O Gift of Gifts!

O gift of gifts! O grace of faith!

My God

how can it be

That Thou

who hast dis­cern­ing love

Shouldst give that gift to me?

How many hearts Thou mightst have had

More in­no­cent than mine

How ma­ny souls more wor­thy far

Of that sweet touch of Thine!

Ah

grace

un­to un­like­li­est hearts

It is thy boast to come;

The glo­ry of thy light to find

In dark­est spots a home.

How can they live

how will they die

How bear the cross of grief

Who have not yet the light of faith

The cour­age of be­lief?

The crowd of cares

the weight­ie­st cross

Seems tri­fles less than light:

Earth looks so lit­tle and so low

When faith shines full and bright.

O hap­py

hap­py that I am!

If thou canst be

O faith

The trea­sure that thou art in life

What will thou be in death?