When gathering clouds around I view — Robert Grant

"When gathering clouds around I view,
And days are dark, and friends are few,
On Him I lean, who not in vain
Experienced every human pain;
He sees my wants, allays my fears,
And counts and treasures all my tears.

If aught should tempt my soul to stray
From heavenly wisdom’s narrow way,
To fly the good I would pursue,
Or do the sin I would not do,
Still He, who felt temptation’s power,
Shall guard me in that dangerous hour.

If wounded love my bosom swell,
Deceived by those I prized too well,
He shall His pitying aid bestow,
Who felt on earth severer woe,
At once betrayed, denied, or fled,
By those who shared His daily bread.

If vexing thoughts within me rise
And, sore dismayed, my spirit dies,
Still He, who once vouchsafed to bear
The sickening anguish of despair,
Shall sweetly soothe, shall gently dry,
The throbbing heart, the streaming eye.

When, sorrowing, o’er some stone I bend,
Which covers what was once a friend,
And from his voice, his hand, his smile,
Divides me for a little while,
Thou, Savior, mark’st the tears I shed,
For Thou didst weep o’er Lazarus dead.

And O, when I have safely passed,
Through every conflict but the last;
Still, still unchanging, watch beside
My painful bed, for Thou hast died;
Then point to realms of cloudless day,
And wipe the latest tear way."

— Robert Grant

“I need Thee, precious Jesus" – Frederick Whitfield

“I need Thee, precious Jesus,
For I am full of sin;
My soul is dark and guilty,
My heart is dead within.
I need the cleansing fountain
Where I can always flee,
The blood of Christ most precious,
The sinner’s perfect plea.

I need Thee, precious Jesus,
For I am very poor;
A stranger and a pilgrim,
I have no earthly store.
I need the love of Jesus
To cheer me on my way,
To guide my doubting footsteps,
To be my strength and stay.

I need Thee, precious Jesus,
I need a friend like Thee,
A friend to soothe and pity,
A friend to care for me.
I need the heart of Jesus
To feel each anxious care,
To tell my every trouble,
And all my sorrows share.

I need Thee, precious Jesus,
I need Thee, day by day,
To fill me with Thy fullness,
To lead me on my way;
I need Thy Holy Spirit,
To teach me what I am,
To show me more of Jesus,
To point me to the Lamb.

I need Thee, precious Jesus,
And hope to see Thee soon,
Encircled with the rainbow
And seated on Thy throne.
There, with Thy blood bought children,
My joy shall ever be,
To sing Thy praises, Jesu,
To gaze, O Lord, on Thee.”

– Frederick Whitfield, 1861

Pleading the Atonement - Isaac Watts

“Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!” Psalm 84:9

“Father, God, who seest in me
Only sin and misery,
Turn to Thy anointed One,
Look on Thy beloved Son;
Him, and then the sinner see;
Look through Jesus’ wounds on me.

Heavenly Father, Lord of all,
Hear, and show thou hear'st my call!
Bow Thine ear, in mercy bow,
Smile on me a sinner now!
Now the stone to flesh convert,
Cast a look, and melt my heart.

Lord, I cannot let Thee go,
Till a blessing Thou bestow;
Hear my Advocate divine,
Lo! to His, my suit I join;
Join'd with His, it cannot fail:
Let me now with Thee prevail!

Turn, from me, Thy glorious eyes
To His bloody sacrifice,—
To the full atonement made,
To the utmost ransom paid:
And, if mine, through Him, Thou art,
Speak Thy mercy to my heart.

Jesus, answer from above,
Is not all Thy nature love!
Pity from Thine eye let fall;
Bless me whilst on Thee I call:
Am I thine, thou Son of God?
Take the purchase of Thy blood.

Father, see the victim slain,
Offer'd up for guilty men:
Hear his blood-prevailing cry;
Let Thy bowels then reply!
Then through Him the sinner see;
Then, in Jesus, look on me!”

- Isaac Watts

A Sinner and his Saviour - Dora Greenwell

“I sought Thee, weeping, high and low;
I found Thee not; I did not know
I was a sinner; even so
I missed Thee for my Saviour.

I saw Thee sweetly condescend
Of humble men to be the friend;
I chose Thee for my way — my end.
But found not yet my Saviour.

Until upon the cross I saw
My God, who died to meet the law
That man had broken; then I saw
My sin, and then my Saviour.

What seek I longer? let me be
A sinner all my days to Thee
Yet more and more — and Thou to me
Yet more and more my Saviour,

A sinner all my earthly days,
A sinner who believes and prays,
A sinner all his evil ways
Who leaves for his dear Saviour.

Who leaves his evil ways, yet leaves
Not Him to whom his spirit cleaves
More close, that he so often grieves
The soul of his dear Saviour.

Be Thou to me my Lord, my Guide,
My Friend, yea everything beside;
But first, last, best, whate'er betide.
Be Thou to me my Saviour!”

- Dora Greenwell

“O Lamb of God! still keep me near to Thy wounded side" - James George Deck

“O Lamb of God! still keep me
near to Thy wounded side;
'tis only there in safety
and peace I can abide.
What foes and snares surround me!
What lusts and fears within!
The grace that sought and found me
alone can keep me clean.

'Tis only in Thee hiding,
I know my life secure;
only in Thee abiding,
the conflict can endure:
Thine arm the victory gaineth
o'er every hurtful foe;
Thy love my heart sustaineth
in all its cares and woes.

Soon shall my eyes behold Thee
with rapture, face to face;
one half hath not been told me
of all Thy power and grace:
Thy beauty, Lord, and glory,
the wonders of Thy love,s
hall be the endless story
of all Thy saints above.”

- James George Deck

O Christ, in Thee my soul hath found - James Mc­Gran­a­han

O Christ, in Thee my soul hath found,
And found in Thee alone,
The peace, the joy I sought so long,
The bliss till now unknown.

I sighed for rest and happiness,
I yearned for them, not Thee;
But, while I passed my Savior by,
His love laid hold on me.

I tried the broken cisterns, Lord,
But, ah, the waters failed;
Even as I stooped to drink they fled,
And mocked me as I wailed.

The pleasures lost I sadly mourned,
But never wept for Thee,
Till grace the sightless eyes received,
Thy loveliness to see.

Now none but Christ can satisfy,
None other Name for me!
There’s love, and life, and lasting joy,
Lord Jesus, found in Thee.

- James Mc­Gran­a­han

“Pass me not, O gentle Savior” - Fan­ny Cros­by

“Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief,
Kneeling there in deep contrition;
Help my unbelief.

Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.

Thou the Spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in Heav’n but Thee?”

- Fan­ny Cros­by

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/p/a/passment.htm

"My sins, my sins, my Saviour!" - Monsell

"My sins, my sins, my Saviour!
They take such hold on me,
I am not able to look up,
Save only, Christ, on thee;

In thee is all forgiveness,
In thee abundant grace,
My shadow and my sunshine
The brightness of thy face.

My sins, my sins, my Saviour!
Their guilt I never knew
Till with thee in the desert
I near thy passion drew;

Till with thee in the garden
I heard thy pleading pray'r,
And saw the sweat-drops bloody
That told thy sorrow there.

Therefore my songs, my Saviour,
E'en in this time of woe,
Shall tell of all thy goodness
To suff'ring man below;

Thy goodness and thy favor,
Whose presence from above
Rejoice those hearts, my Saviour,
That live in thee and love."

- Monsell

http://www.opc.org/hymn.html?hymn_id=475