And trembles at thy rod.
II
Have mercy, Lord, for I am weak;
Regard my heavy groans;
O let thy voice of comfort speak,
And heal my broken bones!
III
By day, my busy beating head
Is fill’d with anxious fears;
By night, upon my restless bed,
I weep a flood of tears.
IV
Thus I sit desolate and mourn,
Mine eyes grow dull with grief;
How long, my Lord, ere thou return,
And bring my soul relief?
V
O come and show thy power to save,
And spare my fainting breath;
For who can praise thee in the grave,
Or sing thy name in death?
VI
Satan, my cruel envious foe,
Insults me in my pain;
He smiles to see me brought so low,
And tells me hope is vain.
VII
But hence, thou enemy, depart!
Nor tempt me to despair;
My Saviour comes to cheer my heart,
The Lord has heard my prayer.
46
None Upon Earth I Desire Besides Thee
By Newton
Psalm 73:25.
I
How tedious and tasteless the hours
When Jesus no longer I see;
Sweet prospects, sweet birds, and sweet flowers,
Have all lost 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.
II
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 so nigh,
Have nothing to wish or to fear;
No mortal so happy as I,
My summer would last all the year.
III
Content with beholding his face,
My all to his pleasure resign’d,
No changes of season or place
Would make any change in my mind:
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.
IV
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.
47
The Believer’s Safety
By Newton
Psalm 91.
I
Incarnate God! the soul that knows
Thy name’s mysterious power
Shall dwell in undisturb’d repose,
Nor fear the trying hour.
II
Thy wisdom, faithfulness, and love,
To feeble, helpless worms,
A buckler and a refuge prove
From enemies and storms.
III
In vain the fowler spreads his net,
To draw them from thy care;
Thy timely call instructs their feet
To shun the artful snare.
IV
When, like a baneful pestilence,
Sin mows its thousands down,
On every side, without defence,
Thy grace secures thine own.
V
No midnight terrors haunt their bed,
No arrow wounds by day;
Unhurt on serpents they shall tread,
If found in duty’s way.
VI
Angels, unseen, attend the saints,
And bear them in their arms,
To cheer the spirit when it faints,
And guard their life from harms.
VII
The angels’ Lord himself is nigh
To them that love his name—
Ready to save them when they cry,
And put their foes to shame.
VIII
Crosses and changes are their lot
Long as they sojourn here;
But since their Saviour changes not,
What have the saints to fear?
48
Another
By Newton
I
That man no guard or weapons needs
Whose heart the blood of Jesus knows;
But safe may pass, if duty leads,
Through burning sands or mountain snows.
II
Released from guilt, he feels no fear;
Redemption is his shield and tower;
He sees his Saviour always near
To help in every trying hour.
III
Though I am weak, and Satan strong,
And often to assault me tries,
When Jesus is my shield and song,
Abash’d the wolf before me flies.
IV
His love possessing, I am blest,
Secure whatever change may come:
Whether I go to east or west,
With him I still shall be at home.
V
If placed beneath the northern pole,
Though winter reigns with rigour there,
His gracious beams would cheer my soul,
And make a spring throughout the year.
VI
Or if the desert’s sun-burnt soil
My lonely dwelling e’er should prove,
His presence would support my toil,
Whose smile is life—whose voice is love.
49
He Led Them by a Right Way
By Newton
Psalm 107:7.
I
When Israel was from Egypt freed,
The Lord, who brought them out,
Help’d them in every time of need,
But led them round about.
II
To enter Canaan soon they hoped;
But quickly changed their mind,
When the Red sea their passage stopp’d,
And Pharaoh march’d behind.
III
The desert fill’d them with alarms
For water and for food;
And Amalek, by force of arms,
To check their progress stood.
IV
They often murmur’d by the way,
Because they judged by sight;
But were at length constrain’d to say,
The Lord had led them right.
V
In the Red sea, that stopp’d them first,
Their enemies were drown’d;
The rocks gave water for their thirst,
And manna spread the ground.
VI
By fire and cloud their way was shown
Across the pathless sands;
And Amalek was overthrown
By Moses’ lifted hands.
VII
The way was right their hearts to prove,
To make God’s glory known,
And show his wisdom, pow’r, and love,
Engaged to save his own.
VIII
Just so the true believer’s path
Through many dangers lies;
Though dark to sense, ’tis light to faith,
And leads us to the skies.
50
What Shall I Render?5
By Newton
Psalm 116:12–13.
I
For mercies, countless as the sands,
Which daily I receive
From Jesus my Redeemer’s hands,
My soul, what canst thou give?
II
Alas! from such a heart as mine
What can I bring him forth?
My best is stain’d and dyed with sin,
My all is nothing worth.
III
Yet this acknowledgment I’ll make
For all he has bestow’d—
Salvation’s sacred cup I’ll take,
And call upon my
