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| XIII. |
 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
170
[DESIRING TO PRAY]
XXIII. DESIRING TO PRAY.
Hymn 1.
O that I could but pray!
How gladly should I bear
The burden of this evil day
With the support of prayer!
Happy, could I but tell
To God my inward woe,
My depth of wickedness reveal,
My height of trouble show.
How gladly should I bear
The burden of this evil day
With the support of prayer!
Happy, could I but tell
To God my inward woe,
My depth of wickedness reveal,
My height of trouble show.
Alas, He knows it all,
My whole of sin and grief;
Yet O, for help I cannot call,
I cannot ask relief:
Mountains on mountains rise,
And quite block up the way;
O that I could but lift my eyes,
O that I could but pray!
My whole of sin and grief;
Yet O, for help I cannot call,
I cannot ask relief:
Mountains on mountains rise,
And quite block up the way;
O that I could but lift my eyes,
O that I could but pray!
I struggle still, and fain
I would throw off my load,
Stir myself up, and strive again
To apprehend my God:
Farther He doth from me,
And farther still depart;
In vain I bow my feeble knee,
But not my stubborn heart.
I would throw off my load,
Stir myself up, and strive again
To apprehend my God:
Farther He doth from me,
And farther still depart;
In vain I bow my feeble knee,
But not my stubborn heart.
My heart, alas, is dead,
Or unconcern'd it sleeps,
Or starts, of its own wish afraid,
And contradicts my lips;
Or with suggestions fraught
Too horrible to bear,
Breaks off the suit, to' escape the thought
Of blasphemous despair.
Or unconcern'd it sleeps,
Or starts, of its own wish afraid,
And contradicts my lips;
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Too horrible to bear,
Breaks off the suit, to' escape the thought
Of blasphemous despair.
Ah, whither, or to whom
Shall I for succour fly!
My Saviour bids the weary come,
Yet do I not draw nigh:
I would (but all in vain)
To Him my wants display:
My heart abhors the fruitless pain,
I cannot, cannot pray.
Shall I for succour fly!
My Saviour bids the weary come,
Yet do I not draw nigh:
I would (but all in vain)
To Him my wants display:
My heart abhors the fruitless pain,
I cannot, cannot pray.
But shall I then depart,
And cast away my hope,
Yield to a wretched, faithless heart,
And give my Saviour up?
No, no! that killing thought
Is worse than all I feel;
Still let me seek, though clean forgot,
And want my Saviour still.
And cast away my hope,
Yield to a wretched, faithless heart,
And give my Saviour up?
No, no! that killing thought
Is worse than all I feel;
Still let me seek, though clean forgot,
And want my Saviour still.
Dead as I am to God,
I will not Him forego,
But patiently take up my load,
And suffer all my woe:
For ever will I lie
Before His mercy-seat,
Though not allow'd with Mary I
To wash, and kiss His feet.
I will not Him forego,
But patiently take up my load,
And suffer all my woe:
For ever will I lie
Before His mercy-seat,
Though not allow'd with Mary I
To wash, and kiss His feet.
In quiet, calm distress
Will I my cross sustain,
Content to sigh for happiness,
And strive to pray,—in vain!
Unless He from His throne
The speechless mourner hear,
The deep, unutterable groan,
The loudly silent tear.
Will I my cross sustain,
Content to sigh for happiness,
And strive to pray,—in vain!
172
The speechless mourner hear,
The deep, unutterable groan,
The loudly silent tear.
He hears, He hears it now!
The anguish not express'd,
The struggle of my soul to bow,
And fall upon His breast!
Silence a voice hath found,
A cry is in the void,
Through earth and heaven my woes resound,
And pierce the ears of God.
The anguish not express'd,
The struggle of my soul to bow,
And fall upon His breast!
Silence a voice hath found,
A cry is in the void,
Through earth and heaven my woes resound,
And pierce the ears of God.
