1.

O, once I had a glorious view

Of my redeeming Lord;

He said, I'll be a God to you,

And I believed his word.

But now I have a deeper stroke

Than all my groanings are;

My God has me of late forsook,--

He's gone, I know not where.

2.

O what immortal joys I felt,

On that celestial day,

When my hard heart began to melt,

By love dissolved away!

But my complaint is bitter now,

For all my joys are gone;

I've strayed!--I'm left!--I know not how

The light's from the withdrawn.

3.

Once I could joy the saints to meet,

To me they were most dear;

I then could stoop to wash their feet,

And shed a joyful tear.

But now I meet them as the rest,

And with them joyless stay;

My conversation's spiritless,

Or else I've naught to say.

4.

I once could mourn o'er dying men,

And longed their souls to win;

I travailed for their poor children,

And warned them of their sin:

But now my heart's so careless grown,

Although they're drowned in vice,

My bowels o'er them cease to yearn--

My tears have left mine eyes.

5.

I forward go in duty's way,

But can't perceive him there;

Then backwards on the road I stray,

But cannot find him there:

On the left hand, where he doth work,

Among the wicked crew,

And on the right, I find him not,

Among the favored few.

6.

What shall I do?--Shall I lie down,

And sink in deep despair?

Will he for ever wear a frown,

Nor hear my feeble prayer?

No: he will put his strength in me,

He knows the way I've strolled

And when I'm tried sufficiently

I shall come forth as gold.