3 Oh! thankful, bless th' Almighty Lord,
The God by Jacob's sons adored!
His fame, ere time its course began,
O'er heaven's wide region echoing ran :
To Him, through endless ages, raise
One song of oft-repeated praise.
1 AS pants the hart for cooling springs,
So longs my soul, O King of kings,
Thy face in near approach to see,
And thirsts, great Source of Life, for thee.
2 Thy mercies Lord, before my eyes
Shall yet in sweet remembrance rise :
Amidst the storm, amidst the wave,
Thy love the beams of comfort gave.
3 Thy name to rapture prompts my tongue,
My joy by day, by night my song;
To thee my soul ascends in prayer,
And in thy bosom pours its care.
4 Then why my soul with care opprest?
And whence the woes that fill my breast?
In all thy care, in all thy woes,
On God thy stedfast hope repose.
1 JUDGE me, Lord, in righteousness,
Plead for me in my distress,
Good and merciful thou art,
Bind this bleeding broken heart;
Cast me not despairing hence,
Be my love, my confidence.
2 Send thy light and truth to guide
Me, too prone to turn aside,
On thy holy hill to rest
In thy tabernacles blest;
There to God my chiefest joy,
Praise shall all my powers employ.
3 Why my soul art thou dismay'd,
Why of earth or hell afraid?
Trust in God, disdain to yield
While o'er thee he casts his shield,
And his countenance divine
Sheds the light of heaven on thine.
I wrought for my name's sake. Ezek. 20.
argument of supplication well introduced into the Litany.
OFT have our ears, great God, been taught
What for our fathers thou hast wrought;
While with adoring minds they told
The wonders of thy works of old.
2 From morning dawn to evening close,
On thee alone our hopes repose :
Our Saviour, to thy name we'll raise
The tribute of eternal praise.
3 Though midst the oppressor's fiery breath,
Or covered with the gloom of death,
Yet will we not forget thy name,
Nor e'er thy covenant oath disclaim.
4. Why does thy face where mercies dwell
Its beams of majesty conceal,
Regardless of the woes that wait
Around our long afflicted state?
5 Behold! our soul with sorrow bends,
And down to dust our life descends;
And while thine arm its aid denies,
Prostrate on earth deserted lies.
6 Rise for our help, eternal Lord!
Be now as heretofore adored;
Thy mercy, Lord, we also claim,
Redeem us, and exalt thy name.
1 AWAKE my heart, with joy record
The brilliant triumphs of thy Lord,
My tongue divinely influenced sing
Messiah's praise, th' eternal King.
2 O fairer than the sons of men !
Truth, grace, and mercy, mark thy reign;
Celestial joys thy steps surround,
Of God with bliss eternal crown'd.
3 Ride on and conquer, mighty Lord!
Direct the arrows of thy Word,
Subdue thy foes, thy conquests spread,
Triumphs of mercy crown thy head.
4 Thy throne, O God, shall ever last,
Ages to come, from ages past,
The sceptre of thy righteousness
All nations shall with justice bless.
5 Thou lovest truth, thou Holy One,
Grace, mercy, peace, adorn thy throne,
And God, thy God, to thee hath given
The plenitude of joy in heaven ↑.
1 GOD is our refuge in distress,
A present help when dangers press;
In him we will confide;
Though earth were from her centre tost,
And mountains in the ocean lost,
Secure we shall abide.
2 A gentle stream with gladness still
The city of our Lord shall fill,
The seat of God most high.
God dwells in Zion, whose fair towers
Shall mock th' assaults of earthly powers,
While his strong aid is nigh.
3 Submit to God's Almighty sway,
Him shall the heathen all obey,
And earth her Lord confess.
The God of hosts conducts our arms,
Our tower of refuge in alarms,
Our father in distress.
PSALM XLVII. *
The thanksgiving of the Gentile Church.
1 OH for a shout of sacred joy
To God the Sov'reign King;
Let all the lands their tongues employ,
And hymns of triumph sing.
2 Jesus our God ascends on high !
His heavenly guards around
Attend him rising through the sky,
With trumpet's joyful sound.
+ For Part II. see Hymn cccxl.
3 While angels shout and praise their King,
Let mortals learn their strains;
Let all the earth his honours sing;
O'er all the earth he reigns.
4 Rehearse his praise with awe profound,
Let knowledge lead the song;
Nor mock him with a solemn sound
Upon a thoughtless tongue.
5 In Israel stood his ancient throne,
He loved that chosen race;
But now he calls the world his own,
And heathens taste his grace.
6 The British Islands are the Lord's,
There Abraham's God is known;
While powers and princes, shields and swords,
Submit before his throne.
PSALM XLVIII.
Encouragement from past deliverance.
GREAT is the Lord our God,
And let his praise be great;
He makes his churches his abode,
His most delightful seat.
2 These temples of his grace,
How beautiful they stand;
The honours of our native place,
The bulwarks of our land.
In Sion God is known
A refuge in distress :
How bright hath his salvation shone
Through all her palaces !
When kings against her join'd,
And saw the Lord was there,
In wild confusion of the mind
They fled with hasty fear.
5 When navies tall and proud
Attempt to spoil our peacet,
He sends his tempest roaring loud,
And sinks them in the seas.
+ A Navy is a number of ships of war. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, (A.D. 1588,) the King of Spain sent over a vast number
Oft have our fathers told,
Our eyes have often seen,
How well our God secures the fold
Where his own sheep have been.
7 In every new distress
We'll to his house repair;
We'll think upon his wond'rous grace
And seek deliverance there.
1 FAR as thy name is known,
The world declares thy praise;
Thy saints, O Lord, before thy throne
Their songs of honour raise.
With joy let Judah stand
On Zion's chosen hill;
Proclaim the wonders of thy hand,
And counsels of thy will.
3 Let strangers walk around
The city where we dwell;
Compass and view the holy ground,
And mark the building well:
The order of thy house,
The worship of thy court,
The cheerful songs, the solemn vows,
And make a fair report†.
5 How decent and how wise,
How glorious to behold;
Beyond the pomp that charms the eyes,
And rites adorn'd with gold.
The God we worship now
Will guide us till we die;
Will be our God while here below,
And through eternity.
|