Desiring to Love, Part 1

Thee, Jesu, Thee, the sinner's Friend,
I follow on to apprehend,
Renew the glorious strife;
Divinely confident and bold,
With faith's strong arm on Thee lay hold,
Thee, my eternal life.

Tell me, O Lord, if Thine I am,
Tell me Thy new, mysterious name,
Or Thou shalt never move;
No, never will I let Thee go,
Till I Thy name, Thy nature know,
And feel that God is love.

I feel that I have power with God;
(Thou only hast the power bestow'd,
And arm'd me for the fight;)
A prince, through Thee invincible,
I pray, and wrestle, and prevail,
And conquer in Thy might.

Thy heart, I know, Thy tender heart
Doth in my sorrows feel its part,
And at my tears relent;
My powerful sighs Thou canst not bear,
Nor stand the violence of my prayer,
My prayer omnipotent.

Give me the grace, the love I claim;
Thy Spirit now demands Thy name,
Thou know'st the Spirit's will:
He helps my soul's infirmity,
And strongly intercedes for me
With groans unspeakable.

Answer, dear Lord, Thy Spirit's groan;
O make to me Thy nature known,
Thy hidden name impart;
(Thy title is with Thee the same;)
Tell me Thy nature, and Thy name,
And write it on my heart.

Prisoner of hope, to Thee I turn,
And, calmly confident, I mourn,
And pray, and weep for Thee;
Tell me Thy love, Thy secret tell;
Thy mystic name in me reveal,
Reveal Thyself in me.

Descend, pass by me, and proclaim,
O Lord of Hosts, Thy glorious name, —
The Lord, the gracious Lord,
Long-suffering, merciful, and kind,
The God who always bears in mind
His everlasting word:

Plenteous He is in truth and grace;
He wills that all the fallen race
Should turn, repent, and live;
His pardoning grace for all is free;
Transgression, sin, iniquity
He freely doth forgive.

Mercy He doth for thousands keep:
He goes and seeks the one lost sheep,
And brings His wanderer home;
And every soul that sheep might be:
Come then, dear Lord, and gather me,
My Jesus, quickly come.

it Take me into Thy people's rest:
O come, and with my sole request,
My one desire, comply:
Make me partaker of my hope;
Then bid me get me quickly up,
And on Thy bosom die.