Author: Joseph Addison Hymnal: Scottish Psalter and Paraphrases #H1 (1800) Meter: 8.6.8.6 First Line: When all thy mercies, O my God! Lyrics:
When all thy mercies, O my God!
my rising soul surveys
Transported with the view, I’m lost
in wonder, love, and praise.
O how shall words, with equal warmth,
the gratitude declare
That glows within my ravished heart!
but Thou canst read it there.
Thy Providence my life sustained,
and all my wants redrest,
When in the silent womb I lay,
and hung upon the breast.
To all my weak complaints and cries
thy mercy lent an ear,
Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learned
to form themselves in pray’r.
Unnumbered comforts to my soul
thy tender care bestowed,
Before my infant heart conceived
from whom these comforts flowed.
When in the slipp’ry paths of youth
with heedless steps I ran,
Thine arm, unseen, conveyed me safe,
and led me up to man:
Through hidden dangers, toils, and deaths,
it gently cleared my way;
And through the pleasing snares of vice,
more to be feared than they.
When worn with sickness, oft hast thou
with health renewed my face;
And, when in sins and sorrows sunk,
revived my soul with grace.
Thy bounteous hand with worldly bliss
hath made my cup run o’er;
And, in a kind and faithful friend,
hath doubled all my store.
Ten thousand thousand precious gifts
my daily thanks employ;
Nor is the least a cheerful heart,
that tastes these gifts with joy.
Through ev’ry period of my life
thy goodness I’ll proclaim;
And after death, in distant worlds,
resume the glorious theme.
When nature fails, and day and night
divide thy works no more,
My ever grateful heart, O Lord,
thy mercy shall adore.
Through all eternity to thee
a joyful song I’ll raise;
For, oh! eternity’s too short
to utter all thy praise.
Languages: English
When all thy mercies, O my God