Words: , Ol­ney Hymns (Lon­don: W. Ol­iv­er, 1779).

Music: Ballerma, (1741-1808), adapt­ed by in A Se­lect­ion of Orig­in­al Sac­red Mu­sic, 1833. Al­ter­nate tunes:

  • Dalehurst, , 1874
  • Kent, , in Twen­ty-Four Tunes in Four Parts, cir­ca 1800
  • St. Pe­ter (Rein­a­gle), , 1836

Approach, my soul, the mercy seat,
Where Jesus answers prayer;
There humbly fall before His feet,
For none can perish there.

Thy promise is my only plea,
With this I venture nigh;
Thou callest burdened souls to Thee,
And such, O Lord, am I.

Bowed down beneath a load of sin,
By Satan sorely pressed,
By war without and fears within,
I come to Thee for rest.

Be Thou my Shield and hiding Place,
That, sheltered by Thy side,
I may my fierce accuser face,
And tell him Thou hast died!

O wondrous love! to bleed and die,
To bear the cross and shame,
That guilty sinners, such as I,
Might plead Thy gracious Name.

“Poor tempest-tossèd soul, be still;
My promised grace receive”;
’Tis Jesus speaks—I must, I will,
I can, I do believe.