THE EXCEEDING GOOD LAND.
"Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land: give me also springs of water."—Judges i. 15.
"The Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."—Deut. xxxi. 8.
"The Lord your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land."—Joshua i. 13.
Lord, bring me to that good land,
The land of brooks of water,
Of fountains in the valley
That each rill and river fills;
A land of wheat and barley,
The vine tree and the olive,
Where the precious ore lies hidden
In the everlasting hills.
The land of brooks of water,
Of fountains in the valley
That each rill and river fills;
A land of wheat and barley,
The vine tree and the olive,
Where the precious ore lies hidden
In the everlasting hills.
My heart looked onward, pleading,
"Give me the land of promise!
And with Thy smile, my Father,
I shall not know a fear.
Oh, lead me to that good land,
The land of living waters!
For I know my heavenly Father
Will His child's petition hear."
"Give me the land of promise!
And with Thy smile, my Father,
I shall not know a fear.
Oh, lead me to that good land,
The land of living waters!
For I know my heavenly Father
Will His child's petition hear."
I looked for Him to guide me
To Hermon's dewy mountain;
But I found me in a valley
I ne'er had seen before.
And, lost in wild amazement,
My troubled spirit questioned:
"Where shall I find that good land?
I thought my search was o'er."
To Hermon's dewy mountain;
But I found me in a valley
I ne'er had seen before.
And, lost in wild amazement,
My troubled spirit questioned:
"Where shall I find that good land?
I thought my search was o'er."
A tempest rose around me,
While wondering and dejected,
And mocking sounds of laughter
Broke o'er my gloomy path.
A whisper floated by me,
"Behold, he walks in darkness!
A murmurer who wanders
Beneath deserved wrath."
While wondering and dejected,
And mocking sounds of laughter
Broke o'er my gloomy path.
A whisper floated by me,
"Behold, he walks in darkness!
A murmurer who wanders
Beneath deserved wrath."
I said, "O heart, take courage!
Christ met thy worst deservings;
Why dost thou fret and murmur?
Thine enemy is fled.
Rise up! be strong, be faithful,
Thy Father watches o'er thee.
The sky has changed; but wherefore
Art thou thyself so sad?"
Christ met thy worst deservings;
Why dost thou fret and murmur?
Thine enemy is fled.
Rise up! be strong, be faithful,
Thy Father watches o'er thee.
The sky has changed; but wherefore
Art thou thyself so sad?"
Cried my Accuser, "Rebel
Against such grace and mercy!
Wert thou a child of heaven,
Now would thy help appear:
Cease then to cry, 'My Father.'"
And the wild rocks round me echoed,
'Mid the roaring of the torrent,
"Thy Father will not hear."
Against such grace and mercy!
Wert thou a child of heaven,
Now would thy help appear:
Cease then to cry, 'My Father.'"
And the wild rocks round me echoed,
'Mid the roaring of the torrent,
"Thy Father will not hear."
I looked into the darkness,
Then upward to the mountain;
I knew the fiend's false whisper,
In the silence drear and chill:
And I said, "I cannot trace Him
Who leads me through the valley;
But He hath never failed me,
And I will trust Him still.
Then upward to the mountain;
I knew the fiend's false whisper,
In the silence drear and chill:
And I said, "I cannot trace Him
Who leads me through the valley;
But He hath never failed me,
And I will trust Him still.
"Fair are the plains of Canaan:
Welcome, thou smiling summer,
When the fruitful vine and olive
Their blooming burdens bear.
I asked Him for that good land,
The land of brooks of water;
I seek the land of promise,
And He will lead me there.
Welcome, thou smiling summer,
When the fruitful vine and olive
Their blooming burdens bear.
I asked Him for that good land,
The land of brooks of water;
I seek the land of promise,
And He will lead me there.
"But, Lord, Thou know'st Thy servant;
My heart hath sorely wandered:
The pure eyes of the Holiest
Have searched me within;
But my record is in heaven,
Where my God eternal reigneth,
And the blood, the blood of Jesus,
Hath cleansed me from all sin.
My heart hath sorely wandered:
The pure eyes of the Holiest
Have searched me within;
But my record is in heaven,
Where my God eternal reigneth,
And the blood, the blood of Jesus,
Hath cleansed me from all sin.
"Whose hand but Thine, my Father,
Could guide me through the desert?
I have praised Thee for the morning,
Let me praise Thee for the night.
Though all hath changed around me,
Thou art the same for ever;
And though my way is lonely,
I know that it is right."
Could guide me through the desert?
I have praised Thee for the morning,
Let me praise Thee for the night.
Though all hath changed around me,
Thou art the same for ever;
And though my way is lonely,
I know that it is right."
Light broke above the mountain,
I saw my faithful Shepherd:
He walked the path before me,
My gloomy fears were fled.
His smile of sweet assurance
Left my heart again rejoicing;
He drew me to His bosom,
And tenderly He said,
I saw my faithful Shepherd:
He walked the path before me,
My gloomy fears were fled.
His smile of sweet assurance
Left my heart again rejoicing;
He drew me to His bosom,
And tenderly He said,
"When did I e'er forsake thee,
Or fail thee in thy sorrow?
O child, so long time with Me,
And yet thou know'st Me not!
When have I e'er misled thee?
Or, deaf to thy petition,
Have left thee still to wander,
Unpitied or forgot?
Or fail thee in thy sorrow?
O child, so long time with Me,
And yet thou know'st Me not!
When have I e'er misled thee?
Or, deaf to thy petition,
Have left thee still to wander,
Unpitied or forgot?
"Didst thou not ask the good land,
The land of brooks of water?
The pleasant land of promise
Thy dull eyes cannot see.
Behold Me in this valley!
Here I have safely led thee:
Dwell in the land of promise
Thy Father gives to thee.
The land of brooks of water?
The pleasant land of promise
Thy dull eyes cannot see.
Behold Me in this valley!
Here I have safely led thee:
Dwell in the land of promise
Thy Father gives to thee.
"Fear not! I will not leave thee;
God's truth abideth ever:
His peace and rest remaineth,
His promise shineth clear.
Trust in the Lord Jehovah,
Thy Rock, though all else perish;
And, though the darkness hide Him,
The Lord thy God is near."
God's truth abideth ever:
His peace and rest remaineth,
His promise shineth clear.
Trust in the Lord Jehovah,
Thy Rock, though all else perish;
And, though the darkness hide Him,
The Lord thy God is near."
Jesus! Thou art my portion,
My Land of Living Waters,
My Fountain in the valley,
My Olive Tree and Vine;
Thou art my Bread from Heaven;
Thou art my Land of Promise:
I bless Thee for Thy fulness!
And all Thou art is mine.
My Land of Living Waters,
My Fountain in the valley,
My Olive Tree and Vine;
Thou art my Bread from Heaven;
Thou art my Land of Promise:
I bless Thee for Thy fulness!
And all Thou art is mine.
Lead on; for now I know Thee!
Speak Thou, my blessed Shepherd!
For in this vale of shadows
I lean upon Thy breast.
I asked Thee for the good land,
The land of brooks of water;
I find it in Thy presence,
My Everlasting Best.
Speak Thou, my blessed Shepherd!
For in this vale of shadows
I lean upon Thy breast.
I asked Thee for the good land,
The land of brooks of water;
I find it in Thy presence,
My Everlasting Best.