| Stanza | Poetry Source by First Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
O once I had a glorious 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! once I had a glorious view, Stanza 1 |
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| 2 |
O what immortal joys I felt, On that celestial day, When my hard heart began to melt, By love dissolved away! But my complaint is bitter now, For all my joys are gone; I've stray'd--I'm left! I know not how; The light's from me withdrawn. |
Oh! once I had a glorious view, Stanza 2 |
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| 3 |
Once I could 'joy 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 naught to say. |
Oh! once I had a glorious view, Stanza 3 |
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| 4 |
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, My tears have left mine eyes. |
Oh! once I had a glorious view, Stanza 4 |
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| 5 |
I forward go in duty's way, But can't perceive Him there; Then backward 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. |
Oh! once I had a glorious view, Stanza 5 |
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| 6 |
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. |
Oh! once I had a glorious view, Stanza 6 |