Believing against hope,
I will expect His grace,
Through all the clouds of sin look up,
And wait to see His face:
Forgotten though I seem,
He knows what I would say;
The darkness is not dark to Him,
The night is clear as day.
I will expect His grace,
Through all the clouds of sin look up,
And wait to see His face:
Forgotten though I seem,
He knows what I would say;
The darkness is not dark to Him,
The night is clear as day.
I dare no longer doubt
His readiness to save;
Will Jesus therefore cast me out,
Because no good I have?
To sinners truly poor
Will God Himself deny!
He cannot cast me out—no more
Than He again can die!
His readiness to save;
Will Jesus therefore cast me out,
Because no good I have?
To sinners truly poor
Will God Himself deny!
He cannot cast me out—no more
Than He again can die!
XXIV. THE SAME.
Hymn 2.
[Jesu, full of grace for me]
Jesu, full of grace for me,
Help my soul's infirmity;
Grant the supplicating grace,
Give the power to seek Thy face:
Hear a feeble sinner groan,
Burden'd with an heart of stone;
Take the heart of stone away,
Give me will, and power to pray.
Help my soul's infirmity;
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Give the power to seek Thy face:
Hear a feeble sinner groan,
Burden'd with an heart of stone;
Take the heart of stone away,
Give me will, and power to pray.
Once again revive the dead,
Stir me up to ask Thine aid;
By Thy Spirit's breath incline
This unyielding heart of mine;
Now the rock in sunder rend,
Now eject the silent fiend,
Power into my soul convey,
Sigh the pitying Ephphatha!
Stir me up to ask Thine aid;
By Thy Spirit's breath incline
This unyielding heart of mine;
Now the rock in sunder rend,
Now eject the silent fiend,
Power into my soul convey,
Sigh the pitying Ephphatha!
O my God, how long shall I
Coldly with my lips draw nigh,
Lift my eyes with useless pain,
Drop their weary lids again,
Feebly struggle to declare
The sad meaning of my prayer,
Give the fruitless labour o'er,
Gasp for utterance no more!
Coldly with my lips draw nigh,
Lift my eyes with useless pain,
Drop their weary lids again,
Feebly struggle to declare
The sad meaning of my prayer,
Give the fruitless labour o'er,
Gasp for utterance no more!
Help a poor and needy soul,
Make the wilderness a pool,
Pour Thy Spirit from above,
Bless me with a flood of love;
For Thy mercy sake alone
Let the miracle be done;
Take my heart of stone away,
Give me will, and power to pray.
Make the wilderness a pool,
Pour Thy Spirit from above,
Bless me with a flood of love;
For Thy mercy sake alone
Let the miracle be done;
Take my heart of stone away,
Give me will, and power to pray.
174
XXV. THE SAME.
Hymn 3.
[O Thou Father of compassions]
O Thou Father of compassions,
O Thou God of mercies, hear,
Send the Spirit of supplications,
Send the gracious Comforter:
Have respect to Jesus' merit,
To Thy church the Gift impart,
Send Him now; the pleading Spirit
Pour into Thy people's heart.
O Thou God of mercies, hear,
Send the Spirit of supplications,
Send the gracious Comforter:
Have respect to Jesus' merit,
To Thy church the Gift impart,
Send Him now; the pleading Spirit
Pour into Thy people's heart.
If we have through Him found favour,
If for us He ever prays,
Now in honour of our Saviour,
Grant the all-commanding grace;
Stir us up to prayer unceasing,
Let us all the promise claim,
Wrestle for the mighty blessing,
For the new, mysterious name.
If for us He ever prays,
Now in honour of our Saviour,
Grant the all-commanding grace;
Stir us up to prayer unceasing,
Let us all the promise claim,
Wrestle for the mighty blessing,
For the new, mysterious name.
Send our long desired Messias,
Us to teach Thy perfect way;
Faithful, fervent as Elias,
Let us in the Spirit pray,
Let the power to us be given,
(Weak and helpless as we are,)
Power to shut, and open heaven,
All the' omnipotence of prayer.
