O Thou, Who Know’st What Is in Man

O Thou

who know’st what is in man

Who search­est out the reins and heart

Me

Je­su

to my­self ex­plain

A ray of heav­en­ly light im­part;

Impart Thy­self

Thou real light

And ma­ni­fest my na­ture’s night.

Cause me

O God

my­self to know

The depth of wick­ed­ness with­in

Show me

my in­most sub­stance show

Th’ex­ceed­ing sin­ful­ness of sin:

Such pow­er be­longs to Thee alone;

Show me that sin and I are one.

Senseless alike of sin and Thee

My un­awak­ened soul re­mains

Fast bound in sin

and mi­se­ry;

I slum­ber on

nor feel my chains

Nor taste nor see how good Thou art

For still the veil is on my heart.

Oh! Might my heart at last re­lent

And feel the guil­ty moun­tain-load.

Oh! That Thy pow­er­ful Word might rent

The veil

and let me in­to God;

The glo­ries of Thy face dis­play

The bright­ness of eter­nal day!

I know the terms: I can­not see

Thy bliss­ful face

and live—in sin:

A flam­ing sword pre­serves the tree

Of life

lest self should en­ter in;

It keeps out self

and ev­ery way

It turns

the man of sin to slay.

Be it ac­cord­ing to Thy Word

Ready to meet my doom I am.

Oh! Let me rush up­on that sword

And feel the sin-con­sum­ing flame;

Live on­ly Christ in me

not I;

O let me see Thy face and die!

Die all of self to live no more

Die the old man no more to rise;

Me to Thine im­age here re­store

Receive me to Thy para­dise

(Whence I may nev­er more re­move)

The para­dise of per­fect love.