Ah, well it is for thee that there is one ear that will listen, one
eye that pities, one heart that will take thee in--"Thou God seest
me!" Was ever consolation contained in so few words? Oh, repeat it
when the heart is breaking--when between thee and every earthly object
yawns a gulf dark and impassable. Thou God _seest_ me! Thou God
_lovest_ me--lovest _me_! Thou knowest the agony of my spirit: thou
knowest what I suffer, and thou must give me strength and grace to
endure all, and to say in truth and sincerity, Thy will not mine be
done.
"WE SEE THROUGH A GLASS, DARKLY."
We weep when from the darkened sky
The thunderbolts are driven,
And wheresoe'er we turn our eye
Our earthly hopes are riven;
But could we look beyond the storm
That threatens all before us,
We might observe a heavenly form
Guiding the tempest o'er us.
The eye that sees, the sparrow's fall,
That never sleeps nor slumbers,
Beholds our griefs however small,
And every sigh he numbers.
The angels fly at his command,
With love their bosoms swelling,
They lead us gently by the hand,--
They hover round our dwelling.
And when the fading things of earth
Our hearts too fondly cherish,
Forgetful of their mortal birth,
How suddenly they perish!
But 'tis in mercy and in love
Our Father thus chastises,
To fix our thoughts on things above;
He strikes, yet sympathizes.
We know not, and we may not know
Till dawn the endless ages,
Why round his children here below
The howling tempest rages;
But _this_ we know, that life nor death
Our souls from him can sever!
We'll praise him with our latest breath
We'll sing his praise forever!