Seeking the Beloved and Wrestling Jacob

Seeking the Beloved. (From Olney Hymns, Hymn XIII.)

1. To those who know the Lord I speak,
Is my beloved near?
The bridegroom of my soul I seek,
Oh! when will he appear?
2. Tho’ once a man of grief and shame,
Yet now he fills a throne,
And bears the greatest, sweetest name,
That earth or heav’n has known.
3. Grace flies before, and love attends
His steps where-e’er he goes;
Tho’ none can see him but his friends,
And they were once his foes.
4. He speaks—obedient to his call
Our warm affections move;
Did He but shine alike on all,
Then all alike would love.
5. Then love in ev’ry heart would reign,
And war would cease to roar;
And cruel and blood-thirsty men
Would thirst for blood no more.
6. Such Jesus is, and such his grace,
Oh, may he shine on you!
And tell him, when you see his face,
I long to see him too.
Song of Solomon 5:8.

Wrestling Jacob. Charles Wesley.

1. Come, O thou Traveller unknown,
Whom still I hold, but cannot see;
My company before is gone,
And I am left alone with thee;
With thee all night I mean to stay,
And wrestle till the break of day.
2. I need not tell thee who I am,
My misery or sin declare;
Thyself hast called me by my name;
Look on thy hands, and read it there!
But who, I ask thee, who art thou?
Tell me thy name, and tell me now.
3. In vain thou strugglest to get free;
I never will unloose my hold.
Art thou the man that died for me?
The secret of thy love unfold:
Wrestling, I will not let thee go,
Till I thy name, thy nature know.
4 Yield to me now, for I am weak,
But confident in self-despair;
Speak to my heart, in blessings speak,
Be conquered by my instant prayer.
Speak, or thou never hence shalt move,
And tell me if thy name is Love!
5. ‘Tis Love! ‘tis Love! Thou diedst for me!
I hear thy whisper in my heart!
The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
Pure universal Love thou art:
To me, to all, thy mercies move;
Thy nature and thy name is Love.
Genesis 32:24-32