Christ My Song - 1078
Thou, Lord, art all to me - "My Portion for Ever"
(Hannah K. Burlingham/Johannes Thomas Rüegg)
"My Portion for Ever."
1. Thou, Lord, art all to me:
where else have I to turn?
The fulness that abides in thee
I come to thee to learn.
The broken cisterns fail,
but thou the Fountain art,
thy deep compassions still avail
for every needy heart. PDF - Midi
2. Lord Jesus Christ! In thee
are everlasting springs;
and so, where'er the cage may be,
faith soars away and sings!
Thy sweet unfailing grace
makes e'en the desert bloom;
lights up the dark and lonely place,
annihilates the tomb!
3. I'm watching for the day
that hourly draweth near,
when thou thy glory wilt display,
and 'mid thy saints appear.
Oh, blessèd One! To see
thy beauty evermore,
how rich that recompense will be,
for all that went before!
4. Thy precious perfect love
knows neither let nor change;
and in those fields of light above,
thy counsels widely range.
But thou on earth hast been,
'twas here my Saviour died;
and can I lightly tread the scene,
where he was crucified?
5. At times I look around,
my eyes fill fast with tears;
the voices here have not the sound
that Heaven, delighted, hears.
The music of thy name,
is seldom breathed below;
thee, Jesus, evermore the same,
men covet not to know.
6. But oh, belovèd Lord!
thou hast thy chosen band;
there still are those who keep thy word,
and round thy Person stand.
There still are those on earth,
whose hearts are knit to thee;
despised and poor, their regal birth
faith's piercing eye can see.
7. Be theirs the constant grace,
thine own behest to do;
in patient zeal to run the race,
thy glory full in view.
Perplexed, but undismayed,
beset, but not alone,
cast down at times, but not afraid
thy holy Name to own.
8. Thus while we look to thee,
and fear to turn aside,
thy Name our Tower of Strength shall be
the Fortress where we hide.
'Tis but a little while,
to keep "thy sweet retreat,"
then, in thy life-inspiring smile,
our joy shall be complete!
Hannah K. Burlingham, Wayside Songs, 1901, 189-192.