Classic Poem

O GRACIOUS God , O Saviour sweet,
O J ESUS , think on me,
And suffer me to kiss Thy feet,
Though late I come to Thee.

Behold, dear L ORD , I come to Thee
With sorrow and with shame,
For when Thy bitter wounds I see,
I know I caused the same.

Sweet J ESU , who shall lend me wings
Of peace and perfect love,
That I may rise from earthly things
To rest with Thee above?

For sin and sorrow overflow
All earthly things so high,
That I can find no rest below,
But unto Thee I fly.

Wherefore my soul doth loathe the things
Which gave it once delight,
And unto Thee, the King of kings,
Would mount with all her might.

And yet the weight of flesh and blood
Doth so my wings restrain,
That oft I strive and gain no good,
But rise, to fall again.

Yet when this fleshly misery
Is master'd by the mind,
I cry, ‘avaunt, all vanity’:
And ‘Satan, stand behind.’

So thus, sweet L ORD , I fly about
In weak and weary case
Like the lone dove which Noah sent [out],
And found no resting place.

My weary wings, sweet J ESU , mark,
And when Thou thinkest best
Stretch forth Thy arm from out the ark,
And take me to Thy rest.