Encouraged by Thy Word

Encouraged by Thy word

Of pro­mise to the poor;

Behold

a beg­gar

Lord

Waits at Thy mer­cy’s door!

No hand

no heart

O Lord

but Thine

Can help or pi­ty wants like mine.

The beg­gar’s usu­al plea

Relief from men to gain

If offered unto Thee

I know Thou would’st dis­dain:

And pleas which move Thy gra­cious ear

Are such as men would scorn to hear.

I have no right to say

That though I now am poor

Yet once there was a day

When I pos­sess­èd more:

Thou know’st that from my ve­ry birth

I’ve been the poor­est wretch on earth.

Nor can I dare pro­fess

As beg­gars oft­en do

Though great is my dis­tress

My wants have been but few:

If Thou shouldst leave my soul to starve

It would be what I well de­serve.

’Twere fol­ly to pre­tend

I nev­er begged be­fore;

Or if Thou now be­friend

I’ll trou­ble Thee no more:

Thou oft­en hast re­lieved my pain

And oft­en I must come again.

Though crumbs are much too good

For such a dog as I;

No less than child­ren’s food

My soul can sa­tis­fy:

O do not frown and bid me go

I must have all Thou canst be­stow.

Nor can I will­ing be

Thy boun­ty to con­ceal

From oth­ers

who like me

Their wants and hun­ger feel:

I’ll tell them of Thy mer­cy’s store

And try to send a thou­sand more.

Thy thoughts

Thou on­ly wise!

Our thoughts and ways trans­cend

Far as the arch­èd skies

Above the earth ex­tend:

Such pleas as mine men would not bear

But God re­ceives a beg­gar’s pray­er.