Speed the player up or slow it down to help learn to play this. You may also print this as well.
Please also see further below for the versification, the actual text and typical congregational singing of this Psalm in English.
Heidelberg Catechism | Set to Rhyme & Music | Aart Blokhuis | June 9/11 |
Melody: Geneva, 1551, (Psalm 119 BOP “How blessed are the upright in their way,”)
Lord’s Day 31 in Song
WHAT ARE THE KEYS..?
1.) What are the keys that I should enter in?
Or be condemned to eternal perdition?
That I am taught, Christ ransomed me from sin
And I’m no longer bound in Death’s condition,
Christ died in order my entrance to win,
Whereas the wayward are denied admission.
2.) The way to God is opened free and clear
When men receive the gospel to salvation,
Embrace His Word, for He is ever near,
He calls his saints to Him from every nation
In Christ, through faith, I’ll suffer want nor fear
But live in joy, expressing true elation.
3.) The hypocrites, all those who Christ deny
Will find the door to heaven closed forever,
By words and actions, prove their lives a lie;
They have no part in Him, yes, God will sever,
For, condemnation rests on them, from High,
Unless they should repent, they’ll enter never.
4.) Church discipline is, showing the Lord’s care,
Which through admonishment the church has stated,
In sacraments they’ll have no part nor share,
The wrath of God burns hot and unabated;
To those rebellious, who mock Him, or dare,
They stand condemned, alone, unmitigated.
5.) Yet, see how merciful and full of grace
When such show promise and a true amendment,
In knowing that, through Christ, sin is erased,
For He alone fulfilled all God’s commandment,
And be complete, restored before God’s face,
No longer cursed, rejected nor abandoned.
Copied from Book of Praise Anglo Genevan Psalter
Lord’s Day 31
Heidelberg Catechism
- 83. Q. What are the keys of the kingdom of heaven?
A. The preaching of the holy gospel
and church discipline.
By these two the kingdom of heaven
is opened to believers
and closed to unbelievers.1
1 Mt 16:19; Jn 20:21-23.
- 84. Q. How is the kingdom of heaven
opened and closed
by the preaching of the gospel?
A. According to the command of Christ,
the kingdom of heaven is opened
when it is proclaimed and publicly testified
to each and every believer
that God has really forgiven
all their sins
for the sake of Christ’s merits,
as often as they by true faith
accept the promise of the gospel.
The kingdom of heaven is closed
when it is proclaimed and testified
to all unbelievers and hypocrites
that the wrath of God
and eternal condemnation
rest on them
as long as they do not repent.
According to this testimony of the gospel,
God will judge
both in this life
and in the life to come.1
1 Mt 16:19; Jn 3:31-36; 20:21-23.
- 85. Q. How is the kingdom of heaven
closed and opened
by church discipline?
A. According to the command of Christ,
people who call themselves Christians
but show themselves to be un-christian
in doctrine or life
are first repeatedly admonished
in a brotherly manner.
If they do not give up
their errors or wickedness,
they are reported to the church,
that is, to the elders.
If they do not heed
also their admonitions,
they are forbidden the use of the sacraments,
and they are excluded by the elders
from the Christian congregation,
and by God himself
from the kingdom of Christ.1
They are again received
as members of Christ
and of the church
when they promise and show
real amendment.2
1 Mt 18:15-20; 1 Cor 5:3-5; 11-13; 2 Thess 3:14, 15.
2 Lk 15:20-24; 2 Cor 2:6-11.