God has His best things for the few
That dare to stand the test;
God has His se­cond choice for those
Who will not have His best.

Refrain

Give me, O Lord, Thy best things,
Let oth­ers take the rest;
I do not want their good things,
For I have got the best.

It is not al­ways op­en ill
That risks the pro­mised rest;
The bet­ter oft­en is the foe
That keeps us from the best.

Refrain

There’s scarcely one but vague­ly wants
In some way to be blest;
’Tis not Thy bless­ing, Lord, I seek,
I want Thy ve­ry best.

Refrain

And oth­ers make the high­est choice,
But when by tri­als pressed,
They shrink, they yield, they shun the cross,
And so they lose the best.

Refrain

I want, in this short life of mine,
As much as can be pressed,
Of ser­vice true for God and man;
Help me to be my best.

Refrain

I want, among the vic­tor throng,
To have my name con­fessed;
And hear my Mas­ter say at last,
Well done, you did your best.

Refrain