Whether the Word Be Preached or Read

Whether the Word be preached or read

No sav­ing be­ne­fit I gain

From emp­ty sounds or let­ters dead;

Unprofitable all and vain

Unless by faith Thy Word I hear

And see its heav­en­ly char­ac­ter.

Unmixed with faith

the Script­ure gives

No com­fort

life

or light to see

But me in dark­er dark­ness leaves

Implunged in deep­er mi­se­ry

Overwhelmed with na­ture’s sor­est ills

The Spir­it saves

the let­ter kills.

If God en­light­en through His Word

I shall my kind En­light­en­er bless;

But void and nak­ed of my Lord

What are all ver­bal pro­mis­es?

Nothing to me

till faith di­vine

Inspire

in­speak

and make them mine.

Jesus

the ap­pro­pri­at­ing grace

’Tis Thine on sin­ners to be­stow.

Open mine eyes to see Thy face

Open my heart Thy­self to know.

And then I through Thy Word ob­tain

Sure pre­sent

and eter­nal gain.