A Hymn for Midnight

While mid­night shades the earth o’er­spread

And veil the bo­som of the deep

Nature re­clines her wea­ry head

And care re­spires and sor­rows sleep;

My soul still aims at nob­ler rest

Aspiring to her Sav­ior’s breast.

Aid me

ye ho­ver­ing spir­its near

Angels and min­is­ters of grace;

Who ev­er

while you guard us here

Behold your heav­en­ly Fa­ther’s face!

Gently my rap­tured soul con­vey

To re­gions of eter­nal day.

Fain would I leave this earth be­low

Of pain and sin the dark abode;

Where sha­dowy joy

or so­lid woe

Allures

or tears me from my God:

Doubtful and in­se­cure of bliss

Since death alone con­firms me His.

Till then

to sor­row born

I sigh

And gasp

and lang­uish after home;

Upward I send my stream­ing eye

Expecting till the Bride­groom come:

Come quick­ly

Lord! Thy own re­ceive;

Now let me see Thy face

and live.

Absent from Thee

my ex­iled soul

Deep in a flesh­ly dun­geon groans;

Around me clouds of dark­ness roll

And la­bor­ing si­lence speaks my moans:

Come quick­ly

Lord! Thy face dis­play

And look my mid­night into day.

Error

and sin

and death are o’er

If Thou rev­erse the crea­ture’s doom;

Sad Ra­chel weeps her loss no more

If Thou

the God

the Sav­ior come:

Of Thee pos­sest

in Thee we prove

The light

the life

the heav­en of love.