1. Inspirer of the ancient seers,
Who wrote from Thee the sacred page,
The same through all succeeding years,
To us in our degen’rate age,
The spirit of Thy word impart;
And breathe the life into each heart.
2. While now Thine oracles we read
With earnest prayer and strong desire,
O let Thy Spirit now proceed,
Our souls to waken and inspire;
Our weakness help, our darkness chase,
And guide us by the light of grace!
3. Whene’er in error’s path we rove,
The living God through sin forsake,
Our conscience by Thy word reprove,
Convince and bring the wand’rers back;
Deep wounded by the Spirit’s sword,
And then by Gilead’s balm restored.
4. The sacred lessons of Thy grace,
Transmitted through Thy 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.
5. Provided from 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,
And build them up in holiest love!