Devotional Verses Founded on and Illustrative of select Texts of Scripture [by Bernard Barton] |
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THE FAMINE OF THE WORD. |
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133
THE FAMINE OF THE WORD.
“Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a
famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the Lord.”
—Amos, viii. 11.
O Lord, avert from us this day
Of famine's fiercest strife;
And take not from our souls the stay
And staff of endless life.
Of famine's fiercest strife;
And take not from our souls the stay
And staff of endless life.
Though we too often have preferr'd
Time's transitory things
Before thy pure and precious word
Which sure salvation brings;
Time's transitory things
Before thy pure and precious word
Which sure salvation brings;
Yet suffer not our souls to know
This famine, worst of all;
Lest, victims to its wasting woe,
We miserably fall.
This famine, worst of all;
Lest, victims to its wasting woe,
We miserably fall.
O rather, since the power is thine,
While yet thy word is near,
Compel us by thy voice divine
To lend a wakeful ear.
While yet thy word is near,
Compel us by thy voice divine
To lend a wakeful ear.
134
Though justly stern its tones may sound,
These thou canst teach to bear;
Far better judgment reign around
Than silence and despair.
These thou canst teach to bear;
Far better judgment reign around
Than silence and despair.
Although the food Thy word may give
Be wormwood to the soul,
Better it is on this to live,
Than pleasure's sparkling bowl.
Be wormwood to the soul,
Better it is on this to live,
Than pleasure's sparkling bowl.
Oh, teach us most that death to fear,
By inward famine slain,
Which, dying, thirsts thy voice to hear,
Yet thirsts, alas, in vain.
By inward famine slain,
Which, dying, thirsts thy voice to hear,
Yet thirsts, alas, in vain.
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