O Thou Essential Word

O Thou es­sen­tial Word

Who wast from the be­gin­ning

With God

for Thou wast God;

Thou hope of all the sin­ning

Chosen to save our race

Welcome in­deed Thou art

Redeemer

Fount of grace

To this my long­ing heart.

Come

self-ex­ist­ent Word

And speak Thou in my spir­it!

The soul where Thou art heard

Doth end­less peace in­her­it.

Thou light that light­en­est all

Abide through faith in me

Nor let me from Thee fall

And seek no guide but Thee.

Ah! what hath stirred Thy heart

What cry hath mount­ed thi­ther

And reached Thy heav­en­ly throne

And drawn Thee

Sav­ior

hi­ther?

It was Thy won­drous love

And my most ut­ter need

Made Thy com­pass­ions move

Stronger than death in­deed.

Then let me give my heart

To Him who loved me

whol­ly;

And live

while here I dwell

To show His prais­es sole­ly;

Yes

Je­sus

form anew

This sto­ny heart of mine

Make it till death still true

To Thee

for ev­er Thine.

Let naught be left with­in

But what Thy hand hath plant­ed;

Root out the weeds of sin

And quell the foe who haunt­ed

My soul

and set the tares;

From Thee comes no­thing ill

O save me from his snares

Make plain my path­way still.

Thou art the Life

O Lord

And Thou its light art on­ly!

Let not Thy bless­èd rays

Still leave me dark and lone­ly.

Star of the East

arise!

Drive all my clouds away

Till earth’s dim twi­light dies

Into the per­fect day!