 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
HYMN VI.
[Jesu, my Hope, my Help, my Power]
Jesu, my Hope, my Help, my Power,
On Thee I ever call;
O save me from temptation's hour,
Or into hell I fall.
On Thee I ever call;
O save me from temptation's hour,
Or into hell I fall.
If by Thy light I now perceive
My utter helplessness,
O do not for one moment leave
The sinner in distress.
My utter helplessness,
O do not for one moment leave
The sinner in distress.
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I cannot trust my treacherous heart,
I shall myself betray,
I must be lost if Thou depart,
A final castaway.
I shall myself betray,
I must be lost if Thou depart,
A final castaway.
I feel within me, unsubdued,
A cursed, carnal will;
It hates and starts from all that's good,
And cleaves to all that's ill.
A cursed, carnal will;
It hates and starts from all that's good,
And cleaves to all that's ill.
My soul could yield to every vice
And passion in excess;
My soul to all the height could rise
Of daring wickedness.
And passion in excess;
My soul to all the height could rise
Of daring wickedness.
The blackest crime upon record
I freely could commit,
The sins by nature most abhorr'd
My nature could repeat.
I freely could commit,
The sins by nature most abhorr'd
My nature could repeat.
I could the devil's law receive,
Unless restrain'd by Thee;
I could (good God!) I could believe
The Horrible Decree.
Unless restrain'd by Thee;
I could (good God!) I could believe
The Horrible Decree.
I could believe that God is hate,—
The God of love and grace
Did damn, pass by, and reprobate
The most of human race.
The God of love and grace
Did damn, pass by, and reprobate
The most of human race.
Farther than this I cannot go.
Till Tophet take me in:
But O, forbid that I should know
This mystery of sin!
Till Tophet take me in:
But O, forbid that I should know
This mystery of sin!
Jesu, to Thee for help I fly;
Support my soul, and guide:
Keep as the apple of an eye,
Under Thy shadow hide.
Support my soul, and guide:
Keep as the apple of an eye,
Under Thy shadow hide.
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Withhold my foot from every snare,
From every sin defend;
Throughout the way my spirit bear,
And bring me to the end.
From every sin defend;
Throughout the way my spirit bear,
And bring me to the end.
Wisdom and strength to Thee belong,
Folly and sin are mine;
But out of weakness make me strong,
But in my darkness shine.
Folly and sin are mine;
But out of weakness make me strong,
But in my darkness shine.
My strength will I ascribe to Thee,
My Wisdom from above;
And praise to all eternity
Thine all-redeeming love.
My Wisdom from above;
And praise to all eternity
Thine all-redeeming love.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |