3 It floateth like a banner
Before God's host unfurl'd;
It shineth like a beacon
Above the darkling world;
It is the chart and compass,
That o'er life's surging sea,
Mid mists, and rocks, and quicksands,
Still guide, O Christ, to thee.
4 O make thy church, dear Saviour,
A lamp of burnish'd gold
To bear before the nations
Thy true light as of old:
O teach thy wandering pilgrims
By this their path to trace,
Till, clouds and darkness ended,
They see thee face to face."
Sundays after Trinity: Faith.
"WE KNOW THEE NOW BY FAITH."
Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in
all generations.-Ps. xc. 1.
1 O GOD, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home:
2 Under the shadow of thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure :
Sufficient is thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure.
3 Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting thou art God,
To endless years the same.
4 A thousand ages in thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
5 Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
6 O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come;
Be thou our guard while life shall last,
And our eternal home.
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase [C.M.
our faith.-Luke xvii. 5.
10 FOR a faith that will not shrink
Though press'd by many a foe;
That will not tremble on the brink
Of poverty or woe ;—
2 That will not murmur nor complain
Beneath the chastening rod:
But, in the hour of grief or pain,
Can lean upon its God;-
3 A faith that shines more bright and clear
When tempests rage without;
That when in danger knows no fear,
In darkness feels no doubt;-
4 A faith that keeps the narrow way
Till life's last spark is fled,
And with a pure and heavenly ray
Lights up a dying bed.
5 Lord, give me such a faith as this,
And then, whate'er may come,
I'll taste e'en here the hallow'd bliss
Of an eternal home.
Our eyes wait upon the Lord our God.
Ps. cxxiii. 2.
1 My faith looks up to thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine :
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day
Be wholly thine.
2 May thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire:
As thou hast died for me,
may my love to thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire.
3 While life's dark maze I tread
And griefs around me spread,
Be thou my Guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow's tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From thee aside.
4 When ends life's transient dream,
When death's cold sullen stream
Shall o'er me roll;
Blest Saviour, then in love
Fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above,
A ransom'd soul.*
Incline your ear, and come unto me.
1 I HEARD the voice of Jesus say,
Come unto me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon my breast.
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad,
I found in him a resting-place,
And he has made me glad.
2 I heard the voice of Jesus say,
Behold I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down and drink, and live.
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream,
My thirst was quench'd, my soul revived,
And now I live in him.
3 I heard the voice of Jesus say,
I am this dark world's light,
Look unto me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright.
I look'd to Jesus, and I found
In him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I'll walk,
Till travelling days are done.a
268 Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet [SIX 8s. have believed.-John xx. 29.
1 WE saw thee not when thou didst come
To this poor world of sin and death,
Nor e'er beheld thy cottage home
In that despised Nazareth;
But we believe thy footsteps trod
Its streets and plains, thou Son of God.
2 We did not see thee lifted high
Amid that wild and savage crew, Nor heard thy meek imploring cry,
"Forgive, they know not what they do ;"
Yet we believe the deed was done,
Which shook the earth and veil'd the sun.
3 We stood not by the empty tomb Where late thy sacred body lay, Nor sat within that upper room,
Nor met thee in the open way; But we believe that angels said, "Why seek the living with the dead?"
4 We did not mark the chosen few,
When thou didst through the clouds ascend, First lift to heaven their wondering view, Then to the earth all prostrate bend; Yet we believe that mortal eyes
Beheld that journey to the skies.
5 And now that thou dost reign on high,
And thence thy waiting people bless,
No ray of glory from the sky
Doth shine upon our wilderness;
But we believe thy faithful word,
And trust in our redeeming Lord."
269 We have hope, as an anchor of the soul, sure [SIX 8s. and steadfast.-Heb. vi. 19.
1 Now I have found the ground wherein
Sure my soul's anchor may remain :
The wounds of Jesus, for my sin,
Before the world's foundation slain;
Whose mercy shall unshaken stay,
When heaven and earth are fled away.
2 O Love, thou bottomless abyss!
My sins are swallow'd up in thee;
Cover'd is my unrighteousness,
Nor spot of guilt remains on me :
While Jesus' blood through earth and skies,
Mercy, free boundless mercy, cries.
|