Religion

Submission

by William Cowper 1731–1800

From Olney Hymns

Religion

O Lord, my best desire fulfil,
And help me to resign
Life, health, and comfort to thy will,
And make thy pleasure mine.

Why should I shrink at thy command,
Whose love forbids my fears?
Or tremble at the gracious hand
That wipes away my tears?

No, let me rather freely yield
What most I prize to thee;
Who never hast a good withheld,
Or wilt withhold, from me.

Thy favour, all my journey through,
Thou art engaged to grant;
What else I want, or think I do,
'Tis better still to want.

Wisdom and mercy guide my way,
Shall I resist them both?
A poor blind creature of a day,
And crush'd before the moth!

But ah! my inward spirit cries,
Still bind me to thy sway;
Else the next cloud that veils the skies,
Drives all these thoughts away.

MLA

Cowper, William. “Submission.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/cowper/195/.

Chicago

Cowper, William. “Submission.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/cowper/195/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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