Francis Turner Palgrave (1824–1897)

CHRIST Who art above the sky

Teach me how to live and die!

Thou hast sent me here to be

Born of human-kind like Thee:

Born to walk the flinty road

Which Thy crimson’d footsteps trode;

Clear mine eyes to track them right,

Leading upwards to the light.

Pure as snow from taint of wrong,

Thou hast known temptation strong;

Tried and burst the snares that lie

Set to lure us from the sky:

Thou wilt aid me firm to stand

When the tempter is at hand;

Thou wilt draw my thoughts to Thee,

And the demon-sin will flee.

When I slip, my frailty spare;

Saviour, save me from despair!

By the mercy-gate Thou art,

Vision of the Bleeding Heart,

Gazing with thorn-circled face

Human-eyed on all the race:

If I kneel before the gate,

Thou wilt never cry “Too late!”

If in vain my strength has toil’d;

Hopes defeated; purpose foil’d;

If the light of life be dim,

Waning mind, and wither’d limb;

If my dear ones leave me lone,

Be Thou here when all are gone;

Thou hast known what anguish is,

Thou canst turn my tears to bliss.

In the day of doubt and gloom,

Let Thy mercy-message come,

O’er my fever’d soul below

Falling soft as snow on snow;

“Though the mother smile no more

On the baby that she bore;

Bride by bridegroom be forgot,

Yet will I forsake thee not.”

Though far off in light, by me

Nearer than earth’s nearest be:

By the love that brought Thee down;

By the bitter cross and crown;

By Thy shepherd-care to save

All Thy flock from font to grave;

Aid me here to live and die,

Christ Who art above the sky!

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