Oh, once I had a glor'ous view Of my redeeming Lord; He said, “I'll be a God to you” And I believed His word. But now I have a deeper stroke Than all my groanings are; My God has me of late forsook, He's gone, I know not where. Oh, what immortal joys I felt, On that celestial day, When my hard heart began to melt, By love dissolved away. By my complaint is bitter now, For all my joys are gone, I've strayed! I'm left! I know not how; The light's from me withdrawn. Once I rejoiced the saints to meet, To me they were most dear; I then could stoop to wash their feet, And shed a joyful tear. But now I meet them as the rest, And with them joyless stay; My conversation's spiritless, Or else I've nought to say. I once could mourn o'er dying men, And longed their souls to win; I travailed for their poor children, And warned them of their sin: But now my heart's so careless grown, Although they're drowned in vice, My bowels o'er them cease to yearn The tears have left mine eyes. I forward go in duty's way, But can't perceive Him there; Then backwards on the road I stray, But cannot find Him there: On the left hand, where He doth work, Among the wicked crew, And on the right I find Him not, Among the favored few. What shall I do? shall I lie down, And sink in deep despair? Will He forever wear a frown Nor hear my feeble prayer? No: He will put His strength in me, He knows the way I've strolled; And when I'm tried sufficiently, I shall come forth as gold.