After a Long Illness.

211

CXLIX. AFTER A LONG ILLNESS.

Psalms ix. 13; xxiii. 4; and lxxxix. 48.

1. O LORD my God! by Thy good Hand
Once more within Thy House I stand;
Lord, Thou dost fill my mouth with praise
Graciously lengthening out my days.

2. Brought back from the shadowy gate
I would my reprieve celebrate;
Spar'd, O my God, I hear and now
Grateful, adoring, pay my vow.

3. Through the long day and longer night
Sickness did lay on me its blight;
Weakening heart and wild'ring brain ;
Languor edged with sharpest pain.

4. With Eternity face to face

Methought fix'd I should die it was;
By Thy great love I felt no fear.
Why, Lord? I knew Thee to be near.

5. Thou spakest the still-sparing word,
Felt by me, tho' of all unheard;

And now in this Thy holy House
Wilt thou me, O my God, espouse?

6. O Lord my God, by Thy good Hand
Once more within Thy House I stand;
Lord, Thou dost fill my mouth with praise,
Graciously lengthening out my days.

212

Little Faith.

CL. LITTLE FAITH.

"O ye of little faith."-St Matthew viii. 26.

1. O YE of little faith:

This still THE MASTER saith ;
Saith to you and to me
In His sweet clemency;
Seeking that we be strong
And break forth into song:
Lord, we believe.

2. O ye of little faith:

Lord, wilt Thou on us breathe?
That the seed, Thou hast sown,

May not abide alone,

But spring up, blade and ear,

As Harvest draweth near:
Lord, we believe.

3. O ye of little faith:

This Thou might'st say in wrath;

But 'tis a gentle word

Of Thine, our patient Lord;

That 'neath Thy Spirit's touch

Nobler faith we avouch:

Lord, we believe.

4. O ye of little faith:

"Little"! Therefore almost death; Lord, for Thine Own Name's sake

Be pleas'd all souls to shake;
That leaning on Thy strength
We strong shall be at length;
Lord, we believe.

Weariness.

5. O ye of little faith:

We place us Thee beneath;
Grant us, Lord, more to pray;
Grant us, more to obey;
Grant us, Lord, all to dare

Thine Own great faith to share :
Lord, we believe.

213

CLI. WEARINESS.

St John iv. 6, 31-32.

I. TIR'D in brain and tir'd in limb,
Ah! I often think of Him

Who, as great St John doth tell,
Sate a-weary on the Well.

2. Would His tirèdness were mine,
Working at His work divine;
Walking across Galilee

One frail woman there to see.

3. Tir'd in brain and tir'd in limb
Ah! I often think of Him;
I would seek His heav'nly "meat"-
Sweet as manna—on that seat.

4. Nor would I e'er fail to see
How my Lord instructeth me,
That well-ledge, or anywhere
Pulpit be, truth to declare.

5. Wondrous words that there were spoken; Words that never shall be broken;

Worship to no spot confin'd,

Worship free to all mankind.

214

Divine Choosing.

6. O my God, I Thee beseech
That this lesson Thou me teach ;
To o'ercome all weariness

Nor spare myself one soul to bless.

7. Let me take Thy larger view
Nor sacerdotal hold for true;
But, in lowly parallel,

Speak for Thee by wayside Well.

CLII. DIVINE CHOOSING.

"He shall choose our inheritance for us."-Psalm xlvii. 4. "What I shall choose I wot not."-Philippians 2. 23.

I. CHOOSE for me, Lord, O leave not me to choose!
I know not what to ask, or to refuse;

O God, my God, Thou art too wise to err !
Choose Thou for me; I all to Thee refer.

2. Thou knowest poverty; Thou knowest wealth;
Languor of sickness; confidence of health;
Choose for me, Lord, I know not what is best;
Thou art too just to wrong—on Thee I rest.

3. What work for Thee to do; where I shall go; O my Lord, order Thou! I do not know;

I fear to choose self-pleasing scenes and things; Choose for me, Lord, and give the peace it brings. 4. Or long, or short, or dark, or bright my way, 'Tis not, O gracious Lord, for me to say; Choose Thou for me, and make Thy choosing mine,

Whate'er Thy Love may unto me assign.

5. Choose for me, Lord, O leave me not to choose!

I know not what to ask, or to refuse;

O God, my God, Thou art too wise to err !
Choose Thou for me, I all to Thee refer.

CLIII. UNREST.

"O that I had wings like a dove; for then would I fly away and be at rest."-Psalm lv. 6.

I. NOT wings of the eagle, great-feather'd and wide That up on the tall cliff his eyrie doth hide; But O Thou my Saviour! wilt in Thy great love Bestow upon me as 'twere wings of a dove?

2. Timorous and weak, Lord, am I at the best;
Soon flutters this tremulous heart in my breast;
Ah! Then, gentle Saviour, my failings forgive;
Like wing-weary dove, my lorn spirit revive.

3. All round me, O Lord, are sorrow and sin;
Unfitted for striving, wilt Thou shut me in?
All ruffled Faith's pinions as of rain-dabbled dove,
To Thy heart take me home that no longer I rove.
4. O Home of the blessed! O mansions prepar'd!
For you I am panting; all, for you I have dar'd ;
Fain, fain would I fly as a dove to her nest,
And enter, through grace, Lord, Thy haven of rest.

5. Not wings of the eagle, great-feather'd and wide
That up on the tall cliff his eyrie doth hide;
But O Thou my Saviour! wilt in Thy great love
Bestow upon me as 'twere wings of a dove?