Theodore Tilton, an American poet and newspaper editor, lived from 1835 –1907. Tilton is famous for a poem he wrote at the age of 23, called “The King’s Ring.” It includes the line, “Even this shall pass away” at the end of each of its seven stanzas. The following poem follows his rhyme scheme and focuses on some uses of the phrase “It is written” in the New Testament.
It Is Written (with Thanks to Theodore Tilton)
Once in Judah, reigned a king,
Heard a most unpleasant thing.
That a promised savior came,
With a kingdom sure to reign.
“Where could such a child be found,
Tell me, sages, what the town?”
“Bethlehem is where he’s sittin’,
Micah spoke and ‘It is written.’”
Grew to manhood and he knew,
Called to be Messiah true,
In the desert, tempted sore,
Hungry—Devil did implore:
“Command that food come from a stone!”
But he spake, “Not bread alone,
But by God’s Words, life is fittin’,
Moses spoke and ‘It is written.’”
Seeing that his plan had failed,
Using scripture, still assailed:
“Angels will your feet uplift,
Throw yourself forth from this cliff.”
Knew the psalm his foe did quote,
And the words that Moses wrote.
“Tempt not God, as we are bidden.
Again, I say that ‘It is written.’”
Then upon a mountain high,
Wealth and glory filled his eye.
“All these will I give to thee,
Only fall and worship me.”
“Get thee hence, deceiver fiend,
Only God is Lord indeed.
Him I serve, my praise He’s gettin’,
For I live by ‘It is written.’”
His cousin, John, prepared the way,
Jesus told the role he played:
“More than prophet, great and high,
Fulfills the words of Malachi:
‘Like Elijah filled with grace,
My messenger before your face.’
God’s kingdom is what we’re settin’,
I must preach for ‘It is written.’”
In the Temple, Father’s house,
Money changers all about,
Greedy salesmen with their doves,
These he scattered, filled with love.
“’My house should be a place of prayer,’
Isaiah truly did declare.
Jeremiah, his heart smitten,
Called you thieves, as ‘It is written.’”
Heavy hearted, his last meal,
With the twelve he did reveal:
“I must suffer, die, and rise,
As the scriptures prophesy.
One of you will soon betray.”
(Judas later slipped away.)
For the Lord knew what was hidden,
Staked his life on “It is written.”
Breaking bread and drinking wine,
Sang a hymn to end their time.
Walked with them unto the mount,
Filled with olives round about.
Spoke the Shepherd, solemn matter:
“I’ll be killed; my sheep will scatter.
But I’ll rise, our hearts then knittin’,
Trust my words, for ‘It is written.’”
Raised indeed, declared God’s Son,
Saul soon learned all he had done.
Hearing on Damascus Road,
Saw the light of Christ foretold.
To the Romans penned such words,
Habakkuk’s old truth they heard.
“Live by faith, for Christ has risen,
And we’re saved, for ‘It is written.’”
Now we in earthen vessels meek,
Of God’s power boldly speak.
Troubled by distress and care,
Though perplexed, not in despair.
Knowing that as Christ was raised,
We will join him on that day.
His return we’re not forgettin’,
Safe in hope, for “It is written.”
God’s not pleased by burnt, slain things.
Obedience is the offering,
Jesus made, for he said “Lo,
I’m the heart of every scroll.
To do your will, is why I came.”
Now we too can do the same.
Across the world from Guam to Britain,
We can live by “It is written.”
The following scriptures are the basis for each of the stanzas in the poem above. All contain the phrase “It is written.”
Matthew 2:5
It is written: the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem
Matthew 4:4
It is written: man does not live by bread alone, but by God’s Word
Matthew 4:7
It is written: do not tempt the Lord your God
Matthew 4:10
It is written: worship and serve God only
Matthew 11:10
It is written: of the messenger sent to proclaim the Messiah
Matthew 21:13
It is written: we are to keep God’s house clean
Matthew 26:24
It is written: the Son of Man must suffer and die
Matthew 26:31
It is written: smite the shepherd and the sheep will scatter
Romans 1:17
It is written: the just shall live by faith
II Corinthians 4:13
It is written: we believe and therefore speak
Hebrews 10:7
It is written: of him in the scrolls, to do God’s will
