78. Faith and Hope and Charity

1. Faith and hope and charity
Are the Christian’s foremost graces;
Every child of God must see
That these virtues he embraces.
Where our God is served with power,
Faith, love, hope must bloom each hour.

2. Faith lays the foundation stone
For the ground that truly blesses;
Faith looks up to Christ alone
And with hearts and lips confesses
What the Spirit here would teach it,
Earthly trouble cannot reach it.

3. Love must show the fruit of faith
Unto God and to the neighbor,
Yield itself to Christ till death,
Never tiring of its labor;
And no suff’ring here shall ever
Separate us from the Savior.

4. Hope gives love and bravery
Every ill and need to conquer;
And upon life’s stormy sea
Proves a true and steadfast anchor.
Thou our hearts be tempest-beaten,
Hope all suffering doth sweeten.

5. O preserve this faith in me,
Gracious Lord, in Thy good pleasure;
Shame all those who mightily
Seek to rob me of this treasure:
Let the bruised reed not be broken,
Nor be quenched the flax, still smoking!

6. May my charity be pure,
Not a sham or pretense merely;
O bestow Thy power sure,
That my love may shine our clearly;
Help me love Thee, heav’nly Father,
And in Thee, my every brother.

7. Set my hope on solid ground;
Strengthen it in every trial;
May it flourish and abound,
And in danger shun denial:
Let it see past heaven’s portal
And find rest in things immortal.

8. Faith and hope at last shall cease,
When they are fulfilled by seeing;
Yet shall charity increase
Where it has its root and being.
Charity will flourish ever
When I love Thee, Lord, forever!