To you I'll be a father, and my son you'll always be.
Mephibosheth, please accept the invitation; I've made all the preparations.
Mephibosheth cried "Oh how can this be, that a King would ever love someone like me!"

Living in Lodebar, where there's no comfort for a troubled soul.
Just a place full of broken hearts; never knowing what the future holds.
But now that I've met the King, there's nothing like His love for me; now I'm part of the family,
Since someone came and knocked upon my door, with this message from the King!

CHORUS
Mephibosheth, forever put your fears to rest; come and be my table guest.
To you I'll be a father, and my son you'll always be.
Mephibosheth, please accept the invitation; I've made all the preparations.
Mephibosheth cried "Oh how can this be, that a King would ever love someone like me"

I rejoice when I recall the day I watched those bridges burn,
When I said goodbye to Lodebar, never to return!

2 Samuel 9

1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.

3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.

4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.

5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.

6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!

7 And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?

9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.

10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.

12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.

13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet. PEACE