71. My God, my everlasting hope

1 My God, my everlasting hope,
I live upon thy truth;
Thine hands have held my childhood up,
And strengthen'd all my youth.

2 My flesh was fashion'd by thy pow'r
With all these limbs of mine;
And from my mother's painful hour
I've been entirely thine.

3 Still has my life new wonders seen
Repeated ev'ry year;
Behold, my days that yet remain,
I trust them to thy care.

4 Cast me not off when strength declines,
When hoary hairs arise;
And round me let thy glory shine,
When'er thy servant dies.

5 Then in the hist'ry of my age,
When men review my days,
They'll read your love in ev'ry page,
In ev'ry line thy praise.

Part II.

6 My Saviour, my almighty friend,
When I begin thy praise,
Where will the growing numbers end,
The numbers of thy grace?

7 Thou art my everlasting trust,
Thy goodness I adore;
And since I knew thy graces first,
I speak thy glories more.

8 My feet shall travel all the length
Of the celestial road,
And march with courage in thy strength
To see my Father God.

9 When I am fill'd with sore distress
For some surprising sin,
I’ll plead thy perfect righteousness,
And mention none but thine.

10 How will my lips rejoice to tell
The vict'ries of my king!
My soul, redeem'd from sin and hell,
Shall thy salvation sing.

11 My tongue shall all the day proclaim
My Saviour and my God,
His death has brought my foes to shame,
And sav'd me by his blood.

12 Awake, awake, my tuneful pow'rs;
With this delightful song
I’ll entertain the darkest hours,
Nor think the season long.

Part III.

13 God of my childhood, and my youth,
The guide of all my days,
I have declar'd thy heav'nly truth,
And told thy wond'rous ways.

14 Wilt thou forsake my hoary hairs,
And leave my fainting heart?
Who shall sustain my sinking years,
If God my strength depart?

15 Let me thy pow'r and truth proclaim
Before the rising age,
And leave a savour of thy name
When I shall quit the stage.

16 The land of silence and of death
Attends my next remove;
Oh may these poor remains of breath
Teach the wide world thy love!

17 Thy righteousness is deep and high,
Unsearchable thy deeds;
Thy glory spreads beyond the sky,
And all my praise exceeds.

18 Oft have I heard thy threat'nings roar,
And oft endur'd the grief;
But when thy hand has prest me sore,
Thy grace was my relief.

19 By long experience I have known
Thy sov'reign pow'r to save;
At Thy command I venture down
Securely to the grave.

20 When I lye buried deep in dust,
My flesh shall be thy care;
These wither'd limbs with thee I trust
To raise them strong and fair.

Text Information
First Line: My God, my everlasting hope
Language: English
Publication Date: 1789
Scripture:
Tune Information
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