HYMNS OF THE AGES
Many of the great hymns are given elsewhere in the series.
A few of the choicest of the centuries
are given here.
| NEARER, MY GOD, TO THEE |
Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee! E'en though it be a cross That raiseth me! Still all my song shall be, Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee! Though, like a wanderer, The sun gone down, Darkness be over me, My rest a stone, Yet in my dreams I'd be Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee! There let the way appear, Steps unto heaven; All that Thou sendest me, In mercy given; Angels to beckon me Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee! [{482}] Then, with my waking thoughts Bright with Thy praise, Out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise; So by my woes to be Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee! |
| --Sarah Flower Adams. |
| JESUS, LOVER OF MY SOUL |
Jesus, lover of my soul, Let me to Thy bosom fly While the billows near me roll, While the tempest still is high! Hide me, O my Saviour! hide, Till the storm of life is past; Safe into the haven guide; Oh, receive my soul at last! Other refuge have I none; Hangs my helpless soul on Thee; Leave, ah! leave me not alone, Still support and comfort me. All my trust on Thee is stayed; All my help from Thee I bring; Cover my defenseless head With the shadow of Thy wing. Thou, O Christ! art all I want; More than all in Thee I find: Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, Heal the sick, and lead the blind. Just and holy is Thy name, I am all unrighteousness; Vile and full of sin I am, Thou art full of truth and grace. [{484}] Plenteous grace with Thee is found, Grace to pardon all my sin; Let the healing streams abound, Make and keep me pure within. Thou of life the fountain art, Freely let me take of Thee; Spring Thou up within my heart, Rise to all eternity. |
| --Charles Wesley. |
| MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE |
My faith looks up to Thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary, Saviour divine! Now hear me while I pray, Take all my guilt away, Oh, let me from this day Be wholly Thine! May Thy rich grace impart Strength to my fainting heart, My zeal inspire; As Thou hast died for me, Oh, may my love to Thee Pure, warm, and changeless be, A living fire! While life's dark maze I tread, And griefs around me spread, Be Thou my guide; Bid darkness turn to day, Wipe sorrow's tears away, Nor let me ever stray From Thee aside. [{486}] When ends life's transient dream, When death's cold, sullen stream Shall o'er me roll, Blest Saviour! then, in love, Fear and distrust remove; Oh, bear me safe above. A ransomed soul! |
| --Ray Palmer |
| FOLLOWING THE MASTER |
Art thou weary, art thou languid, Art thou sore distressed? "Come to Me," saith One, "and coming, Be at rest." Hath He marks to lead me to Him, If He be my Guide?-- "In His feet and hands are wound-prints, And His side." Is there diadem, as Monarch, That His brow adorns?-- "Yea, a crown, in very surety; But of thorns." If I find Him, if I follow, What His guerdon here?-- "Many a sorrow, many a labor, Many a tear." If I still hold closely to Him, What hath He at last?-- "Sorrow vanquished, labor ended, Jordan passed." [{488}] If I ask Him to receive me, Will He say me nay?-- "Not till earth, and not till heaven Pass away." Finding, following, keeping, struggling, Is He sure to bless?-- "Saints, apostles, prophets, martyrs, Answer, Yes." |
| --Translated by John Mason Neale from the Greek. |
| ROCK OF AGES |
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee; Let the water and the blood, From Thy riven side which flowed, Be of sin the double cure, Cleanse me from its guilt and power. Not the labors of my hands Can fulfill the law's demands; Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow, All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone. Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling; Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grace; Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Saviour, or I die. While I draw this fleeting breath, When my eyelids close in death, When I soar to worlds unknown, See Thee on Thy judgment throne, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee. |
| --Augustus Montague Toplady. |
| CROSSING THE BAR |
Sunset and evening star, And one clear call for me! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea, But such a tide as moving seems asleep, Too full for sound and foam, When that which drew from out the boundless deep Turns again home. Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark! And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark; For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crost the bar. |
| --Alfred, Lord Tennyson. |
| LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT |
Lead, kindly Light! amid the encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on; The night is dark and I am far from home, Lead Thou me on; Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step enough for me. I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou Shouldst lead me on; I loved to choose and see my path; but now Lead Thou me on: I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years. So long Thy power has blessed me, sure it still Will lead me on O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till The night is gone; And with the morn those angel faces smile Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile! |
| --John H. Newman. |
| MY COUNTRY! 'T IS OF THEE |
My country! 't is of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died! Land of the Pilgrims' pride! From every mountain side Let freedom ring! My native country, thee-- Land of the noble, free-- Thy name I love; I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills; My heart with rapture thrills Like that above. Let music swell the breeze, And ring from all the trees Sweet freedom's song: Let mortal tongues awake; Let all that breathe partake; Let rocks their silence break,-- The sound prolong. [{493}] Our fathers' God! to Thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing: Long may our land be bright With freedom's holy light; Protect us by Thy might, Great God, our King! |
| --Samuel F. Smith. |
| FROM ALL THAT DWELL BELOW THE SKIES |
From all that dwell below the skies Let the Creator's praise arise; Let the Redeemer's name be sung Through every land, by every tongue. Eternal are Thy mercies, Lord; Eternal truth attends Thy word; Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore, Till suns shall rise and set no more. |
| --Isaac Watts. |