Hymns for the Use of Families, 49

At this solemn turn of fate,
Looking for my painful hour,
Lord, on Thee I meekly wait,
Wait to prove Thy gracious power:
From the eye of man conceal'd,
Lo, to Thee, my God, alone
I my soul and bod)' yield;
Let Thy will on both be done.

Here I give myself to prayer,
Commune with my heart and Thee,
Learn to cast on God my care,
Long Thy saving health to see:
Might I Thy salvation feel,
Might I Abba, Father, cry,
Ready then for all Thy will,
Meet I were to live, or die.

O for love and pity sake,
Look on Thy unconscious child,
Cast my sins behind Thy back,
Tell me Thou art reconciled,
Let me in Thy strength rejoice,
Let me feel my sins forgiven,
Answer to the Shepherd's voice,
Know my name enroll'd in heaven.

Now explain Thy whole design,
From my earliest infancy
Why didst Thou my will incline,
Draw my simple heart to Thee?
Wherefore did I haunt the shade,
Sad, disconsolate, alone,
Ever of Thy frown afraid,
Wretched for a God unknown?

Show me what I wanted then,
Give me what I still require,
Fairer than the sons of men,
Me with Thy pure love inspire;
Thou my long-sought happiness,
Sum of my desires Thou art,
Breathe the Spirit of Thy grace,
Breathe Thyself into my heart.

i Full of trembling expectation,
Feeling much, and fearing more,
Author, God of my salvation,
I Thy timely aid implore:
Suffering Son of man, be near me,
All my sufferings to sustain,
By Thy sorer griefs to cheer me,
By Thy more than mortal pain.

Call to mind that unknown anguish
In Thy days of flesh below,
When Thy troubled soul did languish
Under a whole world of woe,
When Thou didst our curse inherit,
Groan beneath our guilty load,
Burden'd with a wounded spirit,
Bruised by all the wrath of God.

By Thy most severe temptation
In that dark Satanic hour,
By Thy last mysterious passion
Screen me from the adverse power:
By Thy fainting in the garden,
By Thy bloody sweat I pray,
Write upon my heart the pardon,
Take my sins and fears away.

By the travail of Thy Spirit,
By Thine outcry on the tree,
By Thine agonizing merit,
In my pangs remember me!
By Thy death I Thee conjure,
A weak, dying soul befriend,
Make me patient to endure,
Make me faithful to the end.