Okay, this poem reminded me of my grandma because this is exactly how she sounds when she prays, I kid you not.She even agreed with me when I read it to her. I felt like this person (a) was dying or (b) just got saved because he was asking forgiveness. It says "Thou must save, and Thou alone"(line 12). At the same time, he thinks he has too many sins to forgive, ("All for sin could not atone", line 11).
I guess I'm attracted to religious things because I grew up in a religious environment and it speaks to me more. That's why I liked this poem. It made me want to pray and ask God for forgiveness for anything bad I've done, which I do every day. Of course, religion was stricter in the 1700's than it is now, and nobody really prays like this anymore(except my grandma, apparently).
My favorite part of the poem is the whole last stanza. "While I draw this fleeting breath- When my eye-strings break in death- When I soar to worlds unknown- See Thy judgement-throne- ROCK of ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee!" (lines 19-24) The words flow wonderfully together, and they just sound so beautiful. It was like music in my ears.
There's also the line "Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to thy Cross I cling" which tells me the narrator wants to be closer to God, feels unworthy to even be in His presence, but still worships and "clings" to the Word and follows it best he can. This is dumb in my opinion, because I was under the impression that God forgives everything and loves everyone, no matter what.
I hope it doesn't seem like I'm preaching, because I'm not. I just get really into poems like this one.
Side note: This poem was written the same year the Declaration of Independence was signed. Did anyone notice that besides me? Hmm...
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