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| SWEET hymns I chant, and weave melodious songs | |
| My God, to Thee, for whom my being longs. | |
| O let my soul beneath Thy sheltr’ing hand | |
| Enshaded, all Thy secrets understand. | |
| Whene’er in words Thy glory I would prove, | 5 |
| My panting heart yearns ever for Thy love. | |
| So when in glorious praise of Thee I sing, | |
| With loving cadences my voice shall ring. | |
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| I tell Thy glory, God unknown by me, | |
| In metaphors by prophet lips expressed, | 10 |
| Drawing from out Thine actions manifest, | |
| A likeness of Thy power not of Thee. | |
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| They imaged Thee in visions manifold, | |
| Though Thou art One beneath all images; | |
| They saw Thee both in Age and Youthfulness, | 15 |
| Black-haired in youth or grey as one grown old. | |
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| Aged as Judge, and Young when war’s alarm | |
| To manful striving calls. Then on Thy brow | |
| A helm of triumph binding, forth goest Thou | |
| Victorious through Thy right and holy arm. | 20 |
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| With dews of light His head is crowned, His hair | |
| Heavy with night-drops glistens; He shall be | |
| By me adorned for He delights in me, | |
| My garland He, the beauteous crown I wear. | |
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| Like purest gold His lustrous head does shine, | 25 |
| Graven in words, His holy name outstands, | |
| Its radiance brightened, by His people’s hands, | |
| Who bind a crown unto His crown divine. | |
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| And poets pictured His young loveliness, | |
| His black locks flowing in their curled array, | 30 |
| Thus saw they Him. Yet knew His fairest trait, | |
| His beauty’s chosen Home, was righteousness. | |
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| His treasured people were His royal crown, | |
| He bore them, they were precious in His eyes; | |
| His glory on me rests, mine on Him lies, | 35 |
| He honours me when others cast me down. | |
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| In ruddy robe, as one whose red feet fall | |
| On Edom’s vines, comes He a God of Woe! | |
| The God of Grace who did to Moses show | |
| The symbol of His love embracing all. | 40 |
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| His wrath the proud, His love the humble find, | |
| His heart delights to glorify the meek; | |
| His seekers He, with answering search, does seek; | |
| Thus runs His truth, revealed to all mankind. | |
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| Then let my songs, my joyous ecstasies, | 45 |
| Unto Thy diadem a gem confer; | |
| Or as the scented cassia and myrrh, | |
| In fragrant incense unto Thee arise. | |
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| Do Thou as precious hold the poor man’s cry | |
| As psalmody anigh Thine altar sung; | 50 |
| And may my gift, those blessed gifts among, | |
| Find gracious way to Thee enthroned on high. | |
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| And when I praise Thee, bounteous Lord, in song | |
| O deem my offering the choicest spice; | |
| And let my thoughts be a sweet sacrifice, | 55 |
| To lift my heart to Thee, for whom I long. | |
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