Wine is a Mocker
 
1. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging;
Makes foolish talkers, senses deranging.
Driving true happiness into the ground;
Far from the wineglass all wise men are found. 
 
2. But in the Bible, standard of learning,
Two wines are mentioned, for our discerning:
New wine is grape juice, press'd fresh from the vine;
Sanctioned when Jesus turned water to wine. 
 
3. Old wine's fermented, bubbling, bursting;
Jesus refused it, on the cross, thirsting.
Symbol of Babylon's mixture, inflamed!
Holy men hate it, and are not ashamed. 
 
Text: based on Proverbs 20:1; 23:29-32; Isaiah 65:8; Numbers 6:3; Matthew 27:34; John 2:1-10; Revelation 14:8; Psalm 119:104,80