Shew me what I have to do;
Every hour my strength renew:
Let me live a life of faith;
Let me die thy people's death.
HAT various hindrances we meet
In coming to a mercy-seat!
Yet who that knows the worth of prayer,
But wishes to be often there?
Prayer makes the darken'd cloud withdraw;
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw;
Gives exercise to faith and love;
Brings every blessing from above.
Restraining prayer, we cease to fight:
Prayer makes the Christian's armour bright;
And Satan trembles, when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.
While Moses stood with arms spread wide,
Success was found on Israel's side;
But when, thro' weariness, they fail'd,
That moment Amalek prevail'd.
Have you no words? ah! think again :
Words flow apace when you complain,
And fill your fellow-creature's ear
With the sad tale of all your care.
Were half the breath thus vainly spent,
To heaven in supplication sent,
Your cheerful song would oftener be:
Hear what the Lord hath done for me.
POOR heart, lament,
For since thy God refuseth still,
There is some rub, some discontent,
Which cools his will.
Quickly effect, what thou dost move;
For he is Power: and sure he would;
For he is Love.
Go search this thing,
Tumble thy breast, and turn thy book:
If thou hadst lost a glove or ring,
Wouldst not thou look?
What do I see
Written above there? Yesterday
I did behave me carelessly,
When I did pray.
And should God's care
To such indifferents chained be,
Who do not their own motions hear?
Is God less free?
But stay! what's there?
Late when I would have something done,
I had a motion to forbear,
Yet I went on.
And should God's care,
Which needs not man, be tyed to those
Who hear not him, but quickly hear
His utter foes?
Then once more pray:
Down with thy knees, up with thy voice: Seek pardon first, and God will say,
O when the morning shineth,
Go when the noon is bright,
Go when the eve declineth,
Go in the hush of night;
Go with pure mind and feeling,
Cast every fear away,
And in thy chamber kneeling,
Do thou in secret pray.
Remember all who love thee,
All who are loved by thee,
Pray too for those who hate thee,
such there be;
Then for thyself in meekness
A blessing humbly claim,
And link with each petition
Thy great Redeemer's name.
But if 'tis e'er denied thee
In solitude to pray,
Should holy thoughts come o'er thee
When friends are round thy way;
E'en then the silent breathing,
The spirit raised above,
Will reach the throne of glory,
Of mercy, truth, and love."
Whene'er thou pinest in sadness,
Before his footstool fall;
Remember in thy gladness
His love who gave thee all.
Oh! not a joy or blessing
With this we can compare,
The power that has been given us
To pour our souls in prayer.
N the Lord thy burden cast,
Whatsoever grief thou hast :
Make it to the Saviour known,
Trust in him, and him alone.
Be thy troubles great or small,
Few or many, bring them all;
Bring the whole to Him who bears
All his people's griefs and cares.
In the time of deep distress,
When thy troubles sorely press,
Thou art tempted then to think
That the Lord will let thee sink.
Think it not-this cannot be,
Stand thou still, O man, and see
God's salvation, come it will,
Trust in him, and be thou still.
Painful it may be to wait,
But it cannot come too late;
God's appointed time is best,
They who wait for him are blest.
"Hope deferr'd" is grief and pain,
But the end is solid gain;
When it comes, O man, to thee,
"As a tree of life" 'twill be.
OFT when of God we ask
For fuller, happier life,
He sets us some new task
Involving care and strife:
Is this the boon for which we sought?
Has prayer new trouble on us brought?
This is indeed the boon,
Though strange to us it seems;
We pierce the rock, and soon
The blessing on us streams;
For when we are the most athirst,
Then the clear waters on us burst.
We toil as in a field,
Wherein, to us unknown,
A treasure lies conceal'd,
Which may be all our own:
And shall we of the toil complain
That speedily will bring such gain?
We dig the wells of life,
And God the waters gives;
We win our way by strife,
Then He within us lives;
And only war could make us meet
For peace so sacred and so sweet.
| OD of my life, to thee I call,
Afflicted at thy feet I fall;
When the great water-floods prevail,
Leave not my trembling heart to fail.
Friend of the friendless and the faint,
Where should I lodge my deep complaint?
Where but with Thee, whose open door
Invites the helpless and the poor.
Did ever mourner plead with thee,
And thou refuse that mourner's plea ?
Does not the word still fix'd remain,
That none shall seek thy face in vain?
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