| |
| GO not far from me, O my strength, | |
| Whom all my times obey; | |
| Take from me anything Thou wilt, | |
| But go not Thou away; | |
| And let the storm that does Thy work | 5 |
| Deal with me as it may. | |
| |
| On Thy compassion I repose, | |
| In weakness and distress: | |
| I will not ask for greater ease, | |
| Lest I should love Thee less. | 10 |
| Oh, ’tis a blessed thing for me | |
| To need Thy tenderness. | |
| |
| While many sympathizing hearts | |
| For my deliverance care, | |
| Thou, in Thy wiser, stronger love, | 15 |
| Art teaching me to bear— | |
| By the sweet voice of thankful song, | |
| And calm, confiding prayer. | |
| |
| Thy love has many a lighted path, | |
| No outward eye can trace, | 20 |
| And my heart sees Thee in the deep, | |
| With darkness on its face, | |
| And communes with Thee, ’mid the storm, | |
| As in a secret place. | |
| |
| O Comforter of God’s redeemed, | 25 |
| Whom the world does not see, | |
| What hand should pluck me from the flood | |
| That casts my soul on Thee? | |
| Who would not suffer pain like mine, | |
| To be consoled like me? | 30 |
| |
| When I am feeble as a child, | |
| And flesh and heart give way, | |
| Then on Thy everlasting strength | |
| With passive trust I stay, | |
| And the rough wind becomes a song, | 35 |
| The darkness shines like day. | |
| |
| Oh, blessed are the eyes that see, | |
| Though silent anguish show | |
| The love that in their hours of sleep | |
| Unthanked may come and go; | 40 |
| And blessed are the ears that hear, | |
| Though kept awake by woe. | |
| |
| Happy are they that learn, in Thee, | |
| Though patient suffering teach | |
| The secret of enduring strength, | 45 |
| And praise too deep for speech— | |
| Peace that no pressure from without, | |
| No strife within, can reach. | |
| |
| There is no death for me to fear, | |
| For Christ, my Lord, hath died; | 50 |
| There is no curse in this my pain, | |
| For He was crucified; | |
| And it is fellowship with Him | |
| That keeps me near His side. | |
| |
| My heart is fixed, O God, my strength— | 55 |
| My heart is strong to bear; | |
| I will be joyful in Thy love, | |
| And peaceful in Thy care. | |
| Deal with me, for my Saviour’s sake, | |
| According to His prayer. | 60 |
| |
| No suffering while it lasts is joy, | |
| How blest soe’er it be— | |
| Yet may the chastened child be glad | |
| His Father’s face to see; | |
| And oh, it is not hard to bear | 65 |
| What must be born in Thee. | |
| |
| It is not hard to bear by faith, | |
| In Thy own bosom laid, | |
| The trial of a soul redeemed, | |
| For Thy rejoicing made. | 70 |
| Well may the heart in patience rest, | |
| That none can make afraid. | |
| |
| Safe in Thy sanctifying grace, | |
| Almighty to restore— | |
| Borne onward—sin and death behind, | 75 |
| And love and life before— | |
| Oh, let my soul abound in hope, | |
| And praise Thee more and more! | |
| |
| Deep unto deep may call, but I | |
| With peaceful heart will say— | 80 |
| “Thy loving-kindness hath a charge | |
| No waves can take away; | |
| And let the storm that speeds me home, | |
| Deal with me as it may.” | |
| |
