Through death's dark vale no human hand may take me,

No friend's fond smile may bless me
with its light:

Alone the silent pathway must be trod,
Through that drear spot,

For I must die alone-Oh then, my God,
Forsake me not.

3 Forsake me not, my God! when darkly o'er me

Roll thoughts of guilt, and overwhelm my heart;

When the accuser, threatening, stands before me,

And trembling conscience writhes beneath the dart;

Thou who canst cleanse by thine atoning blood,

Each sinful spot,

Plead thou my cause, my Saviour and my God!

Forsake me not!

4 Forsake me not, O thou, thyself forsaken, In that mysterious hour of agony,

When, from thy soul, thy Father's smile was taken,

Which had from everlasting dwelt on

thee!

Oh, by that depth of anguish, which to know
Passes man's thought,

By that last bitter cry, incarnate God,
Forsake me not!

*CLXI.

IN THE PROSPECT OF DEATH.

"I will be with him in trouble."-Psalm xci. 15.

1 FATHER, when thy child is dying,
On the bed of anguish lying,
Then, my every want supplying,
To me thy love display.

2 Let me willingly surrender
Life to thee, its gracious lender;
Can I find a friend more tender?
Why should I wish to stay?

3 Ere my pulse has ceased its beating,
Ere my sun has reached its setting,
Let me, some sweet truth repeating,
Shed round one parting ray.

4 Ere my chain's last link be broken,
Grant some bright and cheering token,
That for me the words are spoken,
"Thy sins are washed away."

5 If the powers of hell surround me,
Let not their assaults confound me!
All for which thy law once bound me,
Thyself hast died to pay.

6 When no remedies availing,

Fiercer pangs my frame assailing,
Show that flesh and heart are failing,
Be thou my strength and stay!

7 When, tho' tender friends be near me,
Their kind pity cannot cheer me,
And they strive in vain to hear me,
Turn not thy face away!

8 When, each face beloved concealing,
Death's dark shade o'er all is stealing,
Then, thy radiant smile revealing,
Unfold eternal day!

9 When the lips are dumb which blest me, And withdrawn the hand that pressed me, Then, let sweeter sounds arrest me,

Calling my soul away!

10 Thou, who bad'st to death defiance,
Fix on thee her firm reliance,
Let her tranquil, sweet affiance
Thy victory display!

11 Guide her to that world of spirits,
Where through thine atoning merits,
E'en thy weakest child inherits

Joys which can ne'er decay.

CLXII.

"Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ."-1 Cor. xv. 57.

1 I STOOD beside the dark death-bed,
My arm sustained the sufferer's head;
That sinking head, and glazing eye,
Proclaimed the King of terrors nigh.

2 Yet, tyrant; in that final hour,

Thou still shalt own a mightier power;
I named the name of Christ! and lo!
It checked thy hand, and stayed the blow.

3 Oh, name to every Christian dear,
But sweetest to the dying ear!

That sound, when other sounds were vain,
Upraised the sinking head again.

4 The glazing eye so dull, that e’en
Our streaming tears fell all unseen—
Caught at the word, a parting ray,
Earnest of heaven's approaching day.

5 A smile of speechless joy that told,
Relumed those features pale and cold ;
Rallied that tongue, its powers once more-
Re-echoed "Christ”—and all was o'er!

*CLXIII.

"To die is gain.”—Phil. i. 21.

1 O MUCH beloved! fear not to die,
Lift up to heaven thy tearful eye;
And see, prepared for thee,

A mansion where no sins, no foes,
Shall ever break thy sweet repose,
Through all eternity.

2 Why should'st thou fear to die, when death
Is but to yield thy mortal breath,
And lay this frame aside,
"Fearfully, wonderfully made"-
Yet now, enfeebled, worn, decayed,
And oft with suffering tried?

3 Death must dissolve it, flesh and blood
Can enter not that pure abode,
Where Christ his face unveils ;
Then, since by death, and death alone,
Can be attained that bliss unknown,
Shrink not when death assails.

4 To Nature, his approach seems sad,
But Faith rejoices, and is glad,

His coming step to hear:

She knows that, though the hand be rough,
That strikes the soul's hard fetters off,

Each blow brings freedom near.