648. Here, O my Lord, may I behold your face

Author: Horiatus Bonar 1808-89

Part 1

Here, O my Lord, may I behold your face;
here may I touch and handle things unseen;
here grasp with firmer hand the eternal grace
and all my weariness upon you lean.

2. Here let me feed upon the bread of God,
here drink with you the royal wine of heaven;
here let me lay aside each earthly load,
here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiven.

3. Mine is the sin, but yours the righteousness;
mine is the guilt, but yours the cleansing blood!
Here is my robe, my refuge and my peace-
your blood, your righteousness, O Lord my God.

PART 2

4. Too soon we rise, the symbols disappear;
the feast, though not the love, is past and gone:
gone are the bread and wine, but you are here,
nearer than ever, still my shield and sun.

5. I have no help but yours, nor do I need
another arm but yours to lean upon;
it is enough, my Lord, enough indeed;
my strength is in your might, your might alone.

6. Feast after feast here comes and passes by,
yet, passing, points to that glad feast above,
giving sweet foretaste of the festal joy,
the Lamb’s great bridal feast of bliss and love.