Friday, March 18, 2011

Classic Christian Poetry - William Cowper (1731-1800)


William Cowper (1731-1800)

"Light Shining Out of Darkness"

God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill,
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for his grace
Behind a frowning providence,
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.


"The Lord Will Happiness Divine"

The Lord will happiness divine
On contrite hearts bestow:
Then tell me, gracious God, is mine
A contrite heart, or no?
I hear, but seem to hear in vain,
Insensible as steel;
If ought is felt, 'tis only pain,
To find I cannot feel.
I sometimes think myself inclin'd
To love thee, if I could;
But often fell another mind,
Averse to all that's good.
My best desires are fain and few,
I fain would strive for more;
But when I cry, 'My strength renew,'
Seem weaker than before.
Thy saints are comforted I know,
And love thy house of pray'r;
I therefore go where others go,
But find no comfort there.
Oh make this heart rejoice, or ache;
Decide this doubt for me;
And if it be not broken, break,
And heal it, if it be.


"There is a Fountain Filled with Blood"

There is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel's veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there have I, as vile as he,
Washed all my sins away.
E'er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.
Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood
Shall never lose it's power,
Till all the ransomed church of God
Be saved, to sin no more.


William Cowper, a law student, at one time of his life
spent eighteen months in an insane asylum after
attempting suicide. After leaving the asylum he lived
with the Unwins, saunch Calvinists. Upon the death
of Morley Unwin, Mr. Cowper and Mrs. Unwin moved
to Only and there lived with John Newton.
Cowper was the son of the Chaplin to King George II.

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