As Once for Jonah

As once for Jo­nah

so the Lord

To soothe and cheer my mourn­ful hours

Prepared for me a pleas­ing gourd;

Its shade was cool

and sweet its flow­ers.

To prize His gift was sure­ly right;

But through the fol­ly of my heart

It hid the Giv­er from my sight

And soon my joy was changed to smart.

While I ad­mired its beau­te­ous form

Its plea­sant shade and grace­ful fruit;

The Lord

dis­pleased

sent forth a worm

Unseen

to prey up­on the root.

I trem­bled when I saw it fade

But guilt re­strained the mur­mur­ing word;

My folly I con­fessed

and prayed

Forgive my sin

and spare my gourd.

His won­drous love can ne’er be told

He heard me and re­lieved my pain;

His word the threat­en­ing worm con­trolled

And bid my gourd re­vive again.

Now

Lord

the gourd is mine no more

’Tis Thine

who on­ly couldst it raise;

The id­ol of my heart be­fore

Henceforth shall flour­ish to Thy praise.