XLIII. Oh that I were as in months past! Chap. xxix. 2.
1 SWEET was the time when first I felt
The Saviour's pard'ning blood
Apply'd, to cleanse my soul from guilt,
And bring me home to God.
2 Soon as the morn the light reveal'd,
His praises tun'd my tongue;
And when the ev'ning shades prevail'd,
His love was all my song.
3 In vain the tempter spread his wiles,
The world no more could charm;
I liv'd upon my Saviour's smiles,
And lean'd upon his arm.
4 In pray'r my soul drew near the Lord,
And saw his glory shine;
And when I read his holy word,
I call'd each promise mine.
5 Then to his saints I often spoke,
Of what his love had done;
But now my heart is almost broke,
For all my joys are gone.
6 Now when the ev'ning shade prevails,
My soul in darkness mourns ;
And when the morn the light reveals,
No light to me returns.
7 My pray'rs are now a chatt'ring noise,
For Jesus hides his face;
I read, the promise meets my eyes,
But will not reach my case.
8 Now Satan threatens to prevail,
And make my soul his prey:
Yet, Lord, thy mercies cannot fail,
O come without delay!
1 SAVIOUR, shine and cheer my soul, Bid my dying hopes revive;
Make my wounded spirit whole,
the tempter
away
Speak the word, and set me free,
Let me live alone to thee.
2 Shall I sigh and pray in vain,
Wilt thou still refuse to hear?
Wilt thou not return again,
Must I yield to black despair?
Thou hast taught my heart to pray,
Canst thou turn thy face away?
3 Once I thought my mountain strong,
Firmly fix'd no more to move;
Then thy grace was all my song,
Then my soul was fill'd with love;
Those were happy golden days,
Sweetly spent in pray'r and praise.
4 When my friends have said,
"Soon or late you'll find a change."
I could see no cause for fear,
Vain their caution seem'd and strange : Not a cloud obscur'd my sky,
Could I think a tempest nigh?
Book ii. Hymn 34. and Book iii. Hymn 86.
5 Little then myself I knew,
Little thought of Satan's pow'r:
Now I find their words were true,
Now I feel the stormy hour!
Sin has put my joys to flight,
Sin has chang'd my day to night.
6 Satan asks and mocks my woe,
"Boaster, where is now your God?"
Silence, Lord, this cruel foe,
Let him know I'm bought with blood: Tell him, since I know thy name; Though I change, thou art the same.
XLV. Pleading for Mercy. Psal. vi.
1 IN mercy, not in wrath, rebuke
Thy feeble worm, my God!
My spirit dreads thine angry look,
And trembles at thy rod.
2 Have mercy, Lord, for I am weak,
Regard my heavy groans;
O let thy voice of comfort speak,
And heal my broken bones!
3 By day, my busy beating head
Is fill'd with anxious fears;
By night, upon my restless bed,
I weep a flood of tears.
4 Thus I sit desolate and mourn,
Mine eyes grow dull with grief: How long, my Lord, ere thou return, And bring my soul relief?
5 O come and show thy pow'r to save,
And spare my fainting breath;
For who can praise thee in the grave,
Or sing thy name in death?
6 Satan, my cruel envious foe,
Insults me in my pain;
He smiles to see me brought so low,
And tells me hope is vain.
7 But hence, thou enemy, depart,
Nor tempt me to despair;
My Saviour comes to cheer my heart,
The Lord has heard my pray'r.
XLVI. None upon Earth I desire beside thee.
Psa. lxxiii. 25.
1 How tedious and tasteless the hours, When Jesus no longer I see;
Sweet prospects, sweet birds, and sweet flow'rs, Have lost all their sweetness with me;
The midsummer sun shines but dim,
The fields strive in vain to look gay;
But when I am happy in him,
December's as pleasant as May.
2 His name yields the richest perfume,
And sweeter than music his voice;
His presence disperses my gloom,
And makes all within me rejoice:
I should, were he always thus nigh,
Have nothing to wish or to fear;
No mortal so happy as I,
My summer would last all the year.
3 Content with beholding his face,
My all to his pleasure resign'd;
No changes of season or place,
Would make any change in my
While bless'd with a sense of his love,
A palace a toy would appear;
And prisons would palaces prove,
If Jesus would dwell with me there.
4 Dear Lord, if indeed I am thine,
If thou art my sun and my song;
Say, why do I languish and pine,
And why are my winters so long?
O drive these dark clouds from my sky,
Thy soul-cheering presence restore;
Or take me unto thee on high,
Where winter and clouds are no more.
XLVII. The Believer's Safety. Psal. xci.
1 INCARNATE God! the soul that knows
Thy name's mysterious pow'r,
Shall dwell in undisturb'd repose,
Nor fear the trying hour.
2 Thy wisdom, faithfulness, and love,
To feeble helpless worms,
A buckler and a refuge prove
From enemies and storms.
3 In vain the fowler spreads his net,
To draw them from thy care;
Thy timely call instructs their feet
To shun the artful snare.
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