Olney Hymns (1840)/Book 1/Hymn 75
75.
The Gourd.—Jonah, iv, 6—8.
1 As once for Jonah, so the Lord,
To sooth and cheer my mournful hours,
Prepared for me a pleasing gourd,
Cool was its shade, and sweet its flowers.
To sooth and cheer my mournful hours,
Prepared for me a pleasing gourd,
Cool was its shade, and sweet its flowers.
2 To prize this gift was surely right;
But through the folly of my heart,
It hid the Giver from my sight,
And soon my joy was changed to smart.
But through the folly of my heart,
It hid the Giver from my sight,
And soon my joy was changed to smart.
3 While I admired its beauteous form,
Its pleasant shade and grateful fruit,
The Lord, displeased, sent forth a worm,
Unseen to prey upon the root.
Its pleasant shade and grateful fruit,
The Lord, displeased, sent forth a worm,
Unseen to prey upon the root.
4 I trembled when I saw it fade,
But guilt restrain'd the murm'ring word;
My folly I confess'd, and pray'd—
Forgive my sin, and spare my gourd.
But guilt restrain'd the murm'ring word;
My folly I confess'd, and pray'd—
Forgive my sin, and spare my gourd.
5 His wondrous love can ne'er be told,—
He heard me and relieved my pain;
His word the threat'ning worm control'd,
And bid my gourd revive again.
He heard me and relieved my pain;
His word the threat'ning worm control'd,
And bid my gourd revive again.
6 Now, Lord, my gourd is mine no more,
'Tis thine, who only couldst it raise;
The idol of my heart before
Henceforth shall flourish to thy praise.
'Tis thine, who only couldst it raise;
The idol of my heart before
Henceforth shall flourish to thy praise.