Miscellaneous Pieces in Verse and Prose ‎#84

84. On recovery from sickness

Lord of my life to thee my powers belong,
Thy mercies are my chief my darling theme;
To thee be first inscrib'd the votive song
With warmest gratitude, with love supreme;
On thee my life and all its powers depend,
My gracious guardian, my unchanging friend.

O be that life, which thy indulgent hand
Sustain'd when sinking to the shades of death,
Devoted to thy praise, whose kind command
Restores my wasting strength and shortening breath.
Be my remaining hours entirely thine,
My strength and breath employ'd in work divine.

Yet next to heaven to friendship's honour'd name
The lay which grateful love inspires is due;
With lenient hand she nurs'd the vital flame,
When faintly glimmering it almost withdrew:
Heaven smil'd indulgent on her tender care,
Blest were her efforts, answer'd was her prayer.

The lay which friendship claims heaven will approve,
Since first to heaven the grateful strains aspire:
Sacred to filial and fraternal love,
Be the next labours of the tuneful lyre.
O may the love that animates my lay
Procure acceptance for the thanks I pay.

But never can these languid notes express
My heart's warm wishes ardent as they rise;
Yet he, who knows their meaning, he can bless;
Unmeasur'd bounty every good supplies.
O be the friends who claim my grateful love,
A blessing here, compleatly blest above.

Text Information

• First Line: Lord of my life to thee my powers belong
• Title: On recovery from sickness
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1780

Tune Information

(No tune information)