The Good That I Would I Do Not
John Newton 1725 (Wapping, London) – 1807 (London)
I would, but cannot sing,
Guilt has untuned my voice;
The serpent sin's envenomed sting
Has poisoned all my joys.
I know the Lord is nigh,
And would, but cannot, pray;
For Satan meets me when I try,
And frights my soul away.
I would but can't repent
Though I endeavor oft;
This stony heart can ne'er relent
Till Jesus make it soft.
I would but cannot love,
Though wooed by love divine;
No arguments have pow'r to move
A soul so base as mine.
I would, but cannot rest
In God's most holy will;
I know what he appoints is best,
Yet murmur at it still!
Oh could I but believe!
Then all would easy be;
I would, but cannot, Lord relieve,
My help must come from thee!
But if indeed I would,
Though I can nothing do,
Yet the desire is something good,
For which my praise is due.
By nature prone to ill,
Till thine appointed hour
I was as destitute of will,
As now I am of pow'r.
Wilt thou not crown, at length,
The work thou hast begun?
And with a will, afford me strength
In all thy ways to run.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:01 min read
- 119 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | AXAX BCBC DXDX XEXE FGFG HIHI JKJK GXGX LMLM |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 969 |
Words | 198 |
Stanzas | 9 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
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"The Good That I Would I Do Not" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/24011/the-good-that-i-would-i-do-not>.
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