Verse 1
While my Foes are in my sight
Watching me with Evil Eye,
I have vow’d to walk aright,
Nevermore with Sin comply
Faithfull to the Saviour’s Grace
Circumspect in all my Ways.

Verse 2
I will to my Words take heed,
Bridle my unwary Tongue:
Thus with over-cautious Dread
Silent I continued long,
Satan his advantage gain’d,
Fearful I from Good refrain’d.

Verse 3
But my straitned Spirit mourn’d,
Strugling into fervent prayer,
But my Heart within me burn’d,
And I cou’d no more forbear,
While I mus’d th’ enkindled Fire
Burst in Flames of strong Desire.

Verse 4
Lord (at last I spoke, and said)
Shew me my own weakness shew,
On how frail90 and small a Thread
Hangs my fleeting Life below,
Make me wise to know my End,
Let me to myself attend.

Verse 5
Thou hast numbred out my Days,
All my Age is but a Span,
Shorter than a Moments space,
Is the longest Life of Man,
At his best Estate with Thee
Man is all but Vanity.

Verse 6
Stranger to Repose and Peace
Still he wanders on in vain,
Grasps at Shadowy Happiness
Racks himself with Real Pain,
Heaps up Wealth with endless Care,
Leaves it for his Unknown Heir.

Verse 7
Griev’d at Human Vanity
What do I expect below?
Lord, my Hope is all in Thee,
Thee alone I want to know,
Wait to taste how good Thou art,
Long to find Thee in my Heart.

Verse 8
Thou from all my Sins redeem,
Save me by thy pardning Grace,
Do not let my Foes blaspheme,
Silence the Reviling Race,
On Themselves their Scoffs return,
Laugh their idle Rage to Scorn.

Verse 9
Dumb I for a while became,
Sunk beneath my guilty Load,
Open’d not my Mouth for Shame,
Shame at having griev’d my GOD,
Groan’d th’ unutterable Prayer,
Smote my Breast—and GOD was there!

Verse 10
Take, O take thy Plague away,
Thy consuming Hand remove,
Mortals hasten to decay
When Thou dost for Sin reprove,
Shew, when visited like me,
All are Sin and Vanity.

Verse 11
Hear O Lord, my mournful Prayer,
O regard my earnest Cry,
Do not still thy Help defer,
Send me Succour from on high,
Hear my clam’rous Griefs, and Fears,
Answer all my silent Tears.

Verse 12
Stranger in the Vale of Woe
I my wretched State confess,
A poor Sojourner below,
This alas is not my Place,
Thee my Father’s GOD I own,
Going where they all are gone.

Verse 13
Only spare my feeble Soul
Till thy Image I retrieve,
Till thy Love hath made me whole;
Let me then no longer live,
Let me my last Stage pass o’re,
Die t’ appear on Earth no more.