Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry. 1904.
II. Prayer and AspirationThe Love of God Supreme
Gerhard Tersteegen (16971769)T
Whose depth unfathomed no man knows,
I see from far thy beauteous light,
Inly I sigh for thy repose.
My heart is pained, nor can it be
At rest till it finds rest in thee.
The sweetness of thy yoke to prove,
And fain I would; but though my will
Be fixed, yet wide my passions rove.
Yet hindrances strew all the way;
I aim at thee, yet from thee stray.
My mind to seek her peace in thee.
Yet while I seek but find thee not
No peace my wand’ring soul shall see.
Oh! when shall all my wand’rings end,
And all my steps to-thee-ward tend?
That strives with thee my heart to share?
Ah! tear it thence and reign alone,
The Lord of every motion there.
Then shall my heart from earth be free,
When it has found repose in thee.
No more, but Christ in me, may live.
My vile affections crucify,
Nor let one darling lust survive.
In all things nothing may I see,
Nothing desire or seek but thee.
To save me from low-thoughted care;
Chase this self-will through all my heart,
Through all its latent mazes there.
Make me thy duteous child, that I
Ceaseless may Abba, Father, cry.
Thine wholly, thine alone I am.
Thrice happy he who views with scorn
Earth’s toys, for thee his constant flame.
Oh! help, that I may never move
From the blest footsteps of thy love.
My heart, that lowly waits thy call.
Speak to my inmost soul, and say,
“I am thy Love, thy God, thy All.”
To feel thy power, to hear thy voice,
To taste thy love is all my choice.