Hymn for the Week: Before reading the Scriptures

Inspirer of the ancient seers, (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
Who wrote from thee the sacred page,
The same through all succeeding years;
To us in our degenerate age
The spirit of thy Word impart,
And breathe the life into our heart.

While now thine oracles we read (Acts 7:38, etc.)
With earnest prayer and strong desire,
O let thy Spirit from thee proceed
Our souls to waken and inspire,
Our weakness help, our darkness chase,
And guide us by the light of grace.

Whene'er in error's paths we rove,
The living God through sin forsake,
Our conscience by thy Word reprove,
Convince, and bring the wanderers back;
Deep wounded by thy Spirit's sword, (Eph. 6:17)
And then by Gilead's balm restored. (Jer. 8:22; 46:11)

The secret lessons of thy grace
Transmitted through the Word, repeat,
And train us up in all thy ways
To make us in thy will complete;
Fulfil thy love's redeeming plan,
And bring us to a perfect man. (Eph. 4:13)

Furnished out of thy treasury,
O may we always ready stand
To help the souls redeemed by thee
In what their various states demand;
To teach, convince, correct, reprove, (2 Tim. 4:2)
And build them up in holiest love.