1 Jehovah hath said, ’tis left on record,
“The righteous are one with Jesus the Lord;”
At all times he loves them; ’twas for them he died;
Yet ofttimes he proves them, for grace must be tried.
2 When faint in the way, or lifeless and cold,
Or sunk in dismay, and none to uphold;
Yet firm to his promise thy God shall abide;
But grace, though the smallest, shall surely be tried.
3 [Temptations and sins in legions shall rise,
As spears in thy side or thorns in thy eyes;
And oft, to thy sorrow, his face he shall hide,
For God has determined his grace shall be tried.]
4 With him on the mount today thou shalt be,
Indulged by thy Lord his glory to see;
There he may caress thee, and call thee his bride,
Yet grace, though he bless thee, shall surely be tried.
5 [The tempest shall blow, the billows shall swell,
Thy soul, full of woe, shall pass as through hell;
And all this to prove thee, to stain thy cursed pride;
Yet still he will love thee; but grace must be tried.]
6 He’ll ne’er thee forsake, but surely perform
His word, though he take his way in the storm;
Yea, oft in the clouds of dejection he’ll ride,
For he has determined his grace shall be tried.
7 He’ll cause thee to bring thy griefs to his throne,
But answers of peace to thee shall send none;
Then sorrow and sadness thy heart shall divide,
Because he’s determined his grace shall be tried.
8 As gold from the flame, he’ll bring thee at last,
To praise him for all through which thou hast past;
Then love everlasting thy griefs shall repay,
And God from thy eyes wipe all sorrows away.
Source: A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship. In four parts (10th ed.) (Gadsby's Hymns) #297