[My sovereign Lord, my gracious God]

My sovereign Lord, my gracious God,

How full of wonder are thy ways,

How powerful, wise, and holy thou,

How rich, how infinite thy Grace.

From thy creating word the Skies, 5

The earth, and Seas receiv’d their form,

And thy commanding powerful voice

Shakes into Life the meanest worm.

The lowest reptile Earth contains,

Tho’ silent, speaks Almighty praise pow’r, 10

While Man, thy nobler work, was form'd made

To know, to serve thee and adore.

But soon the monster sin prevail’d

O’er man and he rebellious fell,

Deprav’d and blind thine Image lost, 15

He sunk to woe, to Death and Hell.

Then God’s unmeasureable Grace

Astonish’d Angels heard with Joy,

When he ordain’d his only Son

The Pow’rs of Darkness to destroy. 20

The Rebel’s Ransom, Surety All,

Jesus the Lord of Life became;

He liv’d, he died, he rose, he pleads,

He reigns above, the slaughter’d Lamb.

United Wisdom, Justice, Love, 25

Here with transcending Glory shine;

My God¾permit a guilty worm

To call this great Salvation mine.

Illume these Sin beclouded Eyes,

Shine on my Soul with healing ray, 30

Renew my heart by Grace divine,

And drive each sinful fear away.

In Jesus, Prophet, Priest, and King,

May Hope abound and faith be strong;

Then shall I triumph in my God, 35

And boundless Mercy be my Song.

Text: Steele Collection, 10/2, Angus Library, Regent’s Park College, Oxford; also Whelan, Nonconformist Women Writers, vol. 4, p. 140.