Groaning for Redemption, Part 2

Jesu, Thou know'st my simpleness,
My faults are not conceal'd from Thee:
A sinner in my last distress,
To Thy dear wounds I fain would flee,
And never, never thence depart,
Close shelter'd in Thy loving heart.

How shall I find the living way,
Lost, and confused, and dark, and blind?
Ah! Lord, my soul is gone astray;
Ah! Shepherd, seek my soul, and find,
And in Thine arms of mercy take,
And bring the weary wanderer back.

Weary and sick of sin I am;
I hate it, Lord, and yet I love:
When wilt Thou rid me of my shame?
When wilt Thou all my load remove?
Destroy the fiend of inbred sin,
And speak the word of power, " Be clean "?

My Jesus, why dost Thou delay
An helpless dying soul to heal?
What shall I to my Jesus say?
Dost Thou not all my sufferings feel?
Ah! tell me if unmoved Thou art:
How dost Thou find it in Thy heart?

What means this struggling in my breast,
If Thine is steel'd against my prayer?
If Thou art deaf to my request,
Why do I groan my sin to bear?
Surely it is Thy Spirit's groan;
I do not grieve, or weep, alone.

I feel that Thou wouldst have me live,
And waitest now Thy grace to show:
When I am willing to receive
The grace, I all Thy life shall know;
And Thou art striving now with me,
To get Thyself the victory.

O Lord, if I at last discern
That I am sin, and Thou art love,
If now o'er me Thy bowels yearn,
Give me a token from above,
And conquer my rebellious will,
And bid my murmuring heart " Be still."

Sin only let me not commit;
(Sin never can advance Thy praise;)
And lo! I lay me at Thy feet,
And wait unwearied all my days,
Till my appointed time shall come,
And Thou shalt call Thine exile home.

Ah! tell me that I shall not sin;
Assured of this, I ask no more;
The kingdom, when Thou wilt, bring in;
Thine image, as Thou wilt, restore;
But do not suffer sin to reign;
Tell me I ne'er shall sin again.

Or if I ask I know not what,
The knowledge of a future grace;
If this can only then be wrought,
When pure in heart I see Thy face,
O pierce, and fill me now with fear
Of sin, and hell, for ever near.

O put Thy fear within my heart,
That I may tremble at Thy word,
Nor ever from Thy paths depart,
Or dare to sin against the Lord;
Till I the promised Seed receive,
Let Ishmael before Thee live.

I ask according to Thy will;
O keep me till l he grace is given,
Till I Thy holy law fulfil
On earth, as angels do in heaven,
Thine uttermost salvation prove,
Made perfect in almighty love.