Predestination

Father and God! my endless doom
Is hidden in Thy Hand,
And I shall know not what it is
Till at Thy bar I stand.

Thou knowest what Thou hast decreed
For me in Thy dread Will;
I in my helpless ignorance
Must tremble and lie still.

All light is darkness, when I think
Of what may be my fate;
Yet hearts will trust, and hope can teach
Both faith and love to wait.

A little strife of flesh and soul,
A single word from Thee,
And in a moment I possess
A fixed eternity:

Fixed, fixed, irrevocably fixed!
Oh at this silent hour
The thought of what is possible
Comes with terrific power:

As though into some awful depth
Rash hands had flung a stone,
And still the frightening echoes grow
As it goes sounding on.

My fears adore Thee, O my God!
My heart is chilled with awe j
Yet love from out that very chill
Fresh life and heat can draw.

Thou owest me no duties, Lord!
Thy Being hath no ties;
The world lies open to Thy Will,
Its victim and its prize.

Father! Thy power is merciful
To us poor worms below,
Not bound by justice, but because
Thyself hath willed it so.

The fallen creature hath no rights,
Kio voice in Thy decrees;
Yet while Thy glory owns no claims,
Thy love makes promises.

Thou may st have willed that I should die
In friendship, Lord! with Thee,
Or I may in the act of sin
Touch on eternity.

What can I do but trust Thee, Lord!
For Thou art God alone?
My soul is safer in Thy hands,
Father! than in my own.

I worship Thee with breathless fears;
Thou wilt do what Thou wilt;
The worst Thine anger hath in store
Is far below my guilt.

Oh fearful thought! one act of sin
Within itself contains
The power of endless hate of God,
And everlasting pains.

For me to do such act I know
How slight a change I need,
Yet know not if restraining grace
For me hath been decreed.

What can I do but trust Thee, Lord?
That trust my heart will cheer;
And love must learn to live abashed
Beneath continual fear.

That Thou art God is my one joy;
Whatever Thy Will may be,
Thy glory will be magnified
In Thy last doom of me.