NOBLE

A noble love came to our world of dust
To ransom us, whatever it might cost:
For true love what it can is what it must.


The world exults in Baal and Astaroth
But a far nobler joy belongs to you:
True joy will not be found in this world's froth.


Man's compromise ignobly grants release
To sin; through grace a nobler peace is known:
True peace is only peace that will not cease

With noble kindness David sought to find

And show God's kindness to one who had feared,

Because God knows the burdens of mankind.

The Spirit lit the lamp to quell our night:

His noble workings are apparent when

True goodness has been seen - "fruit of the light".

Feeling the buffets of adversity
What noble faithfulness Stephen displayed
When seeing Jesus in His dignity.


In noble meekness see the Shepherd seek
Lost sheep in a poor world where life is grim:

True meekness, seen in Jesus, was unique.

With noble self-control amid men's ills
Stephen's demeanour can well demonstrate

True self-control is when the Spirit fills.

Whence was the work, far nobler than man's art
Displayed in the longsufferings of Paul?
The God of grace in whom true blessings start.






Does this work?  It's the "noble" verses of the villanelle series.

TRUE

For true love what it can is what it must
And since it can it must redeem the lost:
Thus true love overcomes the lie of lust.


True joy will not be found in this world's froth
But as the ascended Man is in your view
You have a joy untouched by rust or moth.


True peace is only peace that will not cease
And Christ won such an ambience for His own
Where the peace dividends always increase.


The God of grace in whom true blessings start,
Desiring the salvation of us all,
Showed through longsuffering His loving heart.

Because God knows the burdens of mankind

True kindness and true love to man appeared:

Christ came to heal lame, leprous, dumb or blind.

True goodness has been seen - "fruit of the light" -

"Goodness and righteousness and truth" in men,

In persons Christ secured for God's delight.

When seeing Jesus in His dignity

Where His true faithfulness has been displayed

"Are not thine eyes upon fidelity"?

True meekness, seen in Jesus, was unique
Yet by the Spirit saints conform to Him:

God's heart is cheered by persons who are meek.

True self-control is when the Spirit fills
The soul and shows us Christ, to captivate

The heart – and not by human works or wills.

Does this work as a composition in its own right?  It's the them of Galatians 5 and Philippians 4 run in the other direction.

A SELF-CONTROL VILLANELLE

True self-control is when the Spirit fills

The soul and shows us Christ, to captivate

The heart – and not by human works or wills.

With noble self-control amid men's ills

Stephen's demeanour can well demonstrate

True self-control is when the Spirit fills.

Good self-control comes as the Just One thrills

The soul and moves the saint to consecrate

The heart – and not by human works or wills.

A self-control that's pharisaic chills

The soul, but, as the pure in heart relate,

True self-control in when the Spirit fills

The Spirit loves the self-control He instils

In souls; and by His grace will elevate

The heart – and not by human works or wills.

The Spirit quickens though the letter kills

So this is the report we promulgate:

True self-control in when the Spirit fills

The heart – and not by human works or wills.

This concludes the interaction of Galatians 5 and Philippians 4.

A MEEKNESS VILLANELLE

True meekness, seen in Jesus, was unique

Yet by the Spirit saints conform to Him:

God's heart is cheered by persons who are meek.

In noble meekness see the Shepherd seek

Lost sheep in a poor world where life is grim:

True meekness, seen in Jesus, was unique.

As led in judgement through a world that's bleak

The meek will show God's blessings do not dim:

God's heart is cheered by persons who are meek.

In a world soiled by Roman, Jew or Greek

Like the pure ark beneath the cherubim

True meekness, seen in Jesus, was unique.

God loves the man who'll turn the other cheek

Rather than fighting with another's whim:

God's heart is cheered by persons who are meek.

And God delights to hear men humbly speak

Of grace which fills our vessels to the brim.

True meekness, seen in Jesus, was unique:

God's heart is cheered by persons who are meek.

A FIDELITY VILLANELLE

When seeing Jesus in His dignity
Where His true faithfulness has been displayed
"Are not thine eyes upon fidelity"?

Feeling the buffets of adversity
What noble faithfulness Stephen displayed
When seeing Jesus in His dignity.

As you behold amid calamity
The Just One both forsaken and betrayed
Are not thine eyes upon fidelity?

See Stephen in his grace and purity
Face all man's hatred and be undismayed
When seeing Jesus in His dignity.

Seeing God's people's amiability
As walking in the path that Christ has made
"Are not thine eyes upon fidelity"?

Proclaim that grace that touched our  depravity
 And faithful saints need never be afraid
When seeing Jesus in His dignity.
Are not thine eyes upon fidelity?



See Jeremiah 5: 3: "Jehovah, are not thine eyes upon fidelity".  (JND Translation, which I usually use.)

