I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:20
Words: Frederick W. Faber (1814–1863), alt. Appeared in the Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes, edited by Henry W. Beecher (New York: A. S. Barnes, 1855), number 596.
Music: Weehawken Elam Ives, Jr. (1802–1864). Appeared in The Church Porch, compiled by William R. Huntington (New York: E. P. Dutton, 1874), number 90 (🔊 pdf nwc).
If you know where to get a good picture of Ives (head & shoulders, at least 200×300 pixels),
Dear Jesus! ever at my side,
How loving Thou must be
To leave Thy home in Heav’n to guard
A little child like me.
Thy beautiful and shining face
I see not, though so near;
The sweetness of Thy soft low voice
I am too deaf to hear.
I cannot feel Thee touch my hand,
With pressure light and mild,
To check me, as my mother did,
When I was but a child.
But I have felt Thee in my thoughts,
Rebuking sin for me;
And when my heart loves God, I know
The sweetness is from Thee.
And when, dear Savior, I kneel down,
Morning and night in prayer,
Something there is within my heart
Which tells me Thou art there.
Yes, when I pray, Thou prayest too—
Thy prayer is all for me;
But when I sleep, Thou sleepest not,
But watchest patiently,