Poetry Day - Hannah's prayer

Today's poem is actually a hymn. We are having a series of sermons for January on characters from the bible, and what we can learn from them (with the qualifier that it's not an "exegetical" series). Last Sunday night was Hannah: the great woman of prayer from 1 Sam 1:1-2:10. You can listen to it here. At the close of the sermon Paul Dale read us this hymn, written by John Newton, which I had never heard before. I liked it, and so here it is (taken from here).

When Hannah pressed with grief,

Poured forth her soul in prayer;

She quickly found relief,

And left her burden there:

Like her in every trying case,

Let us approach the throne of grace.

When she began to pray

Here heart was pained and sad;

But ere she went away,

Was comforted, and glad:

In trouble, what a resting place

Have they who know the throne of grace.

Though men, and devils rage,

And threaten to devour;

The saints from age to age,

Are safe from all their pow'r:

Fresh strength they gain to run their race,

By waiting at the throne of grace.

Eli her case mistook,

How was her spirit moved

By his unkind rebuke?

But God her cause approv'd,

We need not fear a creature's face,

While welcome at the throne of grace.

She was not fill'd with wine,

(As Eli rashly thought)

But with a faith divine,

And found the help she sought:

Though men despise and call us base,

Still let us ply the throne of grace.

Men have not power or skill,

With troubled souls to bear,

Though they express good-will,

Poor comforters they are:

But swelling sorrows sink apace,

When we approach the throne of grace.

Numbers before have tried,

And found the promise true;

Nor one been yet denied,

Then why should I or you?

Let us by faith their footsteps trace,

And hasten to the throne of grace.

As fogs obscure the light,

And taint the morning air,

But soon are put to flight,

If the bright sun appear;

Thus Jesus will our sorrows chase,

By shining from the throne of grace.

John Newton