AN HYMN.
1 When all thy mercies, O my G.o.d, My rising soul surveys; Transported with the view, I"m lost In wonder, love, and praise.
2 O how shall words with equal warmth The grat.i.tude declare, That glows within my ravish"d heart!
But thou canst read it there.
3 Thy providence my life sustain"d, And all my wants redress"d, When in the silent womb I lay, And hung upon the breast.
4 To all my weak complaints and cries Thy mercy lent an ear, Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learnt To form themselves in prayer.
5 Unnumber"d comforts to my soul Thy tender care bestow"d, Before my infant heart conceiv"d From whence these comforts flow"d.
6 When in the slippery paths of youth With heedless steps I ran, Thine arm unseen convey"d me safe, And led me up to man.
7 Through hidden dangers, toils, and death, It gently clear"d my way; And through the pleasing snares of vice, More to be fear"d than they.
8 When worn with sickness, oft hast thou With health renew"d my face; And when in sins and sorrows sunk, Reviv"d my soul with grace.
9 Thy bounteous hand with worldly bliss Has made my cup run o"er, And in a kind and faithful friend Has doubled all my store.
10 Ten thousand thousand precious gifts My daily thanks employ; Nor is the least a cheerful heart, That tastes those gifts with joy.
11 Through every period of my life, Thy goodness I"ll pursue; And after death, in distant worlds, The glorious theme renew.[17]
12 When nature fails, and day and night Divide thy works no more, My ever-grateful heart, O Lord, Thy mercy shall adore.
13 Through all eternity, to thee A joyful song I"ll raise; For, oh! eternity"s too short To utter all thy praise.
AN ODE.
1 How are thy servants blest, O Lord!
How sure is their defence!
Eternal wisdom is their guide, Their help Omnipotence.
2 In foreign realms, and lands remote, Supported by thy care, Through burning climes I pa.s.s"d unhurt, And breath"d in tainted air.
3 Thy mercy sweeten"d every soil, Made every region please; The h.o.a.ry Alpine hills it warm"d, And smooth"d the Tyrrhene seas.
4 Think, O my soul, devoutly think, How, with affrighted eyes, Thou saw"st the wide-extended deep In all its horrors rise.
5 Confusion dwelt in every face, And fear in every heart; When waves on waves, and gulphs on gulphs, O"ercame the pilot"s art.
6 Yet then from all my griefs, O Lord, Thy mercy set me free; Whilst, in the confidence of prayer, My soul took hold on thee.
7 For though in dreadful whirls we hung High on the broken wave, I knew thou wert not slow to hear, Nor impotent to save.
8 The storm was laid, the winds retired, Obedient to thy will; The sea that roar"d at thy command, At thy command was still.
9 In midst of dangers, fears, and death, Thy goodness I"ll adore; And praise thee for thy mercies past, And humbly hope for more.
10 My life, if thou preserv"st my life, Thy sacrifice shall be; And death, if death must be my doom, Shall join my soul to thee.
AN HYMN.
1 When rising from the bed of death, O"erwhelm"d with guilt and fear, I see my Maker face to face; O how shall I appear!
2 If yet, while pardon may be found, And mercy may be sought, My heart with inward horror shrinks, And trembles at the thought:
3 When thou, O Lord, shalt stand disclos"d In majesty severe, And sit in judgment on my soul; O how shall I appear!
4 But thou hast told the troubled soul, Who does her sins lament, The timely tribute of her tears Shall endless woe prevent.
5 Then see the sorrows of my heart, Ere yet it be too late; And add my Saviour"s dying groans, To give those sorrows weight.
6 For never shall my soul despair Her pardon to procure, Who knows thy only Son has died To make that pardon sure.
PARAPHRASE ON PSALM XXIII.
1
The Lord my pasture shall prepare, And feed me with a shepherd"s care; His presence shall my wants supply, And guard me with a watchful eye: My noon-day walks he shall attend, And all my midnight hours defend.
2
When in the sultry glebe I faint, Or on the thirsty mountain pant; To fertile vales and dewy meads My weary wandering steps he leads: Where peaceful rivers, soft and slow, Amid the verdant landscape flow.
3
Though in the paths of death I tread, With gloomy horrors overspread, My steadfast heart shall fear no ill, For thou, O Lord, art with me still; Thy friendly crook shall give me aid, And guide me through the dreadful shade.
4
Though in a bare and rugged way, Through devious lonely wilds I stray, Thy bounty shall my wants beguile: The barren wilderness shall smile, With sudden greens and herbage crown"d, And streams shall murmur all around.
END OF ADDISON"S POEMS.
Footnotes:
[Footnote 2: "Majesty:" King William.]