Olney Hymn 16 The Sower
Ye sons of earth prepare the plough,
Break up your fallow ground;
The sower is gone forth to sow,
And scatter blessings round
Ye sons of earth prepare the plough,
Break up your fallow ground;
The sower is gone forth to sow,
And scatter blessings round
The Lord will happiness divine On contrite hearts bestow;
Then tell me, gracious God, is mine A contrite heart or no
I hear, but seem to hear in vain,
Insensible as steel;
"Ere God had built the mountains,
Or raised the fruitful hills;
Before he fill'd the fountains That feed the running rills;
In me from everlasting,
Hear what God the Lord hath spoken, "O my people, faint and few,
Comfortless, afflicted, broken,
Fair abodes I build for you
Thorns of heartfelt tribulation Shall no more perplex your ways;
The Lord proclaims His grace abroad
"Behold,
I change your hearts of stone;
Each shall renounce his idol-god,
Oh how I love Thy holy Word,
Thy gracious covenant,
O Lord
It guides me in the peaceful way;
Fierce passions discompose the mind,
As tempests vex the sea,
But calm, content and peace we find,
When,
What various hindrances we meet In coming to a mercy seat
Yet who that knows the worth of prayer,
But wishes to be often there
Prayer makes the darken'd cloud withdraw,
Holy Lord God
I love Thy truth,
Nor dare Thy least commandment slight;
Yet pierced by sin the serpent's tooth,
Dear Lord
accept a sinful heart,
Which of itself complains,
And mourns, with much and frequent smart,
The Saviour, what a noble flame Was kindled in his breast,
When hasting to Jerusalem,
He march'd before the rest
Good will to men, and zeal for God,
'Tis my happiness below Not to live without the cross,
But the Saviour's power to know,
Sanctifying every loss;
Trials must and will befall;