May not the Sovereign Lord on high ,
Dispense His favours as He will ,
Choose some to life while others die ,
And yet be just and gracious still ?
Shall man reply against the LORD ,
And call His Maker's ways unjust ,
The thunder of whose dreadful word
Can crush a thousand worlds to dust ?
But , O my soul , if truths so bright
Should dazzle and confound thy sight ,
Yet still His written will obey,
And wait the great decisive day !
God's ways are just , His counsels wise ,
No darkness can prevent His eyes ;
No thought can fly , nor thing can move ,
Unknown to Him that sits above .
He in the thickest darkness dwells ,
Performs His work , the cause conceals ,
But though His methods are unknown ,
Judgement and Truth support His Throne .
In Heaven and earth and air and seas ,
He executes His firm decrees ;
And by His saints it stands confessed ,
That what He does is ever best .
Wait then , my soul , submissive wait ,
Prostrate thyself before His awful seat ,
And midst the terrors of His rod ,
Trust in a wise and gracious God .
Not all the outward forms on earth ,
Nor rites that God hath given ,
Nor will of man , nor blood , nor birth ,
Can raise a soul to Heaven .
The Sovereign will of God alone
Creates us heirs of grace
Both in the image of His Son ,
A new peculiar race .
Thus quickened souls awake and rise
From the long sleep of death ;
On heavenly things they fix their eyes ,
And praise employs their breath .
How oft have sin and Satan strove ,
To rend my soul from Thee , my God ,
But everlasting is Thy love ,
And Jesus seals it with His blood .
The Gospel bears my spirit up ,
A faithful and unchanging God ,
Lays the foundation of my hope ,
In oaths and promises and blood .
Not as the world , the Saviour gives :
He is no fickle friend ;
Whom once He loves , He never leaves ,
But loves him to the end .
Though thousand snares enclose his feet ,
Not one shall hold him fast ;
Whatever dangers he may meet ,
He shall get safe at last .
The spirit that would this truth withstand ,
Would pull God's temple down ,
Wrest Jesus' sceptre from His hand ,
And spoil Him of His crown .
Satan might then full victory boast ,
The church might wholly boast ,
The church might wholly fall ;
If one believer may be lost ,
It follows , so may all .
But Christ in every age has proved ,
His purchase firm and true ;
If this foundation be removed ,
What shall the righteous do ?
( By Christopher Ness [ 1700 ] )
Dispense His favours as He will ,
Choose some to life while others die ,
And yet be just and gracious still ?
Shall man reply against the LORD ,
And call His Maker's ways unjust ,
The thunder of whose dreadful word
Can crush a thousand worlds to dust ?
But , O my soul , if truths so bright
Should dazzle and confound thy sight ,
Yet still His written will obey,
And wait the great decisive day !
God's ways are just , His counsels wise ,
No darkness can prevent His eyes ;
No thought can fly , nor thing can move ,
Unknown to Him that sits above .
He in the thickest darkness dwells ,
Performs His work , the cause conceals ,
But though His methods are unknown ,
Judgement and Truth support His Throne .
In Heaven and earth and air and seas ,
He executes His firm decrees ;
And by His saints it stands confessed ,
That what He does is ever best .
Wait then , my soul , submissive wait ,
Prostrate thyself before His awful seat ,
And midst the terrors of His rod ,
Trust in a wise and gracious God .
Not all the outward forms on earth ,
Nor rites that God hath given ,
Nor will of man , nor blood , nor birth ,
Can raise a soul to Heaven .
The Sovereign will of God alone
Creates us heirs of grace
Both in the image of His Son ,
A new peculiar race .
Thus quickened souls awake and rise
From the long sleep of death ;
On heavenly things they fix their eyes ,
And praise employs their breath .
How oft have sin and Satan strove ,
To rend my soul from Thee , my God ,
But everlasting is Thy love ,
And Jesus seals it with His blood .
The Gospel bears my spirit up ,
A faithful and unchanging God ,
Lays the foundation of my hope ,
In oaths and promises and blood .
Not as the world , the Saviour gives :
He is no fickle friend ;
Whom once He loves , He never leaves ,
But loves him to the end .
Though thousand snares enclose his feet ,
Not one shall hold him fast ;
Whatever dangers he may meet ,
He shall get safe at last .
The spirit that would this truth withstand ,
Would pull God's temple down ,
Wrest Jesus' sceptre from His hand ,
And spoil Him of His crown .
Satan might then full victory boast ,
The church might wholly boast ,
The church might wholly fall ;
If one believer may be lost ,
It follows , so may all .
But Christ in every age has proved ,
His purchase firm and true ;
If this foundation be removed ,
What shall the righteous do ?
( By Christopher Ness [ 1700 ] )