Us to teach Thy perfect way;
Faithful, fervent as Elias,
Let us in the Spirit pray,
Let the power to us be given,
(Weak and helpless as we are,)
Power to shut, and open heaven,
All the' omnipotence of prayer.
XXVI. THE SAME.
Hymn 4.
[Jesu, Thou sovereign Lord of all]
Jesu, Thou sovereign Lord of all,
The same through one eternal day,
Attend Thy feeblest followers' call,
And O! instruct us how to pray;
Pour out the supplicating grace,
And stir us up to seek Thy face.
The same through one eternal day,
Attend Thy feeblest followers' call,
And O! instruct us how to pray;
175
And stir us up to seek Thy face.
We cannot think a gracious thought,
We cannot feel a good desire,
Till Thou, who call'dst a world from nought,
The power into our hearts inspire;
And then we in Thy Spirit groan,
And then we give Thee back Thy own.
We cannot feel a good desire,
Till Thou, who call'dst a world from nought,
The power into our hearts inspire;
And then we in Thy Spirit groan,
And then we give Thee back Thy own.
Proceeds from Thee the wish to pray,
The longing wish which now we feel;
But O! we know not what to say,
We would, but cannot, Lord, reveal
The load our fainting spirits bear,
Or tell Thee all our wants in prayer.
The longing wish which now we feel;
But O! we know not what to say,
We would, but cannot, Lord, reveal
The load our fainting spirits bear,
Or tell Thee all our wants in prayer.
Lost in a labyrinth of sin,
Long have we wander'd to and fro,
The wilderness hath shut us in,
And only faith the way can show,
And only prayer can lend the clue,
To guide our weary footsteps through.
Long have we wander'd to and fro,
The wilderness hath shut us in,
And only faith the way can show,
And only prayer can lend the clue,
To guide our weary footsteps through.
Tormented, destitute, distress'd,
Scatter'd in the dark, cloudy day,
We labour for that farther rest,
And fain would force our hearts to pray,
And strive and pant with endless care
To heave away the mountain bar.
Scatter'd in the dark, cloudy day,
We labour for that farther rest,
And fain would force our hearts to pray,
And strive and pant with endless care
To heave away the mountain bar.
Dost Thou not, Lord, our trouble see,
Our sore, unprofitable pain?
A thousand times we bow the knee,
Approach Thee with our lips in vain,
Present with lifted hands and eyes,
An heartless, lifeless sacrifice.
Our sore, unprofitable pain?
A thousand times we bow the knee,
Approach Thee with our lips in vain,
Present with lifted hands and eyes,
An heartless, lifeless sacrifice.
176
A thousand times o'erwhelm'd with woe,
We groan impatient at Thy stay,
Ready to let the promise go,
Ready to cast our shield away,
The fruitless labour to forbear,
And fold our arms in sad despair.
We groan impatient at Thy stay,
Ready to let the promise go,
Ready to cast our shield away,
The fruitless labour to forbear,
And fold our arms in sad despair.
Jesu, regard the joint complaint
Of all Thy tempted followers here,
And now supply the common want,
And send us down the Comforter,
The spirit of ceaseless prayer impart,
And fix Thine Agent in our heart.
Of all Thy tempted followers here,
And now supply the common want,
And send us down the Comforter,
The spirit of ceaseless prayer impart,
And fix Thine Agent in our heart.
To help our soul's infirmity,
To heal Thy sin-sick people's care,
To urge our God-commanding plea,
And make our heart an house of prayer,
That promised Intercessor give,
And let us now Thyself receive.
To heal Thy sin-sick people's care,
To urge our God-commanding plea,
And make our heart an house of prayer,
That promised Intercessor give,
And let us now Thyself receive.
Come in Thy pleading Spirit down,
To us, who for Thy coming stay;
Of all Thy gifts we ask but one,
We ask the constant power to pray:
Indulge us, Lord, in this request,
And, if Thou canst, deny the rest.
