Why should sorrow ever grieve me?

Christ is near,

What can here

E’er of Him deprive me?

Who can rob me of my heaven

That God’s Son,

As mine own,

To my faith hath given?

Naked was I and unswathèd

When on earth

At my birth

My first breath I breathèd.

Naked hence shall I betake me,

When I go

From earth’s woe,

And my breath forsake me.

Nought—not e’en the life I’m living,

Is mine own,

God alone

All to me is giving.

Must I then His own restore Him?

Though bereft

Of each gift

Still shall I adore Him.

Though a heavy cross I’m bearing,

And my heart

Feels the smart,

Shall I be despairing?

God can help me, who doth send it,

He doth know

All my woe

And how best to end it.

God oft gives me days of gladness,

Shall I grieve

If He give

Seasons too of sadness?

God is good, and tempers ever

Every hurt,

Me desert

Wholly can He never,

Though united world and devil,

All their pow’r

Can no more

Do than mock and cavil.

Let derision now employ them,

Christ e’en here

Will appear

And ’fore all destroy them.

True believers shrinking never,

Where they dwell

Should reveal

Their true colours ever.

When approaching death would scare them,

Still should they

Patient stay

And with courage bear them.

Death can never kill us even,

But relief

From all grief

To us then is given.

It doth close life’s mournful story,

Make a way

That we may

Pass to heav’nly glory.

There I’ll reap enduring pleasure,

After woe

Here below

Suffer’d in large measure.

Lasting good we find here never,

All the earth

Deemeth worth

Vanisheth for ever.

What is all this life possesseth?

But a hand

Fall of sand

That the heart distresseth.

Noble gifts that pall me never,

Christ so free

There gives me

To enjoy for ever.

Shepherd! Lord! joy’s fountain ever,

Thou art mine,

I am Thine,

No one can us sever.

I am Thine, because Thou gavest

Life and blood

For my good,

By Thy death me savest.

Thou’rt mine, for I love and own Thee,

Ne’er shall I,

Light of joy,

From my heart dethrone Thee.

Let me, let me soon behold Thee

Face to face,

Thy embrace

May it soon enfold me!