Why is my heart so far from thee,

My God, my chief delight?

Why are my thoughts no more by day

With thee, no more by night?

[Why should my foolish passions rove?

Where can such sweetness be

As I have tasted in thy love,

As I have found in thee?]

When my forgetful soul renews

The savor of thy grace,

My heart presumes I cannot lose

The relish all my days.

But ere one fleeting hour is passed,

The flatt'ring world employs

Some sensual bait to seize my taste,

And to pollute my joys.

[Trifles of nature or of art,

With fair, deceitful charms,

Intrude into my thoughtless heart,

And thrust me from thy arms.]

Then I repent, and vex my soul

That I should leave thee so:

Where will those wild affections roll

That let a Savior go?

[Sin's promised joys are turned to pain,

And I am drowned in grief;

But my dear Lord returns again,

He flies to my relief.

Seizing my soul with sweet surprise,

He draws with loving bands

Divine compassion in his eyes,

And pardon in his hands.]

[Wretch that I am, to wander thus

In chase of false delight!

Let me be fastened to thy cross,

Rather than lose thy sight.]

[Make haste, my days, to reach the goal,

And bring my heart to rest

On the dear center of my soul,

My God, my Savior's breast.]