My attention was drawn to this lovely hymn recently. It is especially attractive when sang to KINGSFOLD a traditional English tune arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Hear a midi by following this link and downloading the midi
here
The author is anonymous but the hymn is from Stockwell Gems, which I presume was a hymn book connected with Spurgeon's orphanage (see pic). Perhaps it was written by Spurgeon or the headmaster Vernon Charlesworth. It is 662 in New Christian Hymns.
Show me Thy face - one transient gleam
Of loveliness divine,
And I shall never think or dream
Of other love than Thine;
All lesser lights will darken quite,
All lower glories wane,
The beautiful of earth will scarce
Seem beautiful again.
Show me Thy face - my faith and love
Shall henceforth fixed be,
And nothing here have power to move My soul's serenity.
My life shall seem a trance, a dream,
And all I feel and see, illusive, visionary -
Thou The one reality.
Show me Thy face - I shall forget
The weary days of yore;
The fretting ghosts of vain regret
Shall haunt my soul no more.
All doubts and fears for future years
In quiet trust subside;
And naught but blest content and calm
Within my breast abide.
Show me Thy face - the heaviest cross
Will then seem light to bear;
There will be gain in every loss,
And peace with every care.
With such light feet the years will fleet,
Life will seem brief as blest,
'Till I have laid my burden down
And entered into rest.
