Poems - Keep the Incense Burning
“Keep the Incense Burning”
Verse 1
“Keep the incense burning”
On the altar fire;
Let thy heart’s petition,
Let thy deep desire,
Be a cloud of incense
Wreathing God’s own throne,
Till His will among us
Shall be fully done.
Verse 2
“Keep the incense burning”
On the altar fire:
Feed the flame, Lord Jesus,
Till Thy whole desire
Shall in us, Thy children,
Find free course, and be
Breathed thro’ lips anointed
For this ministry.
Verse 3
“Keep the incense burning”
Tho’ thy faith be weak;
Tho’ in words thou canst not
All thy longing speak:
Silent heart-petitions,
Spirit-taught, will be
Gloriously answered:
Wrought by God for thee.
Verse 4
“Keep the incense burning”
Hourly let it rise,
Till from opened Heavens,
Till from flame-swept skies,
Fire shall fall and kindle
All hearts to a flame;
Making us a glory
To our Saviour’s Name.
“And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints”
Revelation 5:8
Meter: 11.11.11.11.
Tune:
First Publication: First verse printed with the June 1906 in The CMS Home Gazette, Volume , Issue 18. 1906. London: Church Missionary Society.
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