 | Songs of salvation |  |
7
REPENTANCE.
If the Lord were to send down blessings from Heaven as fast and as thick as the fall
Of the drops of the rain, of the flakes of the snow, I'd love and I'd bless Him for all;
But the gift that I'd crave, and the gift that I'd keep if I'd only one to choose,
Is the gift of a broken and contrite heart, for that God will not refuse.
Of the drops of the rain, of the flakes of the snow, I'd love and I'd bless Him for all;
But the gift that I'd crave, and the gift that I'd keep if I'd only one to choose,
Is the gift of a broken and contrite heart, for that God will not refuse.
For what is my wish, and what is my hope, when I've toiled, and I've prayed, and I've striven
All the days that I live upon earth? It is this—to be forgiven!
And what is my wish, and what is my hope but to end where I begin,
With an eye that looks to my Saviour, and a heart that mourns for its sin?
All the days that I live upon earth? It is this—to be forgiven!
And what is my wish, and what is my hope but to end where I begin,
With an eye that looks to my Saviour, and a heart that mourns for its sin?
8
What! perhaps you'll think that I'm going to say I'm the chief of sinners, and then
You'd tell me, for aught that you've ever seen, I'm not worse than other men.
I've nothing to do with better and worse, I haven't to judge for the rest;
If other men are not better than me, they're bad enough at the best.
You'd tell me, for aught that you've ever seen, I'm not worse than other men.
I've nothing to do with better and worse, I haven't to judge for the rest;
If other men are not better than me, they're bad enough at the best.
I've nothing to do with other folks—it isn't for me to say
What sort of men the Scribes might be, or the Pharisees in their day;
But we know that it wasn't for such as they that the Kingdom of Heaven was meant,
And we're told we shall likewise perish unless we do repent.
What sort of men the Scribes might be, or the Pharisees in their day;
But we know that it wasn't for such as they that the Kingdom of Heaven was meant,
And we're told we shall likewise perish unless we do repent.
Why, what have I done, perhaps you'll say, that should make me fret and grieve?
I didn't wrangle, or curse, or swear, I didn't lie or thieve;
I'm clear of cheating, and drinking, and debt; well, perhaps, but I cannot say;
For some of these things I hadn't a mind, and some didn't come in my way.
I didn't wrangle, or curse, or swear, I didn't lie or thieve;
9
For some of these things I hadn't a mind, and some didn't come in my way.
And there's many a thing I could wish undone, though the law might not be broke,
And there's many a word, now I come to think, that I could wish unspoke.
I did what I thought would answer the best, and I said just what came to my mind;
I wasn't so honest that I need boast, and I'm sure that I wasn't kind.
And there's many a word, now I come to think, that I could wish unspoke.
I did what I thought would answer the best, and I said just what came to my mind;
I wasn't so honest that I need boast, and I'm sure that I wasn't kind.
For we'll come to the things that I left undone, and then there'll be more to say;
And we'll ask for the broken hearts that I cheered, and the tears that I wiped away;
I thought of myself, and wrought for myself—for myself and for none beside,
Just as if Jesus had never lived, and as if He had never died.
And we'll ask for the broken hearts that I cheered, and the tears that I wiped away;
I thought of myself, and wrought for myself—for myself and for none beside,
Just as if Jesus had never lived, and as if He had never died.
10
But since my Lord has looked on me, and since He has bid me look
Once in my heart, and once in my life, and once in His blessed book,
And once on the cross where He died for me, He has taught me that I must mend,
If I'd have Him to be my Saviour, and keep Him to be my friend.
Once in my heart, and once in my life, and once in His blessed book,
And once on the cross where He died for me, He has taught me that I must mend,
If I'd have Him to be my Saviour, and keep Him to be my friend.
Since He's taken this long account of mine, and has crossed it through and through;
If He's left me nothing at all to pay, He's given me enough to do.
He's shown me things that I never knew with all my worry and care,
Things that have brought me down to my knees, and things that will keep me there.
If He's left me nothing at all to pay, He's given me enough to do.
He's shown me things that I never knew with all my worry and care,
Things that have brought me down to my knees, and things that will keep me there.
He has shown me the law that works in Him, and the law that works in me,
Life unto life, and death unto death, and He's asked how these agree.
He has made me weary of self and pelf—Yes! my Saviour has bid me grieve
For the days and the years when I did not pray, when I did not love, nor believe.
Life unto life, and death unto death, and He's asked how these agree.
11
For the days and the years when I did not pray, when I did not love, nor believe.
Since He's taken this cold dark heart of mine, and has pierced it through and through,
He's taught me to grieve both for things that I did, and for things that I didn't do.
He has shown me the cross where He died for me, and I'll end where I begin,
With an eye that looks to my Saviour, and a heart that mourns for its sin!
He's taught me to grieve both for things that I did, and for things that I didn't do.
He has shown me the cross where He died for me, and I'll end where I begin,
With an eye that looks to my Saviour, and a heart that mourns for its sin!
| Songs of salvation | |