AH! whither shall I fly? what path untrod
Shall I seek out to 'scape the flaming rod
Of my offended, of my angry God?
Where shall I sojourn? what kind sea will hide
My head from thunder? where shall I abide,
Until his flames be quenched or laid aside?
What if my feet should take their hasty flight,
And seek protection in the shades of night?
Alas! no shades can blind the God of light.
What if my soul should take the wings of day,
And find some desert; if she spring away,
The wings of vengeance wave as fast as they.
What if some solid rock should entertain
My frighted soul? can solid rocks restrain
The stroke of justice, and not cleave in twain?
Nor sea, nor shade, nor shield, nor rock, nor cave, Nor silent deserts, nor the silent grave,
Where flame-eyed fury means to smite, can save.
"Tis vain to flee; 'til gentle mercy show
Her better eye, the further off we go,
The swing of justice deals the mightier blow.
The ingenuous child, corrected, doth not fly
His angry mother's hand, but clings more nigh,
And quenches with his tears her flaming eye.
Great God! there is no safety here below,
Thou art my fortress, thou that seem'st my foe,
'Tis thou, that strikest the stroke, must guard the blow.
As, panting in the sultry beam,
The hart desires the cooling stream,
So to thy presence, Lord, I flee,
So longs my soul, O God! for Thee;
Athirst to taste Thy living grace,
And see thy glory face to face.
But rising griefs distress my soul,
And tears on tears successive roll:
For many an evil voice is near,
To chide my woe, and mock my fear;
And silent memory weeps alone,
O'er hours of peace and gladness flown.
For I have walked the happy round
That circles Zion's holy ground,
And gladly swelled the choral lays
That hymned my great Redeemer's praise,
What time the hallowed arch along
Responsive swelled the solemn song.
Ah! why, by passing clouds opprest,
Should vexing thoughts distract my breast
Turn, turn to Him, in every pain,
Whom never suppliant sought in vain;
Thy strength, in joy's ecstatic day,
Thy hope, when joy has past away.
FAITH, like a simple, unsuspecting child,
Serenely resting on its mother's arm,
Reposing every care upon her God,
Sleeps on his bosom, and expects no harm :
Receives with joy the promises he makes,
Nor questions of his purpose or his
power;
She does not doubting ask, "Can this be so?"
The Lord has said it, and there needs no more.
However deep be the mysterious word,
However dark, she disbelieves it not; Where Reason would examine, Faith obeys, And "It is written," answers every doubt.
In vain, with rude and overwhelming force,
Conscience repeats her tale of misery;
And powers infernal, wakeful to destroy,
Urge the worn spirit to despair and die.
As evening's pale and solitary star
But brightens while the darkness gathers round; So Faith, unmoved amidst surrounding storms, Is fairest seen in darkness most profound.
FATHER! whate'er of earthly bliss
Thy sovereign will denies;
Accepted at thy throne of grace,
Let this petition rise :
Give me a calm, a thankful heart,
From every murmur free;
The blessings of thy grace impart,
And let me live to Thee:
Let the sweet hope that thou art mine,
My life and death attend,
Thy presence through my journey shine,
And crown my journey's end.
GOD is our refuge in distress,
A present help when dangers press;
In him undaunted we 'll confide:
Though earth were from her centre tossed,
And mountains in the ocean lost,
Torn piecemeal by the roaring tide.
A gentle stream, with gladness still
The city of our Lord shall fill,
The royal seat of God most high :
God dwells in Sion, whose fair towers
Shall mock th' assaults of earthly powers,
While his almighty aid is nigh.
In tumults when the heathen raged,
And kingdoms war against us waged,
He thundered and dispersed their powers:
The Lord of Hosts conducts our arms,
Our tower of refuge in alarms,
Our fathers' guardian God and ours.
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