Poems (Gifford)/The Promise
For works with similar titles, see The Promise.
THE PROMISE.(Joel ii. 28, 29; Luke xxiv. 49; Acts i. 4, Acts ii. 33; Luke xi. 13.)
Pour out Thy Spirit on us, Lord, Else are we far from Thee,Hearing of Thee we know Thee not, Seeing we cannot see.Pour out Thy Spirit, oh our God, Of Him to testifyWho came to bring us light and life, And Thee to glorify.
Pour out Thy Spirit, else in us The law of sin hath sway,We cannot please Thee, and alone We know not how to pray.Pour out Thy Spirit; make us thus For Thy true service meet;Consecrate us, and bring us nigh To worship at Thy feet.
Pour out Thy Spirit, else our hearts Lack every heavenly grace,And all emotion is impure, Despicable and base.But He shall shed abroad Thy love And fill our souls with peace,And hope and gladness shall abound, And wisdom shall increase.
Pour out Thy Spirit, else our aims Will be all mean and low,And nought of our blest heritage Can we conceive or know. But by His energy inspired We mount on eagles' wings,And every longing and desire To that glad goal upsprings.
Pour out Thy Spirit, or life's cares Will make us weak and faint,And our chief utterance will be A weary, sad complaint.But, with His comfort satisfied, Even in darkest days,We shall exult in liberty, And turn all woes to praise.
Pour out Thy Spirit, else Thy word Will be a fountain sealed,For by none other can its stores Of glory be revealed.But His illuminating power Its treasures shall unfold,And all rejoicingly shall we Deep, wondrous things behold.
Pour out Thy Spirit, or in vain We seek Thy truth to teach,No mind can we convince, no heart Can our weak influence reach.But by Thy Spirit shall Thy word Run swiftly and abide,And He shall clothe it with all power, So it be glorified.
Pour out Thy Spirit, Lord, on those For whom we fondly plead,On Thy whole church, on those who serve On all who are in need.Pour it upon our own dear land, And on the whole wide world;Lord, let Thy blessed kingdom come, Thy banner be unfurled.
Pour out Thy Spirit, that we all In all Thy grace may share;Is not Thy special promise this? This is our special prayer.We ask Thee in Thy dear Son's name, Pour out Thy Spirit, Lord,That Thou to earth's remotest end May'st be by all adored.