I Send the Joys of Earth Away

I send the joys of earth away

Away

ye tempt­ers of the mind;

False as the smooth

de­ceit­ful sea

And emp­ty as the whist­ling wind.

Your streams were float­ing me along

Down the gulf of dark des­pair;

And whilst I list­ened to your song

Your streams had e’en con­veyed me there.

Lord

I ad­ore Thy match­less grace

That warned me of that dark ab­yss

That drew me from those trea­cher­ous seas

And bade me seek su­pe­ri­or bliss.

Now to the shin­ing realms ab­ove

I stretch my hands and glance my eyes;

O for the pin­ions of a dove

To bear me to the up­per skies!

There from the bo­som of my God

Oceans of end­less plea­sure roll;

There would I fix my last ab­ode

And drown the sor­rows of my soul.