’TIS gone, that bright and orbèd blaze, | |
| Fast fading from our wistful gaze; | |
| Yon mantling cloud has hid from sight | |
| The last faint pulse of quivering light. | |
| |
| In darkness and in weariness | 5 |
| The traveller on his way must press, | |
| No gleam to watch on tree or tower, | |
| Whiling away the lonesome hour. | |
| |
| Sun of my soul! Thou Saviour dear, | |
| It is not night if Thou be near: | 10 |
| Oh, may no earth-born cloud arise | |
| To hide Thee from Thy servant’s eyes! | |
| |
| When round Thy wondrous works below | |
| My searching rapturous glance I throw, | |
| Tracing out Wisdom, Power, and Love, | 15 |
| In earth or sky, in stream or grove;— | |
| |
| Or by the light Thy words disclose | |
| Watch Time’s full river as it flows, | |
| Scanning Thy gracious Providence, | |
| Where not too deep for mortal sense:— | 20 |
| |
| When with dear friends sweet talk I hold, | |
| And all the flowers of life unfold; | |
| Let not my heart within me burn, | |
| Except in all I Thee discern. | |
| |
| When the soft dew of kindly sleep | 25 |
| My wearied eyelids gently steep, | |
| Be my last thought, how sweet to rest | |
| For ever on my Saviour’s breast. | |
| |
| Abide with me from morn till eve, | |
| For without Thee I cannot live: | 30 |
| Abide with me when night is nigh, | |
| For without Thee I dare not die. | |
| |
| Thou Framer of the light and dark, | |
| Steer through the tempest Thine own ark: | |
| Amid the howling wintry sea | 35 |
| We are in port if we have Thee. | |
| |
| The Rulers of this Christian land, | |
| ’Twist Thee and us ordained to stand,— | |
| Guide Thou their course, O Lord, aright, | |
| Let all do all as in Thy sight. | 40 |
| |
| Oh! by Thine own sad burthen, borne | |
| So meekly up the hill of scorn, | |
| Teach Thou Thy Priests their daily cross | |
| To bear as Thine, nor count it loss! | |
| |
| If some poor wandering child of Thine | 45 |
| Have spurned to-day the voice divine, | |
| Now, Lord, the gracious work begin; | |
| Let him no more lie down in sin. | |
| |
| Watch by the sick: enrich the poor | |
| With blessings from Thy boundless store | 50 |
| Be every mourner’s sleep to-night, | |
| Like infants’ slumbers, pure and light. | |
| |
| Come near and bless us when we wake | |
| Ere through the world our way we take | |
| Till in the ocean of Thy love | 55 |
| We lose ourselves, in Heaven above. | |
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