I Fear the Serpent’s Hiss

I fear the ser­pent’s hiss

The prowl­ing li­on’s roar

The tempt­er’s fas­ci­nat­ing wiles

And his de­stroy­ing pow­er.

What sub­tle arts he tries

To draw me in­to sin!

Presents th’al­lur­ing bait

but hides

The bane­ful hook with­in.

He makes fair pro­mis­es

Of safe­ty

peace and joy;

And where his craft does not pre­vail

He’ll op­en force em­ploy.

A thou­sand forms he takes

As best may suit his end;

Now a bright an­gel he ap­pears

And now a hate­ful fiend.

But why should I of him

Be slav­ish­ly afraid?

Jesus

whose heel the ser­pent bruised

Shall bruise the ser­pent’s head.