Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the use of Christians ‎#129

129. Why Should I Complain

1 When my Saviour, my Shepherd is near,
How quickly my sorrows depart!
New beauties around me appear,
New spirits enliven my heart;
His presence gives peace to my soul,
And Satan assaults me in vain;
While my Shepherd his power controuls
I think I no more shall complain.

2 But alas! what a change do I find,
When my Shepherd withdraws from my sight?
My fears all return to my mind,
My day is soon chang'd into night.
Then Satan his efforts renews,
To vex and ensnare me again;
All my pleasing enjoyments I lose,
And can only lament and complain.

3 By these changes I often pass thro'
I am taught my own weakness to know;
I am taught what my Shepherd can do,
And how much to his mercy I owe:
It is he that supports me thro' all,
When I faint, he revives me again;
He attends to my pray'r when I call,
And bids me no longer complain.

4 Wherefore then should I murmur and grieve,
Since my Shepherd is always the same,
And has promis'd he never will leave
The soul that confides in his name;
To relieve me from all that I fear,
He was buffeted, tempted, and slain;
And at length he will surely appear,
Tho' he leaves me a while to complain.

5 While I dwell in an enemy's land,
Can I hope to be always in peace?
'Tis enough that my Shepherd's at hand,
And that shortly this warfare will cease;
For ere long he will bid me remove
From this region of sorrow and pain,
To abide in his presence above,
And then I no more shall complain.

Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the use of Christians, 1803

Text Information

• First Line: When my Saviour, my Shepherd is near
• Title: Why Should I Complain
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1803

Tune Information

(No tune information)