As Pants the Hart

1 As pants the hart for cooling springs,
Among the rocks and barren sands,
So doth my soul, O King of Kings,
Long for refreshment at Thy hands.

2 My soul, O God, doth thirst for Thee,
For Thee, the source of ev'ry grace;
Oh, when shall I Thy beauty see!
When shall I see Thee face to face!

3 My tears have flowed by day and night,
When I have felt Thy chastening rod;
But wicked men enjoyed the sight,
And, mocking, asked, Where's now thy God!

4 Where art Thou, Lord, my life, my all?
Thou art above, around, within
Whate'er betides, on Thee I'll call,
To save me, and to pardon sin.

5 Joy! then, and endless jubilee!
Divine reward of faith and love;
I hear the strains of harmony
From the Triumphant Church above.

6 Why, then, my soul, art thou depressed?
God is thy drink, and He thy food;--
Bequeathed to thee--His last bequest--
His Body and His precious Blood.


Source: Laudis Corona: the new Sunday school hymn book, containing a collection of Catholic hymns, arranged for the principal seasons and festivals of the year #187