Alas, my God, that Thou should be

1 Alas, my God, that thou should be
To me so much unknown!
I long to walk and talk with thee,
And dwell before thy throne.

2 Thou know'st, my soul doth dearly love
The place of thine abode;
No music gives so sweet a sound,
As these two words, "My God."

3 I long not for the fruit that grows
Within these gardens here;
I find no sweetness in their rose
When Jesus is not near.

4 Thy gracious presence, O my Christ,
Can make a paradise;
Ah, what are all the goodly pearls,
Unto this pearl of price?

5 Give me that sweet communion, Lord,
Thy people have with thee;
Thy Spirit daily talks with them,
O let it talk with me.

6 Like Enoch let me walk with God,
And thus walk out my day,
Attended with the heavenly guards,
Upon the King's high way.

7 When wilt thou come unto me, Lord?
O come, my Lord, most dear;
Come near, come nearer nearer still;
I'm well when thou art near.

8 When wilt thou come unto me, Lord?
I languish for thy Sight;
Ten thousand Suns, if thou art strange,
Are Shades instead of Light.

9 When wilt thou come unto me Lord?
for till thou dost appear,
I count each Moment for a Day,
Each Minute for a Year.

10 Come, Lord, and never from me go,
This World's a darksom Place;
I find no Pleasure here below,
When thou dost veil thy Face.

11 There's no such Thing as Pleasure here,
My Jesus is my all;
As thou dost shine, or disappear,
My pleasures rise and fall.

12 Come, spread thy Savour on my Frame,
No Sweetness is so sweet;
Till I get up to sing thy Name,
Where all thy Singers meet.

The Christian's duty, exhibited in a series of hymns, 1791