O bless the Lord, my soul, when praise
Is furthest from my lips,
For most thou needest then to raise
How great his wisdom is,
How strong his pow’r, how firm his will,
Unchanged, though change thou be,
How faithfully his love cleaves still
To cleave unfaith from thee.

O bless the Lord, my soul, when death
Bears down upon my heart;
Though he thee slay, thy final breath
Must not from hope depart.
I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last shall stand
Upon the earth, and comfort give
By his tear-wiping hand.
    (Job 13:15; 19:25; Isa 25:8;
    Rev 7:17; 21:4)

O bless the Lord, my soul, when sin
Most sorely fills my breast,
When all the vileness left within
Sours meat and curdles rest,
For God in Christ gives victory;
‘Twill fall before his grace!
Why should vestigial darkness, me,
Stint him of any praise?
    (Rom 7:21-25; 1 Cor 15:57)

O bless the Lord, my soul, in want,
Where need and longing meet,
For none more than the Savior pant
Nor greater wish entreat
Than for his kingdom to appear
And Jesus’ face to see
(And what, he says, remaineth dear
He will add unto thee).
    (Ps 42:1; Matt 6:31-33)

O bless the Lord, my soul, in all
And any circumstance;
Let my afflictions on him fall,
And every care advance
To him whose might, my soul, doth save,
Who o’er thee doth rejoice
With murmurs of his calming love
And songs of gladsome voice.
    (1 Pet 5:6-11; Zeph 3:17)

—For gritted teeth.

Acts 16:25-31

The Spirit that caused Paul to sing
In the Philippian jail
Shall praises from mine own lips bring
Whatever may assail.

When trial links its stoutest chains,
Then shall I sing most clear;
No doubt be left who me sustains
To them that, silent, hear.

Yea, though the earth’s foundations shake
Before the Lord on high,
“He’ll never leave me, nor forsake”
Will be my melody.

Though every door on earth be barred
By those that hate his name
Yet David’s key and David’s Lord
Can open just the same.

When throes of death my spirit grieve,
This truth yet quickens me:
“In Jesus Christ the Lord believe,
And thou shalt savèd be.”

—5/10/25

Jesus Freely Died for Me

Once I was a slave to sin,
Child of hell, and dead within,
But the Lord in kindness sought,
And his blood my pardon bought;
Once I dwelt in darkest night,
Blind but hating heaven’s light;
Now with eyes of faith I see:
Jesus freely died for me.

When the tempter doth entice
Back to ev’ry once-loved vice,
When th’ accuser sin recalls
Which should ban from heaven’s rolls,
I’ve an advocate above;
E’er he intercedes in love;
Ere the bar he bids me plea,
“Jesus freely died for me.”

When I find my cross to bear,
Then I trust my master’s care;
He has all-sufficient grace
For each trial I must face.
He that drained th’ afflicting cup
Bids me fill his suff’ring up,
Yet this balm shall comfort be:
“Jesus freely died for me.”

When at last my fight is done,
When at last my race is run,
When at last the thorny crown,
Changed to laurel, is mine own,
When I hear the blessed word:
“Faithful one, enjoy thy Lord,”
Free at last, my song shall be:
“Jesus died, and lives, for me.”