Hymn
Absence from God
O Thou, whose tender mercy hears
Contrition's humble sigh;
Whose hand, indulgent, wipes the tears
From sorrow's weeping eye--
See, low before thy throne of grace
A wretched wanderer mourn;
Hast thou not bid me seek thy face?
Hast thou not said, Return?
And shall my guilty fears prevail
To drive me from thy feet?
Oh, let not this dear refuge fail,
This only safe retreat!
Absent from thee, my Guide, my Light,
Without one cheering ray,
Through dangers, fears, and gloomy night,
How desolate my way!
Oh, shine on this benighted heart,
With beams of mercy shine!
And let thy healing voice impart
A taste of joys divine.
Absence from God — Text from The Voice of Praise, 1873. Public domain. https://yeshuanow.com/hymns/absence-from-god
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Questions about this hymn
Who wrote Absence from God?
The words of Absence from God were written by Anne Steele; the version here was published in 1873. The library holds 47 more hymns by Anne Steele, including My God, my Father, blissful name and Thou only Sovereign of my heart.
Is Absence from God public domain?
Yes. The words here are taken from The Voice of Praise, published in 1873. Works published before 1931 are out of copyright in the United States, so you can print, project, perform and record this hymn freely. How we source and check every hymn.
What is the metre of Absence from God?
Absence from God is in Common Metre (8.6.8.6). Hymns in the same metre can usually be sung to the same tunes — for example, Thou art the Way, to Thee alone, Father, Whatever of Earthly Bliss and Our Frail Bodies, and God Our Preserver.