Explore "Happy the Birth where Grace Presides" by John Newton on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
I: Happy the birth where grace presides, / To form the future life!
In wisdom's path the soul she guides, / Remote from noise and strife.
II: Since I have known the Saviour's name, / And what for me he bore; / No more I toil for empty fame, / I thirst for gold no more.
III: Placed by his hand in this retreat, / I make his love my theme, / And see that all the world calls great / Is but a waking dream.
IV: Since he has rank'd my worthless name / Amongst his favour'd few, / Let the mad world, who scoff at them, / Revile and hate me too.
V: O thou whose voice the dead can raise, / And soften hearts of stone, / And teach the dumb to sing thy praise, / This work is all thine own!
VI: Thy wond'ring saints rejoice to see / A wretch like me restored, / And point and say -- "How changed is he / Who once defied the Lord!"
VII: Grace bid me live, and taught my tongue / To aim at notes divine; / And grace accepts my feeble song -- / The glory, Lord, be thine!