Classic Poem

Here in thy royal presence, Lord, I stand;
I give myself, my all, to thee;
Thou hast redeem'd me by thy precious blood;
Thine only will I be.
No love but thine, but thine, can me relieve;
No light but thine, but thine, will I receive,
No light, no love, but thine!

Take, take me as I am; thou need'st me not,
I know Thou need'st me not at all.
All heaven is thine, all earth, each morning-star;
High angels wait thy call;
I am the poorest of thy creatures, I
The child of evil and dark misery; —
Yet take me as I am!

Perhaps Thou overlookest me; too small
A mote of being for thine eye
To rest on, or to care for; far beneath
Thine awful majesty.
But still I am a thing of life, I know,
And made for everlasting joy and woe; —
Turn not thine eye away.

Perhaps Thou dost repent of making me?
And yet, this, O my God, I know,
That I am made, made by thine own great hand,
Though least of all below;
Myself I cannot alter or unmake,
O wilt thou not this soul of mine new-make?
New-make me, O my God!

Perhaps for aught of good I am unfit,
Most worthless and most useless all:
Yet make me but the meanest thing that lives,
Within Thy Salem's wall.
I shall be well content, my God, to be,
Or do, or suffer aught that pleaseth Thee; —
O cast me not away.

It would not cost thee dear to bless me, Lord;
A word would do it, or a sign,
It needs no more from thee, no more, my God;
Thy words have power divine.
And O the boundless blessedness to me,
Loved, saved, forgiven, renewed and blest by thee!
O speak, O speak the word!

Life ebbs apace, my night is coming fast;
My cheek is wan, my hair is grey;
I am not what I was when on me blazed
The noon of youth's bright day.
Make haste to do for me what thus I plead,
O Thou the succourer of my great need,
O love and comfort me.

I know the blood of Thine eternal Son
Has power to cleanse even me;
O wash me now in that all-precious blood;
Give my soul purity;
Scatter the darkness, bid the day-star shine,
Light up the midnight of this soul of mine;
Let all be song and joy!