My faith looks up to thee

213 Olivet. 6. 6. 4. 6. 6. 6.4.

1 My faith looks up to Thee,
   Thou Lamb of Calvary,
   Savior divine!
   Now hear me while I pray,
   take all my guilt away;
   O let me from this day
   be wholly Thine.

2 May Thy rich grace impart
   strength to my fainting heart,
   my zeal inspire;
   as Thou hast died for me,
   O may my love to Thee
   pure, warm, and changeless be,
   a living fire.

3 While life’s dark maze I tread,
   and griefs around me spread,
   be Thou my Guide;
   bid darkness turn to day,
   wipe sorrow’s tears away,
   nor let me ever stray
   from Thee aside.

4 When ends life's transient dream,
   when death’s cold, sullen stream
   shall o'er me roll,
   blest Savior, then in love,
   fear and distrust remove;
   O bear me safe above,
   a ransomed soul.
                         Ray Palmer
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
This was Palmer's first hymn and is in over 2000 hymnals. Here's what hymnary.org says about it:

This hymn was written by the author when fresh from College, and during an engagement in teaching in New York. This was in 1830. The author says concerning its composition, "I gave form to what I felt, by writing, with little effort, the stanzas. I recollect I wrote them with very tender emotion, and ended the last line with tears."

Indeed! I can easily see why.
</idle musing>