Eternal Power, of Earth and Air!

Eternal Pow­er

of earth and air!

Unseen

yet seen in all around

Remote

but dwell­ing ev­ery­where

Though si­lent

heard in ev­ery sound.

If e’er Thine ear in mer­cy bent

When wretch­ed mor­tals cried to Thee

And if

in­deed

Thy Son was sent

To save lost sin­ners such as me:

Then hear me now

while

kneel­ing here

I lift to thee my heart and eye

And all my soul as­cends in pray­er

Oh

give me

give me faith! I cry.

Without some glim­mer­ing in my heart

I could not raise this fer­vent pray­er;

But

oh! a strong­er light im­part

And in Thy mer­cy fix it there.

While faith is with me

I am blest;

It turns my dark­est night to day;

But while I clasp it to my breast

I oft­en feel it slide away.

Then

cold and dark

my spir­it sinks

To see my light of life de­part;

And ev­ery fiend of Hell

me­thinks

Enjoys the ang­uish of my heart.

What shall I do

if all my love

My hopes

my toil

are cast away

And if there be no God above

To hear and bless me when I pray?

If this be vain de­lu­sion all

If death be an eter­nal sleep

And none can hear my sec­ret call

Or see the si­lent tears I weep!

Oh

help me

God! For Thou alone

Canst my dis­tract­ed soul re­lieve;

Forsake it not: it is Thine own

Though weak

yet long­ing to be­lieve.

Oh

drive these cru­el doubts away;

And make me know

that Thou art God!

A faith

that shines by night and day

Will light­en ev­ery earth­ly load.

If I be­lieve that Je­sus died

And

wak­ing

rose to reign ab­ove;

Then sure­ly sor­row

sin

and pride

Must yield to peace

and hope

and love.

And all the bless­èd words He said

Will strength and ho­ly joy im­part:

A shield of safe­ty o’er my head

A spring of com­fort in my heart.