There Is a Sea

There is a sea which day by day

Receives the rip­pling rills;

And streams that spring from wells of God

Or fall from ce­dared hills.

But what it thus re­ceives

it gives

With glad

un­spar­ing hand;

A stream more wide

with deep­er tide

Flows on to low­er land.

There is a sea which day by day

Receives a full­er tide;

But all its store it keeps

nor gives

To shore nor sea be­side.

It’s Jord­an’s stream

now turned to brine

Like hea­vy

molt­en lead;

Its dread­ful name doth e’er pro­claim

That sea is waste and dead.

Which shall it be for you and me

Who God’s good gifts ob­tain?

Shall we ac­cept for self alone

Or take

to give again?

For He who once was rich in­deed

Laid all His glo­ry down;

That by His grace our ran­somed race

Should share His wealth and crown.