 | I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
 | IX. |
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| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
NEHEMIAH.
700.
[Lord, in kind compassion hear]
O Lord, let Thine ear be attentive to the prayer, &c.
—i. 11.
Lord, in kind compassion hear
One who would Thy greatness fear,
Grant my feeble heart's desire,
With that godly awe inspire;
When I truly fear Thy name,
Sure of farther grace I am,
Then I shall Thy mercy prove,
Then I shall Thy goodness love.
701.
[Father, the ancient greeting hear]
Let the king live for ever.
—ii. 3.
Father, the ancient greeting hear,
By faith converted to a prayer,
Wash'd in Thy Son's atoning blood,
Ordain'd to share the throne of God,
224
And let our king for ever live.
702.
[Workmen, and soldiers of the Lord]
Every one with one of his hands wrought in, &c.
—iv. 17.
Workmen, and soldiers of the Lord,
We hold the trowel and the sword,
Weapons and tools at once we bear,
The foe repel, the house repair,
Till Jesus in Himself brings down
The labourer's hire, and victor's crown.
703.
[Watch'd by the world's malignant eye]
Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, &c.
—v. 9.
Watch'd by the world's malignant eye,
Who load us with reproach and shame,
As servants of the Lord most high,
As zealous for His glorious name
We ought in all His paths to move,
With holy fear, and humble love.
Who load us with reproach and shame,
As servants of the Lord most high,
As zealous for His glorious name
We ought in all His paths to move,
With holy fear, and humble love.
That wisdom, Lord, on us bestow,
From every evil to depart,
To stop the mouth of every foe,
While upright both in life and heart,
The proofs of godly fear we give,
And show them how the Christians live.
From every evil to depart,
To stop the mouth of every foe,
While upright both in life and heart,
The proofs of godly fear we give,
And show them how the Christians live.
704.
[A Christian, should I fly, or yield]
Should such a man as I flee?
—vi. 11.
A Christian, should I fly, or yield,
Arm'd by my heavenly Lord
With faith's impenetrable shield,
And with His Spirit's sword?
Let heathen shrink, and hirelings fly:
The champion of my God,
The conqueror of the world am I,
Through my Redeemer's blood.
225
705.
[This is the joy my soul desires]
The joy of the Lord is your strength.
—viii. 10.
This is the joy my soul desires,
The joy my Saviour's love inspires,
Which brings the power that sets me free,
Power to renounce whate'er is me;
Power to sell all, and purchase Thee.
706.
[O God, at Thy command we rise]
Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever.
—ix. 5.
O God, at Thy command we rise,
Thy glorious name to bless,
Thee the great Lord of earth and skies
We joyfully confess;
Our joy is now to sing of Thee,
To triumph in Thy love,
And this (transporting thought!) shall be
Our endless work above.
707.
[But O! our feeble strains of praise]
Blessed be Thy glorious name, which is exalted, &c.
—ix. 5.
But O! our feeble strains of praise,
How short of Thee they fall!
Let angels stronger voices raise,
To hymn the Lord of all:
Thou challengest the loftiest song
Of that celestial host;
Yet still Thy majesty they wrong,
When they exalt it most.
708.
[Thou, even Thou, art God alone]
Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast, &c.
—ix. 6.
Thou, even Thou, art God alone,
Those countless worlds of Thine,
Those heavens, and heavenly spirits own
Our Maker is Divine!
226
Great universal Lord,
And all things are in being stay'd
By Thy preserving word.
709.
[Thee the angelic armies praise]
The host of heaven worshippeth Thee.
—ix. 6.
Thee the angelic armies praise,
Those first-born sons of light,
But cannot look on Jesu's face,
And bear the dazzling sight;
Ranks upon ranks, they fall before
The all-abasing Name,
In silent ecstasy to' adore
The glories of the Lamb!
710.
[Thy people in the wilderness]
Yet Thou in Thy manifold mercies, &c.
—ix. 19.
Thy people in the wilderness,
We are not yet forsook,
But kept and nourish'd by Thy grace,
And follow'd by our Rock;
For forty long rebellious years
We have Thy patience tried,
Yet still the cloud and fire appears,
And still Thou art our Guide.
We are not yet forsook,
But kept and nourish'd by Thy grace,
And follow'd by our Rock;
For forty long rebellious years
We have Thy patience tried,
Yet still the cloud and fire appears,
And still Thou art our Guide.
O how shall we Thy grace record,
With equal praise commend
The goodness of our patient Lord,
And mercies without end!
Us to that better Canaan bring,
That land of rest above,
And then we worthily shall sing
Thine everlasting love.
With equal praise commend
The goodness of our patient Lord,
And mercies without end!
Us to that better Canaan bring,
That land of rest above,
And then we worthily shall sing
Thine everlasting love.
227
711.
[The literal, outward house we love]
We will not forsake the house of our God.
—x. 39.
The literal, outward house we love,
Where God vouchsafes to place His name,
Nor will we, Lord, from thence remove,
But jointly there Thy praise proclaim,
And daily to Thy courts repair,
And seek Thee in the house of prayer.
Where God vouchsafes to place His name,
Nor will we, Lord, from thence remove,
But jointly there Thy praise proclaim,
And daily to Thy courts repair,
And seek Thee in the house of prayer.
But O! the house of living stones
We never can neglect or leave,
That temple which the world disowns,
To that in life and death we cleave,
Through faith to every member join'd,
The church diffused through all mankind.
We never can neglect or leave,
That temple which the world disowns,
To that in life and death we cleave,
Through faith to every member join'd,
The church diffused through all mankind.
712.
[What evil thing is this ye do]
What evil thing is this that ye do, &c.
—xiii. 17.
What evil thing is this ye do,
Who God's peculiar day profane,
Your calling's common works pursue,
Your journeys, sports, or pleasures vain?
Ye buy—the curse of God! Ye sell—
Your souls to sin, the world, and hell!
713.
[As due to my most righteous deed]
Remember me, O my God, concerning, &c.
—xiii. 22.
As due to my most righteous deed
I no reward can claim,
But for Thy sparing mercy plead,
O God, in Jesu's name:
And if, my service to reward,
Thy grace can find a cause,
I'll cast my crown before the Lord,
Who bought it on His cross.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |