See, Lord, what legions of my foes,
With fierce Apollyon at their head,
My heavenly pilgrimage oppose!
II
See from the ever-burning lake,
How like a smoky cloud they rise!
With horrid blasts my soul they shake,
With storms of blasphemies and lies.
III
Their fiery arrows reach the mark,
My throbbing heart with anguish tear:
Each lights upon a kindred spark,
And finds abundant fuel there.
IV
I hate the thought that wrongs the Lord;
Ah! I would drive it from my breast,
With thy own sharp two-edged sword,
Far as the east is from the west.
V
Come then and chase the cruel host,
Heal the deep wounds I have received!
Nor let the pow’rs of darkness boast
That I am foil’d and thou art grieved!
21
The Storm Is Hushed
By Newton
I
’Tis past—the dreadful stormy night
Is gone, with all its fears!
And now I see returning light—
The Lord, my Sun, appears.
II
The tempter, who but lately said
I soon should be his prey,
Has heard my Saviour’s voice, and fled
With shame and grief away.
III
Ah! Lord, since thou didst hide thy face.
What has my soul endured?
But now ’tis past, I feel thy grace,
And all my wounds are cured!
IV
O wondrous change! but just before
Despair beset me round;
I heard the lion’s horrid roar,
And trembled at the sound:
V
Before corruption, guilt, and fear,
My comforts blasted fell;
And unbelief discover’d near
The dreadful depths of hell:
VI
But Jesus pitied my distress,
He heard my feeble cry,
Reveal’d his blood and righteousness,
And brought salvation nigh.
VII
Beneath the banner of his love
I now secure remain;
The tempter frets, but dares not move
To break my peace again.
VIII
Lord, since thou thus hast broke my bands,
And set the captive free,
I would devote my tongue, my hands,
My heart, my all to thee.
22
Help in the Time of Need
By Newton
I
Unless the Lord had been my stay,
(With trembling joy my soul may say,)
My cruel foe had gain’d his end:
But he appear’d for my relief,
And Satan sees, with shame and grief,
That I have an almighty Friend.
II
Oh! ’twas a dark and trying hour,
When harass’d by the tempter’s power,
I felt my strongest hopes decline!
You only who have known his arts,
You only who have felt his darts,
Can pity such a case as mine.
III
Loud in my ears a charge he read,
(My conscience witness’d all he said,)
My long black list of outward sin:
Then bringing forth my heart to view,
Too well what’s hidden there he knew,
He show’d me ten times worse within.
IV
’Tis all too true, my soul replied,
But I remember Jesus died,
And now he fills a throne of grace;
I’ll go, as I have done before,
His mercy I may still implore;
I have his promise—“Seek my face.”
V
But as when sudden fogs arise
The trees and hills, the sun and skies,
Are all at once conceal’d from view;
So clouds of horror, black as night,
By Satan raised, hid from my sight
The throne of grace and promise too.
VI
Then, while beset with guilt and fear.
He tried to urge me to despair,
He tried and he almost prevail’d:
But Jesus by a heavenly ray
Drove clouds and guilt and fear away,
And all the tempter’s malice fail’d.
23
Peace After a Storm
By Cowper
I
When darkness long has veil’d my mind.
And smiling day once more appears,
Then, my Redeemer, then I find
The folly of my doubts and fears.
II
Straight I upbraid my wand’ring heart,
And blush that I should ever be
Thus prone to act so base a part,
Or harbour one hard thought of thee.
III
Oh! let me then at length be taught
What I am still so slow to learn:
That God is love and changes not,
Nor knows the shadow of a turn.
IV
Sweet truth, and easy to repeat!
But when my faith is sharply tried,
I find myself a learner yet,
Unskilful, weak, and apt to slide.
V
But, my Lord, one look from thee
Subdues the disobedient will;
Drives doubt and discontent away,
And thy rebellious worm is still.
VI
Thou art as ready to forgive,
As I am ready to repine;
Thou, therefore, all the praise receive;
Be shame and self-abhorrence mine.
24
Mourning and Longing
By Cowper
I
The Saviour hides his face!
My spirit thirsts to prove
Renew’d supplies of pard’ning grace,
And never-fading love.
II
The favour’d souls who know
What glories shine in him
Pant for his presence, as the roe
Pants for the living stream.
III
What trifles tease me now!
They swarm like summer flies,
They cleave to every thing I do,
And swim before my eyes.
IV
How dull the Sabbath-day,
Without the Sabbath’s Lord!
How toilsome then to sing and pray
And wait upon the word?
V
Of all the truths I hear,
How few delight my taste!
I glean a berry here and there,
But mourn the vintage past.
VI
Yet let me (as I ought)
Still hope to be supplied;
No pleasure else is worth a thought,
Nor shall I be denied.
VII
Though I am but a worm,
Unworthy of his care,
The Lord will my desire perform,
And grant me all my pray’r.
25
Rejoice the Soul of Thy Servant
By Newton
I
When my pray’rs are a burden and task.
No wonder I little receive;
Lord, make me willing to ask,
Since thou art so ready to give:
Although I am bought with thy blood,
And all thy salvation is mine,
At a distance from thee, my chief good.
I wander and languish and pine.
II
Of thy goodness of old, when I read,
To those who were sinners like me,
Why may I not wrestle and plead,
With them a partaker to be?
Thine arm is not shorten’d since then,
And those who believe in thy name
Ever find thou art Yea and Amen,
Through all generations the same.
III
While my spirit within me is press’d
With sorrow,
