Songs of the Day and Night

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Compensations.

CLXII. COMPENSATIONS.

I. THERE are tears in many eyes

Romans viii. 28.

But there are also bright'ning smiles;
There are pleasures pain's disguise,

But there are joys that are not guiles;
Smiles or tears, or guiles or truth,
Keep us, Lord, in Thy sweet ruth.

2. There are hearts bow'd down in fear,
But there are also hearts that bound;
There are friendless, with none near,

But friends too for friendless found.
Glad or sad, friendless or friended,
Lord, let us be still defended.

3. There are those who walk in gloom,
But there are those who walk in light;
There are tempted overcome,

But victors as well, in the fight.
Shine or shade, vanquish'd or winning,
By Thy grace shield us from sinning.

4. There are those who sigh for Death,

But some to whom this life is great;
Some alas! count prayer but breath,

There are others who on God wait;
Death or life, prayerless or praying,
Keep us, dear Lord, from wrongly straying.

Impatience.

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CLXIII. IMPATIENCE.

"I said in my haste, all men are liars."-Psalm cxvi. 2. St Luke xxi, 19; Romans xv. 5; James i. 3; 2 Timothy ii. 24.

I. O LORD my God, I look to Thee;
Wilt Thou be pleas'd to look to me?
I mourn that I impatient am,

And dare Thy conqu'ring grace to claim:
O Lamb of God, how patient Thou!
Thy patience long, help me to show.

2. Like as the flint unto the tinder,
Or dull'd fire within the cinder;
This stony heart of mine, O Lord,
Is apt to flame up at a word;
Forgive-forgive, and me constrain
That I the vict'ry may obtain.

3. When Thou seest passion in me burn,
Upon me, Lord, Thy meek Face turn;
Such vision giving me of Faith;

So touching me with Thy soft breath ;
That I shall not impatient be,

But find myself conform'd to Thee.

4. How long Thou borest my neglect !
Nor didst slow penitence reject;
How oft forgave as oft I ask'd!
How soon again Thy grace I task'd!
O Lord, bestow self-mastery,
That ruth not wrath on my lips lie.

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Joy born of Pain.

5. I would not anger'd be but griev'd
When I do find myself deceiv'd;
I would be kind to ignorance,
Rememb'ring Thy long-sufferance;
I would Thy gentleness approach,
On Thy name never bring reproach.

6. Like Thee I would hate only sin,
But hating it, the sinner win;

Not anger Lord, but Thine Own grace
Help me to show in voice and face;
Impatient but with my own self;
Impatience shunning as sunk shelf.

CLXIV. JOY BORN OF PAIN.

Acts of the Apostles xiv. 22.

Ubique maius gaudium molestia maiori praeceditur.—St Augustine (Conf., lib. viii. iii.).

1. Joy is oft the white flower of Pain,

Bursting from sere and rugged root;
But comes the sunshine, comes the rain,
And lo! at last hangs mellow fruit!

2. Joy is a red-tongu'd flame from fire,
Leaping out of a sheath of smoke;
Anon it quivers, spire on spire,

And not without keen touch, yea stroke.

3. Joy is oft like to furnace gold,

Shifted and sifted, seven times seven ;

Till gazing on it we behold

All speckless by light of Heaven.

Returns.

4. Joy oft times is like lightning flash, Life's sky left darker than before;

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But by-and-bye through thunder's crash
Love's "still small voice" sounds midst the

roar.

5. The greater pain the greater joy,

The greater joy the greater pain;

All Earth's pleasures-how soon they cloy!
Ah! Christ-sent loss is our best gain.

CLXV. RETURNS. Jeremiah xviii. 20.

I. I GIVE Thee hate for love,

Thou love for hate;

O sin all sins above,

Heartless-ingrate;