James Montgomery

For Grace to know ourselves.

Here young and old, here great and small,

Here rich and poor together meet:

The Lord, the Maker of them all,

Gives audience from the Mercy-seat.

While faith may see Him eye to eye,

And guilt in vain would shun the light,

The hidden things of darkness lie

Naked and open to His sight.

Not as to others we may seem,

Who look but on the outward guise;

Or of ourselves we fondly dream,

A foolish people and unwise: --

But what we are in heart and soul,

His sin-abhorring eyes discern;

On Him we wait, the true, the whole

Sad secret of ourselves to learn.

Taught by His Son, may we believe

In Him our Father reconciled;

Led by His Spirit, each receive

His kingdom as a little child.

With reverence, then, and godly fear,

While prayer and praise our tongues employ,

O that we all may now draw near

To God, as our exceeding joy!