Draw near to God, beloved soul,
And let Him hear thee tell
The secret workings of thy heart,
Though known to Him full well.
Is Jesu's love to thee as fresh
As when, in days of yore,
Thou drewest near, in trembling,
His pardon to implore
As when the healing fountain of
His mercy poured on thee
The streams of grace and boundless wealth,
He earned on Calvary's tree.
When He in patient agony
And meekness bore the rod,
That dealt the punishment for sin
Between thy soul and God.
Or has thy love grown cold and faint,
And wandering thy desires,
Not fed with ardent, glowing zeal,
As by the Spirit's fires?
Or has thy knowledge of Himself
But deepened day by day?
Until thine overflowing heart
Can rise, and praise, and say,
"Thou altogether loveliest,
Chief of ten thousand Thou;
In wondering adoration, Lord,
Before Thy worth I bow!"
Ah! well for thee, my soul, if such
A blessed state be thine;
If, drawn through His perfections now,
Thy love can brighter shine.
For when, in unveiled glory, soon
Thine eyes behold Him there,
And Thou in all His loveliness
And deep affection share -
Thy spirit undistracted then,
A purer song shall raise
To Him who brought thee home to God,
And trained thy heart to praise.