Faithful God, I lay before thee

Part the First:

I. Faithful God! I lay before Thee
All the Anguish of my Heart:
Tho' thou know'st how Grief has tore me,
Better than I can impart:
Lord! my Weakness makes me cry,
In Temptation when I vye
With the Fiend, that would bereave me
Of the Faith design'd to save me.

II. Thou! from whom Nought is conceald,
Know'st how vain's my Care and Strife;
In thy Word thou hast revealed,
That free Grace restores my Life:
All the Good I find in me,
Doth proceed alone from Thee;
Thou thy saving Health bestowest
On those thou in mercy knowest.

III. Unto thee, my God! I'm crying,
In this great Necessity;
Hear my deep and frequent Sighing,
Cast me not away from thee.
Satan's malice overthrow,
Strengthen me against the Foe;
Ever keep my Faith from failing,
JESUS! make thy Grace prevailing.

IV. JESU! Source of our Adoption,
Thou, who never didst reject
Those that mourn their sad Corruption,
But dost all thy sons direct:
Tho' our Faith as small, through Fear,
As a Mustard Seed appear,
Thou canst make it O Faith's Fountain,
Mighty to remove a Mountain.

V. Let me find, O my Redeemer!
Mercy in mine Agony;
Make me conquer the Blasphemer,
And break from his Slavery:
Strength of Faith add by thy word;
Grant to me thy Spirit's Sword;
Thus shall Satan be deceived,
And his Darts of Paints bereaved.

VI. Holy Ghost, of equal Honour,
With the Father and the Son,
Of all Gifts the only Donor,
Hear me from thy Holy Throne;
Through thy Mercy I believe;
Let me not my self deceive,
But depend in my Unfitness
On thy all-sufficient Greatness.

VII. Rouze me up from present Dullness;
Thy good Work in me advance;
And relieve me, from the Fullness
Of thy gracious Countenance:
In me keep the Spark of Grace,
That with Joy I run the Race,
And obtain the Prize of SION,
Which I ever keep my Eye on.

Part the Second:

VII. Greatest GOD! beyond Relation,
Ever blessed ONE in THREE!
Thou alone art my Salvation,
Strengthen mine Infirmity:
Quench thou Satan's fiery Dart,
E'er it reach my trembling Heart,
Lest the Want of Consolation
Drive me into Desperation.

IX. Guard me from his vile Devices,
Which thou know'st are numberless;
Keep me free, when he intices,
From a fatal Carelessness:
Grant me such a Strength that I
May withstand him valiantly,
And avoid his secret paces,
Thro' thine all-sufficient Graces.

X. Reach thy Hand to thy frail Creature,
That is now in Terror fast,
Shrinking under feeble Nature,
Till the mighty Storm is past.
Lead me by the Holy Ghost,
So that Satan may not boast
Of his having disappointed
Me, thy Child, thou hast anointed.

XI. Come, O Mighty, whom I wait on;
Be my Rock and Confidence;
I've not Strength to combat SATAN.
Raise me to some Eminence;
And relieve me with thy Shield,
That I may obtain the Field,
Overcome that grand Destroyer,
That has ever been a Lyar.

XII. All my Life shall be employed
In thy Praise, with all my Might,
That the Fiend has been destroyed,
And with Shame has lost the Fight:
Glorious shall thy Mercy be,
Here, and in Eternity;
Heav'n and Earth, O great Jehovah!
Shall resound with Hallelujah.


Source: Psalmodia Germanica: or, The German Psalmody: translated from the high Dutch together with their proper tunes and thorough bass (2nd ed., corr. and enl.) #117

• MIDI file from Psalmodia Germanica: or, The German Psalmody: translated from the high Dutch together with their proper tunes and thorough bass (2nd ed., corr. and enl.) #117