Oh, once I had a glor’ous 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.

Oh, what immortal joys I felt,
On that celestial day,
When my hard heart began to melt,
By love dissolved away.
By 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The light’s from me withdrawn.

Once I rejoiced 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 nought to say.

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,
Altho they’re drowned in vice,
My bowels o’er them cease to yearn
The tears have left mine eyes.

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.

What shall I do? shall I lie down,
And sink in deep despair?
Will He forever 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.

Recordings none