Divine compassion in his eyes,
And pardon in his hands.
9 Wretch that I am, to wander thus,
In chase of false delight!
Let me be fastened to thy cross,
Rather than lose thy sight.
10 Make haste, my days, to reach the goal,
And bring my heart to rest
On the dear centre of my soul,
My God, my Saviour's breast.
362 "Will ye also go away?" John vi. 67.
HEN any turn from Zion's way,
(Alas, what numbers do!)
Methinks I hear my Saviour say-
"Wilt thou forsake me too ?"
2 Ah, Lord, with such a heart as mine,
Unless thou hold me fast,
I feel I must, I shall decline,
And prove like them at last.
3 Yet thou alone hast power, I know,
To save a wretch like me
To whom, or whither could I go,
If I should turn from thee?
4 No voice but thine can give me rest,
And bid my fears depart;
No love but thine can make me bless'd,
And satisfy my heart.
5 What anguish has that question stirred-
"And wilt thou also go ?"
Yet, Lord, relying on thy word,
Prayer for Divine Light.
H reveal thy lovely face;
Quicken all my drooping powers;
Gasps my fainting soul for grace,
As a thirsty land for showers;
Haste, my Lord, no more delay;
Come, my Saviour, come away.
2 Dark and cheerless is the morn,
Unaccompanied by thee:
Joyless is the day's return,
Till thy mercy's beams I see;
Till thou inward light impart,
Glad my eyes and warm my heart.
3 Visit, then, this soul of mine,
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, Radiancy divine ;
Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day."
The Smile of the Saviour withdrawn.
1 WHERE is the Saviour now,
Whose smiles I once possessed?
Till he return, I bow,
By heaviest grief oppressed;
My days of happiness are gone,
And I am left to weep alone.
Where can the mourner go
And tell his tale of grief?
Ah, who can soothe his wo,
And give him sweet relief?
What balm can heal the wounded breast,
And give the troubled conscience rest?
Thou, Jesus, canst impart,
By thy long wished return,
Ease to this wounded heart,
And bid me cease to mourn;
Then shall this night of sorrow flee,
And I rejoice, my Lord, in thee.
Hope in God. Ps. lxxvii. 7.
1 ENCOMPASSED with clouds of distress,
ready hope to resign,
I pant for the light of thy face,
And fear it will never be mine:
Disheartened with waiting so long,
I sink at thy feet with my load;
All plaintive I pour out my song,
And stretch forth my hands unto God.
2 Shine, Lord, and my terror shall cease;
The blood of atonement apply,
And lead me to Jesus for peace-
The rock that is higher than I:
Almighty to rescue thou art ;
Thy grace is my shield and my tower : Oh visit and gladden my heart;
Let this be the day of thy power.
EAR, gracious God, my humble moan,
To thee I breathe my sighs;
When will the mournful night be gone,
And when my joys arise?
2 My God!-Oh could I make the claim-
My Father and my Friend-
And call thee mine by every name
On which thy saints depend-
3 By every name of power and love,
I would thy grace entreat:
Nor should my humble hope remove,
Nor leave thy mercy-seat.
4 Yet, though my soul in darkness mourns,
Thy word is all my stay;
Here would I rest till light returns ;
Thy presence makes my day.
5 Speak, Lord, and bid celestial peace
Relieve my aching heart;
Oh smile, and bid my sorrows cease,
And all the gloom depart.
6 Then shall my drooping spirit rise,
And bless the healing rays;
And change these deep, complaining sighs,
To songs of sacred praise.
1 JESUS, let thy pitying eye
Call back a wand'ring sheep;
False to thee, like Peter, I
Would fain like Peter weep;
Let me be by grace restored,
And to me thy mercy shown;
Turn and look upon me, Lord,
And break my heart of stone.
2 Saviour, Prince, enthroned above,
Repentance to impart,
Give me, through thy dying love,
The humble, contrite heart:
This I should have long implored,
For thou all my sin hast known;
Turn and look upon me, Lord,
And break my heart of stone.
3 See me, Saviour, from above,
Nor suffer me to die;
Life and happiness and love
Fall from thy gracious eye:
Speak the reconciling word,
Let thy mercy melt me down;
Turn and look upon me, Lord,
And break my heart of stone.
THOU whose tender mercy hears
Contrition's humble sigh,
Whose hand, indulgent, wipes the tears
From sorrow's weeping eye-
2 See, low before thy throne of grace,
A wretched wanderer mourn;
Hast thou not bid me seek thy face?
Hast thou not said-Return?
3 And shall my guilty fears prevail
To drive me from thy feet?
Oh let not this dear refuge fail,
This only safe retreat.
4 Oh shine on this benighted heart,
With beams of mercy shine;
And let thy healing voice impart
A taste of joys divine.
The Long-Suffering of God.
1 DEPTH of mercy!—can there be
Can my God his wrath forbear-
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?
2 I have long withstood his grace;
Long provoked him to his face;
Would not hear his gracious calls;
Grieved him by a thousand falls.
3 Lo, I cumber still the ground,
Lo, an advocate is found!
There for me the Saviour stands,
Shows his wounds, and spreads his hands.
4 Lord, incline me to repent;
Let me now my fall lament,
Deeply my revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.
1 Wand now made willing to return, EARY of wand'ring from my God,
I hear, and bow beneath the rod ;
With trembling hope my guilt I mourn :
I have an advocate above;
A Friend before the throne of love.
2 O Jesus, full of pardoning grace-
More full of grace than I of sin,
Yet once again I seek thy face;
Open thine arms and take me in,
And freely my backslidings heal,
And love the faithless sinner still.
3 Oh give me, Lord, the tender heart
That trembles at th' approach of sin;
A godly fear of sin impart;
Implant and root it deep within,
That I may dread thy gracious power,
And never dare offend thee more.
1 HOW oft, alas, this wretched heart
Has wandered from the Lord!
How oft my roving thoughts depart,
Forgetful of his word!
2 Yet sovereign mercy calls-"Return;"
Dear Lord, and may I come ?
My vile ingratitude I mourn;
Oh take the wanderer home.
3 And canst thou-wilt thou yet forgive,
And bid my crimes remove?
And shall a pardoned rebel live
To speak thy wondrous love?
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