A GOODNESS VILLANELLE

True goodness has been seen - "fruit of the light" -
"Goodness and righteousness and truth" in men,
In persons Christ secured for God's delight.

The Spirit lit the lamp to quell our night:
His noble workings are apparent when
True goodness has been seen - "fruit of the light".

Goodness and righteousness and truth unite
In souls the Lord has brought to God again:
In persons Christ secured for God's delight.

God's word is pure: its goodness will indite
Things that exceed mere human acumen:
True goodness has been seen - "fruit of the light".

Those who do good are lovely in God's sight:
He loved the goodness seen in Christ, and then
In persons Christ secured for God's delight.

Proclaim true goodness in Christ's work; invite
Sinners to come: may God be praised!  Amen.
True goodness has been seen - "fruit of the light" -
In persons Christ secured for God's delight.

A KINDNESS VILLANELLE

Because God knows the burdens of mankind
True kindness and true love to man appeared:
Christ came to heal lame, leprous, dumb or blind.

With noble kindness David sought to find
And show God's kindness to one who had feared,
Because God knows the burdens of mankind

But if the righteous smite me it is kind:
Finding I need Him, Christ becomes endeared - 
Christ came to heal lame, leprous, dumb or blind.

Kindness and love from saints' pure heart and mind
Are God's support where sin has interfered
Because God knows the burdens of mankind.

How beautiful to God are saints aligned
To Christ in kindness, and God's heart is cheered:
Christ came to heal lame, leprous, dumb or blind.

Proclaim God's kindness to those sin would bind
Since through the work of Christ they may be cleared:
Because God knows the burdens of mankind
Christ came to heal lame, leprous, dumb or blind.

A LONGSUFFERING VILLANELLE

The God of grace in whom true blessings start,
Desiring the salvation of us all,
Showed through longsuffering His loving hear.

Whence was the work, far nobler than man's art
Displayed in the longsufferings of Paul?
The God of grace in whom true blessings start.

The apostle, formed by God and set apart,
Made righteous through Christ's answer to the fall,
Showed through longsuffering his loving heart.

What has secured that virgin counterpart
To Christ's longsuffering till she hears His call?

The God of grace in whom true blessings start.

Lovely to God, shielded from Satan's dart,
The saint who has, though sin's attacks appall,
Showed through longsuffering his loving heart.

Let saints in testimony here impart
This message of God's ways to great and small:

The God of grace in whom true blessings start
Showed through longsuffering His loving heart.

A PEACE VILLANELLE

True peace is only peace that will not cease
And Christ won such an ambience for His own
Where the peace dividends always increase.


Man's compromise ignobly grants release
To sin; through grace a nobler peace is known:
True peace is only peace that will not cease


No peace attends the world of man's caprice:
A world of righteousness will soon be shown
Where the peace dividends always increase.


Each crimson stain washed whiter than a fleece,
His saints praise Christ who suffered to atone:
True peace is only peace that will not cease


Far better than the faded charms of Greece,
The place God loves where Christ is on the throne
Where the peace dividends always increase.


Rome claimed it owed survival to its geese
But we proclaim real peace through Christ alone:
True peace is only peace that will not cease
Where the peace dividends always increase.

A JOY VILLANELLE

True joy will not be found in this world's froth
But as the ascended Man is in your view
You have a joy untouched by rust or moth.

The world exults in Baal and Astaroth
But a far nobler joy belongs to you:
True joy will not be found in this world's froth.

How God rejoiced when Gideon poured the broth
As a just ground for what He was to do:
You have a joy untouched by rust or moth.

As maiden gladly goes to plight her troth:
The Christ's chaste virgin proves that she is true.
True joy will not be found in this world's froth.

Rome's graces fell to the marauding Goth;
God's loved land's graces constantly accrue:
You have a joy untouched by rust or moth.

As the glad tidings rouse from sin and sloth
What blessing for both God and men ensue!
True joy will not be found in this world's froth;
You have a joy untouched by rust or moth.



Still see Philippians 4: 8.

A LOVE VILLANELLE

For true love what it can is what it must
And since it can it must redeem the lost:
Thus true love overcomes the lie of lust.

A noble love came to our world of dust
To ransom us, whatever it might cost:
For true love what it can is what it must.

A righteous love came seeking the unjust
With energy our need could not exhaust;
Thus true love overcomes the lie of lust.

Pure love observed our world of mud and rust
And came for us where we were tempest-tossed:  
For true love what it can is what it must.

Now love all lovely shelters from sin's gust
And brings us warmth despite sin's bitter frost;
Thus true love overcomes the lie of lust.

A good report of love in which to trust
Comes from the hearts in which it is embossed;
For true love what it can is what it must:
Thus true love overcomes the lie of lust.