Verse 1
Servant of Christ, on him I call:
The help and sure resource of all
His followers in distress;
Saviour, in my defence arise;
My soul as among lions lies,
And no deliverance sees.

Verse 2
Departing from their sinful way,
I make myself the sinner’s prey,
Provoke the sons of night
(While good for evil I return)
To hunt me down with cruel scorn,
And rancorous despite.

Verse 3
Thy confessor I stand alone,
My heavenly Lord and Master own
By them alas, denied:
The alien host is always near,
Yet cannot I their outrage fear
With Jesus on my side.

Verse 4
I cannot haughtily contemn,
Or once prefer myself to them,
Or bitterly reprove
The slaves of open wickedness;
I differ thro’ thy only grace,
And freely pardning love.

Verse 5
Thou know’st their unrelenting hate,
Who daily for my halting wait,
And wish my fall to see;
Strike their insidious malice blind,
Or let them no occasion find,
Except my zeal for thee.

Verse 6
My zeal be warm, and wise, and meek:
Instruct me, Saviour, when to speak,
And when in silence stay,
That ready to take up my cross,
I never may disgrace thy cause,
I never may betray.

Verse 7
The gospel-pearl, the truth divine
I would not, Lord, expose to swine,
The mysteries of grace
To men of life and lips impure,
Or tell them of my pardon sure,
And perfect holiness.

Verse 8
No: rather let my actions tell
That a poor soul redeem’d from hell,
Doth his Redeemer own,
Fears a forgiving God t’ offend,
Studies to please so dear a friend,
And lives for him alone.

Verse 9
My life, a copy fair from thine,
Must in the eyes of sinners shine,
If thou thine arrows dart,
Thine old rebellious foes subdue,
Convert them into creatures new,
And reign in every heart.

Verse 10
Jesus, I will not let thee go,
Till thou to these thy mercy show,
And made the sons of God
Their dear Redeemer they proclaim,
Obtain salvation in thy name,
And pardon in thy blood.