2 For Jehovah is God, and Jehovah alone, Creator and ruler o'er all;
And we are his people, his sceptre we own; His sheep, and we follow his call.
3 O enter his gates with thanksgiving and song, Your vows in his temple proclaim;
His praise with melodious accordance prolong,
And bless his adorable Name.
4 For good is the Lord, inexpressibly good,
And we are the work of his hand;
His mercy and truth from eternity stood,
And shall to eternity stand.
EFORE Jehovah's awful throne,
Ye nations, bow with sacred joy;
Know that the Lord is God alone;
He can create, and he destroy.
2 His sovereign power, without our aid,
Made us of clay, and form'd us men;
And when like wandering sheep we stray'd,
He brought us to his fold again.
3 We are his people, we his care,
Our souls, and all our mortal frame;
What lasting honours shall we rear,
Almighty Maker, to thy Name?
4 We'll crowd thy gates with thankful songs,
High as the heaven our voices raise;
And earth, with her ten thousand tongues,
Shall fill thy courts with sounding praise.
5 Wide as the world is thy command,
Vast as eternity thy love;
Firm as a rock thy truth must stand,
When rolling years shall cease to move.
HYMN 155. III. 1.
Songs of Praise.
ONGS of praise the angels sang;
Heaven with hallelujahs rang,
When Jehovah's work begun,
When he spake and it was done.
2 Songs of praise awoke the morn,
When the Prince of Peace was born;
Songs of praise arose, when he
Captive led captivity.
3 Heaven and earth must pass away:
Songs of praise shall crown that day:
God will make new heavens and earth;
Songs of praise shall hail their birth.
4 And shall man alone be dumb,
Till that glorious kingdom come?
No; the Church delights to raise
Psalms, and hymns, and songs of praise.
5 Saints below, with heart and voice,
Still in songs of praise rejoice;
Learning here, by faith and love,
Songs of praise to sing above.
6 Borne upon their latest breath,
Songs of praise shall conquer death;
Then, amidst eternal joy,
Songs of praise their powers employ.
HYMN 156. C. M.
FATHER, whate'er of earthly bliss
Thy sovereign will denies, Accepted at thy throne, let this, My humble prayer, arise:
2 Give me a calm and thankful heart,
From every murmur free;
The blessings of thy grace impart,
And make me live to thee:
3 Let the sweet hope that thou art mine My life and death attend;
Thy presence through my journey shine, And crown my journey's end.
BE still my heart, these anxious cares
To thee are burdens, thorns, and snares
They cast dishonour on thy Lord,
And contradict his gracious word.
2 Brought safely by his hand thus far,
Why wilt thou now give place to fear?
How canst thou want if he provide,
Or lose thy way with such a guide?
3 When first before his mercy-seat,
Thou didst to him thy all commit;
He gave thee warrant from that hour,
To trust his wisdom, love, and power.
4 Did ever trouble yet befall,
And he refuse to hear thy call?
And has he not his promise past,
That thou shalt overcome at last?
5 Though rough and thorny be the road,
It leads thee home, apace, to God;
Then count thy present trials small,
For heaven will make amends for all.
HYMN 158. C. M.
EAR, gracious God, my humble moan,
To thee I breathe my sighs:
When will the mournful night be gone?
When shall my joys arise?
2 Yet though my soul in darkness mourns, Thy promise is my stay;
Here would I rest till light returns,
Thy presence makes my day.
3 Come, Lord, and with celestial peace,
Relieve my aching heart;
O smile, and bid my sorrows cease,
And all their gloom depart.
4 Then shall my drooping spirit rise,
And bless thy healing rays,
And change these deep complaining sighs For songs of sacred praise.
AS, panting in the sultry beam,
The hart desires the cooling stream, So to thy presence, Lord, I flee, So longs my soul, O God, for thee; Athirst to taste thy living grace, And see thy glory, face to face. 2 But rising griefs distress my soul, And tears on tears successive roll; For many an evil voice is near, To chide my woe, and mock my fear; And silent memory weeps alone O'er hours of peace and gladness flown. 3 For I have walk'd the happy round That 'circles Sion's holy ground, And gladly swell'd the choral lays, That hymn'd my great Redeemer's praise, What time the hallow'd arches rung Responsive to the solemn song.
4 Ah, why, by passing clouds opprest,
Should vexing thoughts distract thy breast?
Turn, turn to Him, in every pain,
Whom suppliants never sought in vain;
Thy strength, in joy's ecstatic day,
Thy hope, when joy has pass'd away.
HYMN 160. II. 3.
A Compassionate High-Priest.
WHEN gathering clouds around I view,
And days are dark, and friends are few,
On Him I lean, who, not in vain,
Experienced every human pain;
He feels my griefs, he sees my fears,
And counts and treasures up my tears.
2 If aught should tempt my soul to stray
From heavenly wisdom's narrow way,
To fly the good I would pursue,
Or do the ill I would not do;
Still He, who felt temptation's power,
Shall guard me in that dangerous hour.
3 When vexing thoughts within me rise,
And, sore dismay'd, my spirit dies;
Then He, who once vouchsafed to bear
The sickening anguish of despair,
Shall sweetly soothe, shall gently dry,
The throbbing heart, the streaming eye.
4 When sorrowing o'er some stone I bend,
Which covers all that was a friend,
And from his voice, his hand, his smile,
Divides me for a little while;
Thou, Saviour, seest the tears I shed,
For thou didst weep o'er Lazarus dead.
5 And, oh, when I have safely past
Through every conflict but the last,
Still, still unchanging, watch beside
My bed of death, for Thou hast died:
Then point to realms of endless day,
And wipe the latest tear away.
HYMN 161. L. M.
Sanctified Affliction.
LORD, unafflicted, undismay'd,
In pleasure's path how long I stray'd: But thou hast made me feel thy rod, And turn'd my soul to thee, my God. 2 What though it pierced my fainting heart, I bless thy hand that caused the smart; It taught my tears awhile to flow,
But saved me from eternal woe.
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