Lyra Germanica: Second Series: The Christian Life

Sad with longing, sick with fears,

Toward Emmaus slowly go

Two whose eyes are dim with tears,

And their hearts oppress'd with wo,

Of their ruin'd hopes they talk;

Yet while thus they sadly walk,

Jesus is not far away,

And their fears shall soon allay.

Ah! and still how many a heart

Onward toils in silent grief,

Mourning o'er its woes apart,

Hopeless now of all relief;

Oft it seeks to walk alone,

But to weep its fill unknown;

Yet my Jesus cometh now,

Asking, wherefore weepest thou?

Many a time I've felt indeed

That He leaves me ne'er alone,

In the hour of utmost need

Then Himself He maketh known;

When in sorrow I consume

As though He no more could come,

Lo! I find Him more than near,

Quickly with His help He's here.

Truest Friend, who canst not fail me,

Evermore abide with me;

When the world would most assail me,

Then Thy presence let me see;

When its heaviest thunders roll,

Shelter Thou my trembling soul,

Come and in my spirit rest,

I will do what seems Thee best.

When I dread some coming ill,

Lord, then bid me think of this,

That my Saviour loves me still,

And that I am surely His:

More of Thy word let me learn,

Till my heart within me burn,

Fill'd with love, and in Thy Light

Learn to know her Lord aright.

Comfort those who, fill'd with gloom,

Lonely on their journey go,

Or within their silent room

Cry to Thee from depths of wo;

When they leave the world apart,

There to weep out all their heart,

Let them hear Thy whisper mild;

Wherefore dost thou mourn, my child?

When life's day hath fleeted by,

When the night of death is near,

When in vain the darken'd eye

Seeks some stay, some helper here:

Then Thy followers' prayer fulfil,

Then abide Thou with us still,

Till Thou give us peace and rest

Stay, O stay, Thou noble guest!