Chapter 104
629. C. M. Burder's Coll.
Rejoicing in Adversity.
1 What though no flowers the fig-tree clothe Though vines their fruit deny, The labor of the olive fail, And fields no meat supply;--
2 Though from the fold, with sad surprise, My flock cut off I see; Though famine reign in empty stalls, Where herds were wont to be;--
3 Yet in the Lord will I be glad, And glory in his love; In him I'll joy, who will the G.o.d Of my salvation prove.
4 G.o.d is the treasure of my soul, The source of lasting joy-- A joy which want shall not impair, Nor death itself destroy.
630. C. M. Anonymous.
"Blessed are they that mourn."
1 In trouble and in grief, O G.o.d, Thy smile hath cheered my way; And joy hath budded from each thorn That round my footsteps lay.
2 The hours of pain have yielded good, Which prosperous days refused; As herbs, though scentless when entire, Spread fragrance when they're bruised.
3 The oak strikes deeper as its boughs By furious blasts are driven; So life's vicissitudes the more Have fixed my heart in heaven.
4 All-gracious Lord! whate'er my lot In other times may be, I'll welcome still the heaviest grief, That brings me near to thee.
631. L. M. Bowring.
G.o.d Merciful in Affliction.
1 Mysterious are the ways of G.o.d, And fear and blindness oft repine; We murmur 'neath his chastening rod, Because we read not his design.
2 Impending clouds his love has spread O'er this low vale where mortals dwell; And oft we mourn his spirit fled, When adverse tempests round us swell.
3 But in
4 We cannot see him--not a ray Of all his glory there appears, And oft we thread our darkened way, Trembling with anxious doubts and fears.
5 Yet faith still looks beyond the gloom, While hope's bright star illumes our night; Pilgrims of earth! though dark the tomb, It leads to scenes of bliss and light.
632. C. M. Moore.
"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds."
1 O Thou who driest the mourner's tear, How dark this world would be, If, when deceived and wounded here, We could not fly to thee!
2 But thou wilt heal that broken heart, Which like the plants that throw Their fragrance from the wounded part, Breathes sweetness out of woe.
3 When joy no longer soothes or cheers, And e'en the hope that threw A moment's sparkle o'er our tears Is dimmed and vanished too;
4 O, who would bear life's stormy doom, Did not thy wing of love Come, brightly wafting through the gloom Our peace-branch from above?
5 Then sorrow touched by thee grows bright, With more than rapture's ray; The darkness shows us worlds of light We never saw by day.
633. C. M. Drummond.
"G.o.d is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble."
1 Bereft of all, when hopeless care Would sink us to the tomb, O what can save us from despair?
What dissipate the gloom?
2 No balm that earthly plants distil Can soothe the mourner's smart; No mortal hand with lenient skill Bind up the broken heart.
3 But One alone, who reigns above, Our woe to peace can turn, And light the lamp of joy and love That long has ceased to burn.
4 Then, O my soul, to that One flee, To G.o.d thy woes reveal; His eye alone thy wounds can see, His hand alone can heal.
634. L. M. Montgomery.
The Same.
1 G.o.d is our refuge and defence, In trouble our unfailing aid; Secure in his omnipotence, What foe can make our soul afraid?
2 Yea, though the earth's foundations rock, And mountains down the gulf be hurled, His people smile amid the shock, They look beyond this transient world.
3 There is a river pure and bright, Whose streams make glad the heavenly plains, Where, in eternity of light, The city of our G.o.d remains.
4 Built by the word of his command, With his unclouded presence blessed, Firm as his throne the bulwarks stand; There is our home, our hope, our rest.