Wesley Corpus

More dear than life itself thy love My heart and tongue shall still employ; And to declare thy praise will prove My peace, my glory, and my joy. In blessing thee with grateful songs My happy life shall glide away; The praise that to thy name belongs, Hourly with lifted hands I'll pay. Abundant sweetness, while I sing Thy love my ravish'd soul o'erflows, Secure in thee, my God and King, Of glory that no period knows. Thy name, O Lord, upon my bed Dwells on my lips, and fires my thought, With trembling awe in midnight shade, I muse on all, thine hands have wrought. In all I do I feel thine aid; Therefore thy greatness will I sing, O God, who bid'st my heart be glad Beneath the shadow of thy wing. My soul draws nigh, and cleaves to thee; Then let or earth, or hell assail, Thy mighty hand shall set me free, For whom thou sav'st he ne'er shall fail. Page 26 Hymn XXV.37 Thee will I love, my strength, my tower, Thee will I love, my joy, my crown, Thee will I love with all my power, In all my works, and thee alone! Thee will I love 'till the pure fire Fill my whole soul with chaste desire. Ah! Why did I so late thee know, Thee lovelier than the sons of men! Ah, why did I no sooner go To thee, the only ease in pain! Asham'd I sigh and inly mourn That I so late to thee did turn. In darkness willingly I stray'd; I sought thee, yet from thee I rov'd: For wide my wand'ring thoughts were spread, Thy creatures more than thee I lov'd, And now, if more at length I see, 'Tis thro' thy light, and comes from thee. I thank thee, uncreated Sun, That thy bright beams on me have shin'd: I thank thee, who hast overthrown My foes, and heal'd my wounded mind: I thank thee whose enliv'ning voice Bids my freed heart in thee rejoice. Uphold me in the doubtful race, Nor suffer me again to stray: Strengthen my feet, with steady pace Still to press forward in thy way: My soul and flesh, O Lord of might, Fill, satiate with thy heav'nly light. Give to my eyes refreshing tears, Give to my heart chaste, hallow'd fires, 37Source: Johann Scheffler. First appeared in HSP (1739), 198-200.