Once a woman silent stood”,
While Jesus sat at meat;
From her eyes she poured a flood!
To wash His sacred feet;
Shame and wonder, joy, and love,
All at once possessed her mind,
That she e’er so vile could prove,
Yet now forgiveness find.
“How came this vile woman here?
Will Jesus notice such?
Sure, if He a Prophet were,
He would disdain her touch!”
Simon thus, with sorrowful heart,
Slighted one whom Jesus loved;
But her Saviour took her part,
And thus his pride reproved:
“If two men in debt were bound
One less, the other more,
Fifty of five hundred pound,
And both alike were poor;
Should the lender both forgive,
When he saw them both distressed.
Which of them would you believe
Engaged to love him best?”
“Surely he who most did owe,”
The Pharisee replied;
Then our Lord, “By judging so,
Thou dost for her decide;
Simon, if like her, you knew
How much you forgiveness need;
You like her had acted too,
And welcomed me indeed.
“When the load” of sin is felt,
And much forgiveness known,
Then the heart of course will melt,
Though hard before as stone;
Blame not then her love and tears,
Greatly she in debt has been;
But I have removed her fears,
And pardoned all her sin..”
John Newton