233

8.7.8.7 D.

LORD, with glowing heart I'd praise thee

For the bliss thy love bestows,

For the pardoning grace that saves me,
And the peace that from it flows;
Help, O God, my weak endeavour;
This dull soul to rapture raise:
Thou must light the flame, or never

Can my love be warmed to praise.

2 Praise, my soul, the God that sought thee,
Wretched wanderer, far astray;
Found thee lost, and kindly brought thee
From the paths of death away;
Praise, with love's devoutest feeling,
Him who saw thy guilt-born fear,
And, the light of hope revealing,
Bade the blood-stained cross appear.

3 Lord, this bosom's ardent feeling
Vainly would my lips express:
Low before thy footstool kneeling,
Deign thy suppliant's prayer to bless:
Let thy grace, my soul's chief treasure,
Love's pure flame within me raise;
And, since words can never measure,
Let my life show forth thy praise. Amen.

Francis Scott Key, 1819

234

C.M.

MY God, I love thee: not because

I hope for heaven thereby;

Nor yet because if I love not
I must for ever die.

2 But, O my Jesus, thou didst me
Upon the cross embrace;

For me didst bear the nails and spear,
And manifold disgrace,

3 And griefs and torments numberless,
And sweat of agony,

E'en death itself; and all for me
Who was thine enemy.

4 Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ,
Should I not love thee well?

Not for the hope of winning heaven,
Nor of escaping hell;

5 Not with the hope of gaining aught;
Not seeking a reward:
But as thyself hast loved me,
O ever-loving Lord!

6 E'en so I love thee, and will love,
And in thy praise will sing;
Solely because thou art my God,
And my eternal King. Amen.

Ascribed to Francis Xavier; Tr. Edward Caswall, 1849, alt.

235

LOVE that casts out fear,
O Love that casts out sin,

ΟΙ

Tarry no more without,

But come and dwell within!

2 True sunlight of the soul,
Surround us as we go;

So shall our way be safe,
Our feet no straying know.

Four 6's

3 Great love of God, come in!
Wellspring of heavenly peace;
Thou Living Water, come!
Spring up, and never cease.

4 Love of the living God, Of Father and of Son; Love of the Holy Ghost,

Fill thou each needy one. Amen.

236

O

Horatius Bonar, 1861

8.8.8.8.6

LOVE that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee; I give thee back the life I owe, That in thine ocean depths its flow May richer, fuller be.

2 O Light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

3 O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.

4 O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;

I lay in dust life's glory dead,

And from the ground there blossoms red Life that shall endless be.

Amen.

George Matheson, 1882

237

WHE

THE DIVINE MERCY

C.M.

THEN all thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I'm lost
In wonder, love, and praise.

2 O how shall words with equal warmth
The gratitude declare,

That glows within my ravished heart?
But thou canst read it there.

3 Ten thousand thousand precious gifts
My daily thanks employ;

Nor is the least a cheerful heart,
That tastes those gifts with joy.

4 Through every period of my life
Thy goodness I'll pursue;

And after death, in distant worlds,
The glorious theme renew.

5 When nature fails, and day and night
Divide thy works no more,
My ever grateful heart, O Lord,
Thy mercy shall adore.

6 Through all eternity, to thee
A joyful song I'll raise;

But O eternity's too short

To utter all thy praise! Amen.

Joseph Addison, 1712, abr.

238

HY life was given for me,

Thy blood, O Lord, was shed,

That I might ransomed be,
And quickened from the dead;
Thy life was given for me:
What have I given for thee?

Six 6's

2 Long years were spent for me
In weariness and woe,
That through eternity

Thy glory I might know.

Long years were spent for me:
Have I spent one for thee?

3 Thy Father's home of light,
Thy rainbow-circled throne,
Were left for earthly night,
For wanderings sad and lone.
Yea, all was left for me:
Have I left aught for thee?

4 And thou hast brought to me,
Down from thy home above,
Salvation full and free,
Thy pardon and thy love.

Great gifts thou broughtest me:
What have I brought to thee?

5 O let my life be given,

My years for thee be spent;
World fetters all be riven,
And joy with suffering blent;
Thou gavest thyself for me:
I give myself to thee. Amen.

Frances R. Havergal, 1858

239

7.6.7.6 D.

COULD not do without thee,
O Saviour of the lost,

Whose precious blood redeemed me
At such tremendous cost;

Thy righteousness, thy pardon,

Thy precious blood, must be

My only hope and comfort,

My glory and my plea.