To us, who for Thy coming stay;
Of all Thy gifts we ask but one,
We ask the constant power to pray:
Indulge us, Lord, in this request,
And, if Thou canst, deny the rest.
XXVII. THE SAME.
Hymn 5.
[Shepherd Divine, our want relieve]
Shepherd Divine, our want relieve
In this our evil day,
To all Thy tempted followers give
The power to watch and pray.
In this our evil day,
To all Thy tempted followers give
The power to watch and pray.
177
Long as our fiery trials last,
Long as the cross we bear,
O let our souls on Thee be cast
In never ceasing prayer.
Long as the cross we bear,
O let our souls on Thee be cast
In never ceasing prayer.
The Spirit of interceding grace
Give us in faith to claim,
To wrestle, till we see Thy face,
And know Thy hidden name.
Give us in faith to claim,
To wrestle, till we see Thy face,
And know Thy hidden name.
Till Thou the perfect love impart,
Till Thou Thyself bestow,
Be this the cry of every heart,
I will not let Thee go.
Till Thou Thyself bestow,
Be this the cry of every heart,
I will not let Thee go.
I will not let Thee go, unless
Thou tell Thy name to me,
With all Thy great salvation bless,
And make me all like Thee.
Thou tell Thy name to me,
With all Thy great salvation bless,
And make me all like Thee.
Then let me on the mountain top
Behold Thine open face,
While faith in sight is swallow'd up,
And prayer in endless praise.
Behold Thine open face,
While faith in sight is swallow'd up,
And prayer in endless praise.
XXVIII. THE SAME.
Hymn 6.
[Come, ye followers of the Lord]
“Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”
—Luke xviii. 1.
Come, ye followers of the Lord,
In Jesus' service join;
Jesus gives the sacred word,
The ordinance Divine;
Let us His command obey,
And ask, and have whate'er we want;
Pray we, every moment pray,
And never, never faint.
In Jesus' service join;
Jesus gives the sacred word,
The ordinance Divine;
178
And ask, and have whate'er we want;
Pray we, every moment pray,
And never, never faint.
Place no longer let us give
To the old tempter's will;
Never more our duty leave,
While Satan cries Be still!
Stand we in the ancient way,
And here with God ourselves acquaint;
Pray we, &c.
To the old tempter's will;
Never more our duty leave,
While Satan cries Be still!
Stand we in the ancient way,
And here with God ourselves acquaint;
Pray we, &c.
Be it weariness and pain
To slothful flesh and blood,
Yet we will the cross sustain,
And bless the welcome load;
All our griefs to God display,
And humbly pour out our complaint;
Pray we, &c.
To slothful flesh and blood,
Yet we will the cross sustain,
And bless the welcome load;
All our griefs to God display,
And humbly pour out our complaint;
Pray we, &c.
Let us patiently endure,
And still our wants declare;
All the promises are sure
To persevering prayer:
Till we see the perfect day,
And each wakes up a spotless saint,
Pray we, &c.
And still our wants declare;
All the promises are sure
To persevering prayer:
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And each wakes up a spotless saint,
Pray we, &c.
Pray we on, when all-renew'd,
And perfected in love,
Till we see the Saviour-God
Descending from above,
All His heavenly charms survey,
Beyond what angel minds can paint,
Pray we, &c.
And perfected in love,
Till we see the Saviour-God
Descending from above,
All His heavenly charms survey,
Beyond what angel minds can paint,
Pray we, &c.
Pray we, in the realms of light
Till we behold His face;
Faith shall there be lost in sight,
And prayer in endless praise,
Blest through one eternal day,
Possess'd of all that God can grant;
There we need not, cannot pray,
For heaven is all we want.
Till we behold His face;
Faith shall there be lost in sight,
And prayer in endless praise,
Blest through one eternal day,
Possess'd of all that God can grant;
There we need not, cannot pray,
For heaven is all we want.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |