The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

My present Help in trouble,
My soul's eternal Lover,
Beneath Thy shade
I hide my head
Till all the storm is over.
O bring me by Thy mercy
Through this severe temptation,
And all day long
My joyful song
Shall publish Thy salvation.

Thine arm is still unshorten'd,
And ready to deliver,
Thy glorious name
Remains the same,
A Rock that stands for ever.
This, this is our sure refuge,
When earth and hell oppress us,
For earth and hell
Bow down, and feel
The' almighty name of Jesus.

Jesus, by faith I place me
Beneath Thy name's protection:
While Thou art nigh
I dare defy
The hellish insurrection.
On the accusing serpent
After Thy great example
Fearless I tread,
And bruise his head,
And on his kingdom trample.

I now admire the worthies,
And saints in sacred story;
Their steps pursue,
Their wonders do,
And emulate their glory.
By faith they wax'd courageous,
And bade their foes defiance,
Strong in the Lord,
Escaped the sword,
And stopp'd the mouths of lions.

By faith they conquer'd kingdoms,
And higher rose and higher,
March'd through the sea
Convoy'd by Thee,
And walk'd unhurt in fire.
Them in the burning furnace
Thou didst, O Lord, deliver:
And in the flame
Thy help I claim,
And trust in Thee for ever.

I ask Thy promised succours,
Nor fear I a denial:
Thou Son of Man,
My soul sustain
Throughout the fiery trial.
With Thine almighty presence
Let me be still attended,
And lo! I dwell
Secure in hell
Till all my days are ended.

HYMN II.

[Safe in the fiery furnace]

Safe in the fiery furnace,
Joyful in tribulation,
My soul adores
With all its powers
The God of my salvation.
Walking through fire and water
I find His presence cheering,
By faith I see
The Deity,
And shout at His appearing.

The fire of persecution,
The floods of sin, surround me,
The flames forget
Their power to heat,
The waters cannot drown me.
Midst undevouring lions
The Saviour's arms embrace me,
And from their den
He up again
Shall for His glory raise me.

Kept by the strength of Jesus,
Almighty to deliver,
I find His name
Is still the same,
A Tower that stands for ever.
The wrath of men and devils
With feeble malice rages,
They cannot shock
Me on the Rock
Of everlasting Ages.

I see stretch'd out to save me
The arm of my Redeemer:
That arm shall quell
The powers of hell,
And silence the blasphemer.
The God of my salvation,
The mighty Serpent-bruiser,
Shall soon o'erthrow
The brethren's foe,
And cast down our accuser.

He gives me now a token
Of His protecting favour,
I shall be more
Than conqueror
Through Thee my loving Saviour.
I render Thee the glory,
I know Thou wilt deliver:
But let me rise
Above the skies,
And praise Thy love for ever.

HYMN III.

[Some put their trust in chariots]

Some put their trust in chariots,
And horses some rely on,
But God alone
Our help we own,
God is the strength of Sion.
His name we will remember
In every sore temptation,
And feel its powers,
For Christ is ours,
With all His great salvation.

We are His ransom'd people,
And He that bought will have us,
Secure from harm,
Whilst Jesus' arm
Is still stretch'd out to save us.
He out of all our troubles
Shall mightily deliver,
And then receive
Us up, to live
And reign with Him for ever.

HYMN IV.

[How happy are we Who trust in the Lord!]

How happy are we Who trust in the Lord!
Untroubled we see The imminent sword,
Our merciless hater We calmly defy,
Secure in a nature That never can die.

Destruction may come, The scourge may o'erflow,
And bloodthirsty Rome Our country o'erthrow;
May torture and burn us, But never can shock,
But never o'erturn us Who stand on the Rock.

The waster of Rome Is now on his way,
The lion is come To scatter and slay:
Beyond his fierce power We run to the Lamb,
And rest in the tower Of Jesus's name.

Our life is secure, And hidden above,
Our safety as sure As Jesus's love;
Our joy and our heaven Within us shall stay;
What Jesus hath given None taketh away.

In tumult and war His tokens we hear,
The noise of His car Proclaims our Prince near:
Plague, earthquake, and famine Are awfully join'd
To publish His coming, Who ransoms mankind.

We know that His word And promise are past;
Thy kingdom, O Lord, Shall triumph at last:
The kingdoms before Thee And nations shall fall,
And all men adore Thee, The Monarch of all.

HYMN V.

[Omnipotent Lord, Whom armies obey]

Omnipotent Lord, Whom armies obey,
And lose at Thy word, Or carry the day;
With faithful affection To Thee let us cleave,
And in Thy protection Triumphantly live.

Thou great God of war, Thine Israel bless,
For conquest prepare, And grant us success:
With sorrow before Thee And shame let us fall,
And meekly adore Thee, The Saviour of all.

If first Thou chastise Our insolent boast,
Yet bid us arise As out of the dust;
In deep tribulation Thy power let us own,
Ascribing salvation To Jesus alone.

O Jesus, if now Too many we are,
Too stubborn to bow And seek Thee in prayer,
By judgments subdue us, But show us Thy grace,
But hasten to show us The light of Thy face.

When humbly on Thee Alone we depend,
We trust Thou wilt be Our helper and friend;
Go forth with our armies, Our leader and guide;
And nothing shall harm us With God on our side.

HYMN VI.

[O Saviour of all Who trust in Thy love]

O Saviour of all Who trust in Thy love
And faithfully call For help from above,
To our supplication In mercy attend,
And send us salvation, And victory send.

To Thee with our heart And spirit we cleave,
Who takest the part Of all that believe:
Our Lord we confess Thee, Whoever oppose,
And joyfully bless Thee In sight of Thy foes.

Pluck'd out of the flame, Thy soldiers we stand;
Fight under Thy name, And love Thy command:
Our Captain and Saviour Thee, Jesus, we hail,
And trust in Thy favour, Which never shall fail.

Whatever Thy will And wisdom ordain,
Our safety is still With Thee to remain:
Our lives are all hidden, Our souls are above,
And rest in the Eden Of ransoming love.

In Thee we have hope, In Thee we have peace,
And calmly go up To final success:
Thy fear is our treasure, Thy service our gain,
And we in Thy pleasure Eternally reign.

University of Virginia Library

HYMNS FOR Times of Trouble.

HYMN I.

[My present Help in trouble]