The two-fold captive prisoner, Paul,
By Christ and by the Roman,
Looked not unto his circumstance
Nor feared this as an omen.
He heard the angry threats of death
From those bound with a curse.
Though captive, and with no escape,
He never feared the worst.
Paul sent a message urgently;
His captor did respond.
And we send our prayers fervently,
Allowing no despond.
So see what to our Paul occurred,
And let this be our hope.
For our God keeps us prisoner,
But not with chains and rope.
Two hundred soldiers were despatched,
Two hundred spearmen, too.
And horsemen, seventy, mounted up;
The captain's word was true.
The army did begin its march
The third hour of the day.
Two score assassins heard the news
And trembled with dismay.
Self-cursed; they could not eat nor drink
Until they had killed Paul.
But he, a full nights march away
May well now kill them all!
To set off swiftly in pursuit..
The only chance at all.
And each one would face death quite soon
If they could not kill Paul.
And the sun was risen with a burning heat
And the soldiers swift upon their feet,
Returning from a few hours march
Did meet with forty, pale and parched.
And the sun was risen with a burning heat
And the wicked did stagger with faltering feet,
Their last desire in all the world...
Was to meet four hundred with their banners unfurled!
The soldier heard from a hill nearby
The murderous forty's mournful cry,
"If only we had killed Paul first,
We'd not risk dying in the desert of thirst."
"Of thirst," he thought, "you'll never die,
Whilst all our swords have edge.
Three hundred, ninety nine and I
Will now fulfil your pledge!"
Now, Scripture does not say at all
What happened to these men;
But Paul, on horseback, did go on
For God saved him again.
This lesson Christians all must learn;
Assassins do surround.
But all their threats, and they themselves
Are buried in the ground.
The cavalry of seventy,
Four hundred soldiers too,
Protect the Christians when they pray;
The Word of God is true!
H.K.Pywell 16.7.1993