HELP.
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone: I will make him an help meet for him.—Genesis, ii. 18.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.—Psalm xlvi. 1.
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.—Psalm lx. 11.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.—Psalm cxxiv. 8.
Why am I loth to leave this earthly scene?
Have I so found it full of pleasing charms?
Some drops of joy with draughts of ill between:
Some gleams of sunshine ’mid renewing storms.
Is it departing pangs my soul alarms?
Or death’s unlovely, dreary, dark abode?
For guilt, for guilt, my terrors are in arms:
I tremble to approach an angry God,
And justly smart beneath His sin-avenging rod.
Fain would I say, “Forgive my foul offence!”
Fain promise never more to disobey;
But should my Author health again dispense,
Again I might desert from virtue’s way:
Again in folly’s path might go astray;
Again exalt the brute and sink the man;
Then how should I for Heav’nly mercy pray,
Who act so counter Heav’nly mercy’s plan?
Who sin so oft have mourn’d: yet to temptation ran.
O thou great governor of all below!
If I may dare a lifted eye to Thee,
Thy nod can make the tempest cease to blow,
Or still the tumult of the raging sea;
With that controlling power assist ev’n me,
Those headlong furious passions to confine,
For all unfit I feel my powers to be,
To rule their torrent in th’ allowed line;
O, aid me with Thy help, Omnipotence Divine!
Burns.
God, my supporter and my hope,
My help for ever near,
Thine arm of mercy held me up,
When sinking in despair.
Watts.