B-024My God, I Thank You, Who Have Made

My God, I thank You, who have made

The earth so bright.

So full of splendor and of joy.

Beauty and light;

So many glorious things are here,

Noble and right.

I thank You, too, that You have made

Joy to abound;

So many gentle thoughts and deeds

Circling us round,

That in the darkest spot of earth

Some love is found.

I thank You more that all our joy

Is touched with pain,

The shadows fall on brightest hours.

That thorns remain;

So that earth's bliss may be our guide

And not our chain.

For You who knows, O Lord, how soon

Our weak heart clings,

Have giv'n us joys, tender and true,

Yet all with wings;

So that we see gleaming on high

Diviner things.

I thank You, Lord, that You have kept

The best in store;

We have enough, yet not too much

To long for more;

A yearning for a deeper peace

Not known before.

I thank You, Lord, that here our souls,

Though amply blessed,

Can never find, although they seek,

A perfect rest;

Nor ever shall, until they lean

On Jesus' breast.