1 A captive long 'neath sense and sin
In dark despair I lay;
The LORD upon my soul looked in,
And turned my night to day.
2 I saw the glory 'round me break;
I felt the darkness flee;
I seemed as from a dream to wake,
And cried, 'It cannot be.'
3 God's glorious ways I judged by mine,
Nor half His goodness knew;
But (O the depth of love Divine!)
I found the whole was true.
4 My heart was full, my tongue was fian,
My praises flowed apace;
And many 'round me joined he strain,
And sang with me His grace.
5 Behold, I cried, what God has wrought,
Beyond my hope or claim:
Ye mourners, mark my altered lot,
He offers you the same.
6 O holy sights! O happy tears!
By contrite spirits poured.
O sacred beneficial fears,
That drive us to the LORD!
7 The praying lip, the weeping eye,
Point on to better days;
When tears to smiles shall change on high.
And prayer be turned to praise.
Source: Psalms of Grace #126c
Lyte, Henry Francis, M.A., son of Captain Thomas Lyte, was born at Ednam, near Kelso, June 1, 1793, and educated at Portora (the Royal School of Enniskillen), and at Trinity College, Dublin, of which he was a Scholar, and where he graduated in 1814. During his University course he distinguished himself by gaining the English prize poem on three occasions. At one time he had intended studying Medicine; but this he abandoned for Theology, and took Holy Orders in 1815, his first curacy being in the neighbourhood of Wexford. In 1817, he removed to Marazion, in Cornwall. There, in 1818, he underwent a great spiritual change, which shaped and influenced the whole of his after life, the immediate cause being the illness and death of a brother cler… Go to person page >
My Starred Hymns
My FlexScores
My Hymnals
My Purchased Files