Olney Hymns (1840)/Book 1/Hymn 70

70.
Humbled and silenced by Mercy.—Ezek. xvi, 63.

1 Once perishing in blood I lay;
Creatures no help could give;
But Jesus pass'd me in the way,
He saw, and bade me live.

2 Though Satan still his rule maintain'd,
And all his arts employ'd;
That mighty word his rage restrain'd,
I could not be destroy'd.

3 At length the time of love arrived,
When I my Lord should know;
Then Satan, of his power deprived,
Was forced to let me go.

4 O can I e'er that day forget,
When Jesus kindly spoke!
"Poor soul, my blood has paid thy debt,
And now I break thy yoke.

5 "Henceforth I take thee for my own,
And give myself to thee;
Forsake the idols thou hast known,
And yield thy heart to me."

6 Ah, worthless heart! it promised fair,
And said it would be thine;
I little thought it e'er would dare
Again with idols join.

7 Lord, dost thou such backslidings heal,
And pardon all that's past?
Sure, if I am not made of steel,
Thou hast prevail'd at last.

8 My tongue, which rashly spoke before,
This mercy will restrain;
Surely I now shall boast no more,
Nor censure, nor complain.