4 But He, our gracious Master, kind as just,
Knowing our frame, remembers man is dust;
Marks the young dawn of every virtuous aim,
And fans the smoking flax into a flame.
5 His ear is open to the softest cry;
His grace descends to meet the lifted eye;
He reads the language of a silent tear,
And sighs are incense from a heart sincere.
6 Such are the vows, the sacrifice, I give;
Accept the vow, and bid the suppliant live;
Bid my fond hopes, my vain disquiets cease,
And point my path to everlasting peace!
1 I read Thy awful Name, emblazoned high
With golden letters on the illumined sky;
In every leaf that trembles to the breeze,
I hear the voice of God among the trees.
2 With Thee in shady solitudes I walk;
With Thee in busy crowded cities talk;
In every creature own Thy forming power,
In each event Thy providence adore.
3 If friendless, in a vale of tears I stray,
Where briars wound, and thorns perplex my way
Still let my steady soul Thy goodness see,
And with strong confidence lay hold on Thee.
4 Thy hopes shall animate my drooping soul,
Thy precepts guide me, and Thy fears control:
Thus shall I rest, unmoved by all alarms,
Secure within the Temple of Thy arms:
5 With equal eye my various lot receive,
Resigned to die, or resolute to live;
Prepared to kiss the sceptre, or the rod,
While God is seen in all, and all in God.
6 Teach me to quit this transitory scene
With decent triumph, and a look serene;
Teach me to fix my ardent hopes on high,
And having lived to Thee, in Thee to die!
1 Thou Grace Divine, encircling all,
A soundless, shoreless sea!
Wherein at last our souls shall fall,
O Love of God most free!
2 When over dizzy steeps we go,
Whilst one Hand shields our eyes,
The other leads us safe and slow,
O Love of God most wise!
3 And though we turn us from Thy face,
And wander wide and long,
Thou hold'st us still in Thine embrace,
O Love of God most strong!
4 The saddened heart, the restless soul,
The toil-worn frame and mind,
Alike confess Thy sweet control,
O Love of God most kind!
5 But not alone Thy care we claim,
Our wayward steps to win:
We know Thee by a dearer name,
O Love of God within!
6 And filled and quickened by Thy breath, Our souls are strong and free
To rise o'er sin and fear and death,
O Love of God, to Thee!
1 Lord! I believe; Thy power I own,
Thy word I would obey:
I wander comfortless and lone,
When from Thy truth I stray.
2 Lord! I believe; but gloomy fears
Sometimes bedim my sight;
I look to Thee with prayers and tears,
And cry for strength and light.
3 Lord! I believe; but oft, I know,
My faith is cold and weak:
Pity my frailty, and bestow
The confidence I seek.
4 Yes, I believe; and only Thou
Canst give my soul relief:
Lord! to Thy truth my spirit bow,
Help Thou my unbelief!
1 Lo! my Shepherd's hand divine!
Want shall never more be mine:
In a pasture fair and large,
He shall feed His happy charge.
2 When I faint with summer's heat,
He shall lead my weary feet
To the streams that, still and slow,
Through the verdant meadows flow.
3 He my soul anew shall frame;
And His mercy to proclaim,
When through devious paths I stray,
Teach my steps the better way.
4 Though the dreary vale I tread
By the shades of death o'erspread,
There I walk from terror free,
Still protected, Lord, by Thee.
1 Life is a chequered road,
Where mingle thorns and flowers; Fair smiles the morn, in beauty drest, But ah! the evening lowers.
Smooth ebbs the slumbering wave,
We tempt the briny way;
But darkening skies and rising winds
Our sinking hearts dismay.
"O ye of little faith,"
Why droop your hearts with fear?
Though thousand dangers press around,
Your Father's arm is near.
To try your wavering souls
Temptation spreads its toils;
But wisdom nor defies its power,
Nor trusts its treacherous smiles.
She puts her armour on,
Her heavenly-tempered shield,
Her breast-plate of celestial mould;
But asks no sword to wield.
Faith is her watch-word still,
Her bulwark innocence;
Salvation on her banner flames,
And heaven 's her recompence.
1 Is there a lone and dreary hour, When worldly pleasures lose their power,My Father! let me turn to Thee,
And set each thought of darkness free,
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