This is the fast, which I will choose

Verse 1

This is the fast that I will choose, The burdens to undo; The hands of wickedness to loose, And let the pris'ner go:

Verse 2

Let such as are opprest be freed, Break ev'ry yoke in twain, Gladly supply the brethren's need, And thus allay their pain:

Verse 3

To hungry souls to deal thy bread, Nor thrust them from thy door, But in thine house a table spread, For all the cast out poor:

Verse 4

To all the naked cov'ring give, Their drooping hearts refresh; Nor hide thyself, whilst thou dost live, From those who're thine own flesh.

Verse 5

Attentive to the heav'nly word We stand convicted deep, That we ourselves, before the Lord, This fast can never keep:

Verse 6

But up we look unto our head, Jesus the fast hath kept; And us in him thro' all he did, The Father doth accept.

Verse 7

He kept the fast, which God did choose; Our burdens did undo; Our hands of wickedness did loose, And let the pris'ners go:

Verse 8

From sin's oppression us he freed, Brake ev'ry yoke in twain, Gladly supply'd his brethren's need, And sav'd us from hell's pain.

Verse 9

To us he deals the living bread, Nor thrusts us from his door; But to his house, and table spread, He brings us cast out poor.

Verse 10

Cloth'd with the labours of his cross, He did our hearts refresh; Nor did he hide himself from us, But calls us his own flesh.

Verse 11

Hail, Alpha and Omega, hail! All hail, thou first and last! O'er all our foes we shall prevail, For thou hast kept the fast:

Verse 12

Complete in thee, our dearest Lord, They works as ours are known: We now encourag'd by thy word, Conclude thy fast's our own.