8.8.8.8 James Montgomery The Government of the Tongue. The tongue, the tongue, with all its powers, Is Thine who made it, Thine, not ours; Lord, teach us early to controul, That tameless tell-tale of the soul. 'Twas with the tongue, the serpent's wile Did Eve's simplicity beguile; 'Twas with the tongue fall'n Adam tried, His guilt behind her sin to hide. The tongue's a sword, a two-edged sword, To kill or quicken with a word; A key to ope and shut the heart, To lock out knowledge or impart. With it God's glory we proclaim, With it blaspheme His holy Name; Here good and evil strangely meet, Hence bitter waters flow with sweet. Lord, such confusion should not be; Thou art all truth, all equity; Pure from Thine hand the creature sprung, But lost Thine image through the tongue. Through it that image be restored; Let tongues of fire that preach Thy Word, Call, by Thy Holy Spirit's might, Souls out of darkness into light. Be this our lot: -- may heart and tongue To heavenly harmony be strung, Till every tone Thy love record, And every pulse praise Thee the Lord. |