1 O God, whose favorable eye
The sin-sick soul revives;
Holy and heavenly is the joy,
Thy shining presence gives.
2 This hypocrites have ne'er believed,
They judge with graceless hearts;
Swelled with their pride, they are deceived,
By Satan's wily arts.
3 Unholy, selfish joys are theirs,
And while they boast their light,
And seem to soar above the stars,
They're plunging into night.
4 Lulled in a soft and formal sleep,
They sin and yet rejoice,
Were they indeed the Savior's sheep,
They sure would hear his voice?
5 Be mine the comforts that reclaim
The soul from Satan's power;
That make me blush for what I am,
And hate my sin the more.
6 'Tis joy enough, my All in All,
At thy dear feet to lie;
Thou wilt not let me lower fall
And none can higher fly.
The Hartford Selection of Hymns from the most approved authors, 1799
William Cowper (pronounced "Cooper"; b. Berkampstead, Hertfordshire, England, 1731; d. East Dereham, Norfolk, England, 1800) is regarded as one of the best early Romantic poets. To biographers he is also known as "mad Cowper." His literary talents produced some of the finest English hymn texts, but his chronic depression accounts for the somber tone of many of those texts. Educated to become an attorney, Cowper was called to the bar in 1754 but never practiced law. In 1763 he had the opportunity to become a clerk for the House of Lords, but the dread of the required public examination triggered his tendency to depression, and he attempted suicide. His subsequent hospitalization and friendship with Morley and Mary Unwin provided emotional st… Go to person page >| First Line: | O God, whose favorable eye |
| Author: | William Cowper |
| Meter: | 8.6.8.6 |
| Language: | English |
| Copyright: | Public Domain |
My Starred Hymns