Here, O My Lord, I See Thee

327 Here, O My Lord, I See Thee

1 Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face;
   Here would I touch and handle things unseen;
   Here grasp with firmer hand eternal grace,
   And all my weariness upon Thee lean.

2 This is the hour of banquet and of song;
   This is the heavenly table spread for me;
   Here let me feast, and feasting, still prolong
   The hallowed hour of fellowship with Thee.

3 Here would I feed upon the bread of God,
   Here drink with Thee the royal wine of Heaven;
   Here would I lay aside each earthly load,
   Here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiven.

4 Too soon we rise; the symbols disappear;
   The feast, though not the love, is past and gone.
   The bread and wine remove; but Thou art here,
   Nearer than ever, still my Shield and Sun.

5 Feast after feast thus comes and passes by;
   Yet, passing, points to the glad feast above,
   Giving sweet foretaste of the festal joy,
   The Lamb’s great bridal feast of bliss and love.
                         Horatius Bonar
                         Methodist Hymnal, 1964 edition

<idle musing>
Not a terribly popular hymn, only occurring in about 315 hymnals. Cyberhymnal.org inserts some verses:

4 I have no help but Thine; nor do I need
   Another arm save Thine to lean upon;
   It is enough, my Lord, enough indeed;
   My strength is in Thy might, Thy might alone.

5 I have no wisdom save in Him who is
   My wisdom and my teacher both in One;
   No wisdom can I lack while Thou art wise;
   No teaching do I crave save Thine alone.

6 Mine is the sin, but Thine the righteousness:
   Mine is the guilt, but Thine the cleansing blood;
   Here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace;
   Thy blood, Thy righteousness, O Lord my God!

</idle musing>