O help me stand still
When all around me is dark,
Yea, to still stand,
When all around seems a loss,
Let me stand, stand still,
Against the wiles of the evil one -
For all the sorrows of saints,
Shall be surely transmuted,
Even the worst of them,
That looks as if,
They'll forever remain
Fountains of bitterness,
Must all be transmuted;
Then, my loads of sorrow,
Will become tons of joy,
At the touch of Him -
The Alchemy of heaven.

Then,
The bitterer the trouble
The sweeter the pleasure,
The far the pendulum to the left
The farther to the right it swings,
The remembrance of the grief
The better the flavor of the delight:
One set in contrast with the other,
The brilliance of the diamond
Shall be more clearly seen
Against the black foil behind it.

Come on my heart, cheer up!
For in a little while,
I shall be as glad
As I am now gloomy.
He says, my sorrow
Shall be turned into joy.
I do not see how it is to be,
But I do believe it shall be,
And so I begin to sing, now,
By way of anticipation.
This depression of spirit
Is not for long;
I shall soon be happy
Praising the Lord -
Day and night,
Singing of His mercy -
That delivers,
Out of great afflictions.