From foulest plots and dangers dire,

When earth and hell in league conspire

The Lord preserves his own elect,

And none can harm if he protect.

The Lord will keep thy weakest powers

With his almighty arm;

And watch thy most unguarded hours

Against surprising harm.

He guards thy soul, he keeps thy breath,

Where thickest dangers come;

Go and return secure from death,

Till God commands thee home.

The love of Christ doth me constrain

To seek the wandering souls of men;

With cries, entreaties, tears, to save,

To snatch them from the gaping grave.



For this let men revile my name;

No cross I shun, I fear no shame:

All hail, reproach! and welcome, pain!

Only thy terrors, Lord, restrain.



My life, my blood, I here present,

If for thy truth they may be spent:

Thy faithful witness will I be:

‘Tis fix’d! I can do all through thee.

O faint and feeble-hearted!

Why thus cast down with fear:

Fresh aid shall be imparted,

Thy God unseen is near.

His eye can never slumber;

He marks thy cruel foes,

Observes their strength and number,

And all thy weakness knows.

Alarm’d in vain the truth he hears,

Repentance fatally defers,

And faith in Jesu’s name;

He fancies life is in his power,

Waits for a more convenient hour,

Which never, never came.

Beset with snares on every hand,

In life’s uncertain path I stand:

Saviour divine, diffuse thy light,

To guide my doubtful footsteps right.



Engage this roving treacherous heart

To fix on Mary’s better part,

To scorn the trifles of a day,

For joys that none can take away.

There’s not a tint that paints the rose,

Or decks the lily fair,

Or streaks the humblest flower that blows,

But God has placed it there.

There’s not a place on earth’s vast round,

In ocean deep, or air,

Where skill and wisdom are not found,

For God is everywhere.

Around, beneath, below, above,

Wherever space extends,

There God displays his boundless love,

And power with mercy blends.

Lov’d of my God, for him again

With love intense I burn:

Chosen of him e’er time began,

I choose him in return,

Whate’er consists not with thy love,

Lord, teach me to resign:

I’m rich to all the intents of bliss,

If thou, O God, art mine.

Oh, to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrain’d to be!

Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;

Prone to leave the God I love—

Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it,

Seal it from thy courts above.

Wake, harp of Zion, wake again,

Upon thine ancient hill,

On Jordan’s long deserted plain,

By Kedron’s lowly rill.

The hymn shall yet in Zion swell

That sounds Messiah’s praise,

And thy loved name, Immanuel!

As once in ancient days.

For Israel yet shall own her King

For her salvation waits,

And hill and dale shall sweetly sing

With praise in all her gates.

Hasten, O Lord, those promised days,

When Israel shall rejoice;

And Jew and Gentile join in praise,

With one united voice.