God of My Childhood and My Youth

God of my child­hood and my youth

The guide of all my days

I have de­clared Thy heav­en­ly truth

And told Thy won­drous ways.

Wilt Thou for­sake my hoa­ry hairs

And leave my faint­ing heart?

Who shall sus­tain my sink­ing years

If God my strength de­part?

Let me Thy pow­er and truth pro­claim

To the sur­viv­ing age;

And leave a sa­vor of Thy name

When I shall quit the stage.

The land of si­lence and of death

Attends my next re­move;

O may these poor re­mains of breath

Teach the wide world Thy love!

Thy right­eous­ness is deep and high

Unsearchable Thy deeds;

Thy glo­ry spreads be­yond the sky

And all my praise ex­ceeds.

Oft have I heard Thy threat­en­ings roar

And oft en­dured the grief;

But when Thy hand has pressed me sore

Thy grace was my re­lief.

By long ex­pe­ri­ence I have known

Thy sov­er­eign pow­er to save;

At Thy com­mand I ven­ture down

Securely to the grave.

When I lie bu­ried deep in dust

My flesh shall be Thy care;

These wi­ther­ing limbs with Thee I trust

To raise them strong and fair.