These two verses belong to the very extensive series of 6. Hymns on Passages of Holy Scripture Charles Wesley’s poetry is always sanctified by the word of God. In this regard he is unsurpassed, and I think unequalled, by any other writer. He thought and wrote in the language of the Bible, and constantly weaves into his hymns the words, phrases, incidents of Holy Scripture. No one ‘spiritualized’ more boldly than he. Of this his most famous poem, ‘Wrestling Jacob,’ is the great example. Many other hymns illustrate the same power, e.g. this verse, which ‘spiritualizes’ Peter’s deliverance from prison— Long my imprisoned spirit lay Fast bound in sin and nature’s night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. and this, which refers in the same fashion to the resurrection of Lazarus— Buried in sin, Thy voice I hear, And burst the barriers of my tomb, In all the marks of death appear, Forth at Thy call, though bound, I come. His more formal paraphrases are often very fine, and are hymns of permanent worth. Such are— None is like Jeshurun’s God (Deut. xxxiii. 26-29). Wherewith, O God, shall I draw near (Mic. vi. 6-8). Away my unbelieving fear (Hab. iii. 17, 18). Of course Charles Wesley wrote many Psalm-versions. Comparatively few are above the average, but there are some exceptions. Among these are the 48th— Great is our redeeming Lord, In power, and truth, and grace. the 84th— How lovely are Thy tents, O Lord! Where’er Thou choosest to record Thy name, or place Thy house of prayer, My soul outflies the angel-choir, And faints, o’erpowered with strong desire, To meet Thy special presence there. the 121st— To the hills I lift mine eyes, The everlasting hills. the 125th— Who in the Lord confide And feel His sprinkled blood, In storms and hurricanes abide, Firm as the mount of God. Often only two or three verses can be taken from a long poem, as in Ps. iii.— Thou, Lord, art a shield for me.[153] and Ps. ix.— Thee will I praise with all my heart. Here the whole psalm, as it appears in the _Poetical Works_, consists of fourteen verses, most of them impossible for singing in a Christian Church, but there are four good verses, especially this, with its tender trustfulness that the humble seeker must at length find his Saviour— A helpless soul that looks to Thee Is sure at last Thy face to see, And all Thy goodness to partake; The sinner who for Thee doth grieve, And longs, and labours to believe, Thou never, never wilt forsake.[154]