James Montgomery · 332 of 363
Hymn 329: The tongue, the tongue, with all its powers
HYMN CCCXXIX.
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 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.