Prayer For Patience.

A poem by William Cowper

Lord, who hast suffer’d all for me,
My peace and pardon to procure,
The lighter cross I bear for thee,
Help me with patience to endure.


The storm of loud repining hush,
I would in humble silence mourn;
Why should the unburnt though burning bush,
Be angry as the crackling thorn?


Man should not faint at thy rebuke,
Like Joshua falling on his face,[1]
When the curst thing that Achan took
Brought Israel into just disgrace.


Perhaps some golden wedge suppress’d,
Some secret sin offends my God;
Perhaps that Babylonish vest,
Self-righteousness, provokes the rod.


Ah! were I buffeted all day,
Mock’d, crown’d with thorns, and spit upon;
I yet should have no right to say,
My great distress is mine alone.


Let me not angrily declare
No pain was ever sharp like mine;
Nor murmur at the cross I bear,
But rather weep, remembering thine.