596. Walking on Water Hymn

I heard a sermon on this miracle of Jesus this morning, and a point that the preacher lightly brushed against in one sentence really caught hold and started to form a hymn around itself. I'm inclined to set it to a Welsh tune called Hywel, which I spotted in a Facebook post about how the "M.B.C." meter (6.7.8.7.), common in Welsh-language hymnals, is hardly ever used in English. Huh. Let's see about that.

Who are You, Lord, who walks
On storm-tossed seas, surefooted?
Take pity on my faith, which balks,
Though in Your promise rooted!

Had I dear Peter's sand
To vault the rail unthinking—
Were I indeed on solid land,
How soon I would be sinking!

Behold, O Christ, my doubts,
So swiftly, loudly thronging;
How I pass through sin's daily bouts,
You and my neighbor wronging!

But this, at least, I glean
From Peter's rush and stumble:
Your eye rests not upon the clean,
But on the poor and humble.

And this: 'tis not my faith
Which bears me through this hour—
That broken thing! Nay, but Your grace,
Your trusty word, Your power.

Oh, fix my eyes on You,
My plea for mercy hearing!
Then sure salvation I will view,
Secured through Your appearing.