1 WHEREWITH, O God, shall I draw near,
And bow myself before thy face?
How in thy purer eyes appear?
What shall bring to gain thy grace?
2 Will gifts delight the Lord most high?
Will multiplied oblations please?
Thousands of rams his favour buy,
Or slaughtered hecatombs appease?
3 Can these avert the wrath of God?
Can these wash out my guilty stain?
Rivers of oil, and seas of blood,
Alas! they all must flow in vain.
4 Whoe'er to thee themselves approve,
Must take the path thy word hath showed,
Justice pursue, and mercy love,
And humbly walk by faith with God.
5 But though my life henceforth be thine,
Present for past can ne'er atone;
Though I to thee the whole resign,
I only give thee back thine own.
6 What have I then wherein to trust?
I nothing have, I nothing am;
Excluded is my every boast,
My glory swallowed up in shame
7 Guilty I stand before thy face,
On me I feel thy wrath abide;
'Tis just the sentence should take place
'Tis just; - but O thy Son hath died!
8 Jesus, the Lamb of God hath bled,
He bore our sins upon the tree;
Beneath our curse he bowed his head;
'Tis finished! he hath died for me!
9 See where before the throne he stands,
And pours the all-prevailing prayer;
Points to his side, and lifts his hands,
And shows that I am graven there.
10 He ever lives for me to pray;
He prays that I with him may reign:
Amen to what my Lord doth say!
Jesus, thou canst not pray in vain.