Author of Good

Author of good! we rest on Thee:

Thine ev­er-watch­ful eye

Alone our real wants can see

Thy hand alone sup­ply.

Oh! let Thy pow­er with­in us dwell

Thy love our foot­steps guide!

That love shall vain­er loves ex­pel

That fear all fears be­side.

And since

by pas­sion’s force sub­dued

Too oft

with stub­born will

We blind­ly shun the la­tent good

And grasp the spe­cious ill:

Not what we wish

but what we want*

Let merc­y still sup­ply:

The good un­masked

let mer­cy grant

The ill

though asked

de­ny!