Sickness

THY way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be ;

Lead me by Thine own Hand,
Choose out the path for me.

Smooth let it be, or rough,
It will be still the best :
Winding, or straight, it leads
Right onward to Thy rest.

I dare not choose my lot;
I would not if I might;
Choose Thou for me, my God,
So shall I walk aright.

The kingdom that I seek

Is Thine, so let the way That leads to it be Thine,

Else I must surely stray.

Take Thou my cup, and it
With joy or sorrow fill,

As best to Thee may seem;
Choose Thou my good or ill.

Choose Thou for me my friends,
My sickness or my health;
Choose Thou my cares for me,
My poverty or wealth.

Not mine, not mine the choice
In things or great or small;
Be Thou my Guide, my Strength,
My Wisdom, and my All.

Dr HORATIUS BONAR.

WHEN I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.-Job vii. 4, 6.

My days are like a shadow that declineth;

and I am withered like grass. Psalm cii. II.

I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.-Psalm xxxviii. 8, 10.

Remove Thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.-Psalm xxxix. 10.

Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.Psalm lxxi. 9.

O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.-Psalm xxxix. 13.

O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give Thy strength unto Thy servant, and save the son of Thine handmaid.-Psalm lxxxvi. 16.

The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.-Psalm xli. 3.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.-Psalm xxiii. 4.

Let Thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live.-Psalm cxix. 77.

Let my soul live, and it shall praise Thee. -Psalm cxix. 175.

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.-Psalm cxviii. 17.

Bless the LORD Who healeth all thy diseases.-Psalm ciii. 1, 3.

Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. Matthew viii. 17.

The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up.

The effectual fervent prayer of a

righteous man availeth much. —James v. 15, 16.

LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.-Psalm xxxix. 4.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.-Psalm

XC. 12.

And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee.-Psalm xxxix. 7.