Since of Thy Goodness all partake,
With what assurance should the just
Thy sheltering wings their refuge make,
And saints to Thy protection trust!
Such guests shall to Thy courts be led,
To banquet on Thy Love's repast,
And drink, as at a fountain-head,
Of joys, that shall for ever last.
THE good man's way is God's delight;
He orders all the steps aright
Of him, that moves by His Command:
Though sometimes he may be distressed,
Yet shall he ne'er be quite oppressed;
For GOD upholds him with His Hand.
Observe the perfect man with care;
Mark well all such as upright are;
Their roughest days in peace shall end :
While on the latter years of those,
Who dare His sacred Will oppose,
A fearful ruin shall attend.
GOD to the just will aid afford;
Their Strength and Safeguard is the LORD;
Their Hope in time of need is He:
Because on Him they still depend,
The LORD will timely succour send,
And from all evil set them free.
Trust in the LORD, be doing good,
And He will give thee daily food,
And all thou canst for need require;
Make thou His Law thy chief delight,
And He thy duty will requite,
And grant thy longing heart's desire.
LORD, let me know my term of days,
How soon my life will end;
The numerous train of ills disclose,
Which this frail state attend.
My life, Thou know'st, is but a span ;
A cipher sums my years;
And every man, in best estate,
But vanity appears.
I'm but a sojourner on earth,
As all my fathers were;
May I be well prepared to go,
When I the summons hear!
O spare me yet a little while,
My wasted strength restore,
Before I vanish quite from hence,
And be beheld no more.
I WAITED meekly for the LORD,
Till He vouchsafed a kind reply,
Who did His gracious Ear afford,
And heard from heaven
humble cry.
He took me from the dismal pit,
When foundered deep in miry clay;
On solid ground He placed my feet,
And suffered not my steps to stray.
Who can the mighty deeds recount
Which Thou, O GOD, for us hast wrought?
The wonders of Thy Love surmount
The powers of number, speech, and thought.
By all, that humbly seek Thy Face,
Let songs of grateful joy be raised;
And all, who know Thy saving Grace,
With me resound, The LORD be praised!
As pants the heart for cooling streams,
When heated in the chase,
So longs my soul, O GOD, for Thee,
And Thy refreshing Grace.
For Thee, my GOD, the Living GOD,
My thirsty soul doth pine;
O when shall I behold Thy Face,
Thou Majesty Divine ?
Send forth, O LORD, Thy Light and Truth,
And let them guide my way,
Till on Thy heavenly Hill I rest,
In bright Eternal Day.
Why restless, why cast down, my soul?
Hope still, and thou shalt sing
The praise of Him, who is thy GOD,
Thy health's Eternal Spring.
A good and gracious word
My willing heart would bring;
My voice, with glad accord,
Shall celebrate my King:
My loyal tongue, in praise of Thee,
A ready writer's pen would be.
Fair art Thou, bright and fair,
O'er mortal men, O LORD;
And grace, beyond compare,
Upon Thy lips is poured;
Large blessing from the GOD of Heaven
Eternally to Thee is given.
Thou Mighty Warrior, gird
Thy sword upon Thy side!
Thy triumph we have heard;
Ride on, in glory ride!
Ride on for Meekness, Truth, and Right,
And shew Thy Right Hand's dreadful Might!
Sharp are Thine arrows, LORD,
To pierce the stubborn foe;
Soon, at Thy Mighty Word,
Shall all be forced to bow:
Thy Throne, O GOD, shall firm remain,
And Truth the sceptre of Thy reign.
Since Thou hast dearly loved
The ways of truth and right,
And in just wrath reproved
The works of wrong and spite,
GOD, e'en Thy GOD, within Thy Breast
Hath gladness poured, above the rest.
GOD is the refuge of His saints,
When storms of sharp distress invade; Ere we can offer our complaints,
Behold Him present with His aid.
Let mountains from their seats be hurled
Down to the deep, and buried there-
Convulsions shake the solid world—
Our faith shall never yield to fear.
There is a stream, whose gentle flow
Makes glad the city of our GOD;
Life, love, and joy, still gliding thro',
And watering our divine abode.
This sacred stream, Thy living Word,
Brings strength to every fainting soul;
Sweet peace Thy promises afford,
And all our trembling fears control,
PSALM XLVII.
Ascension Day.
O ALL ye people, clap your hands,
And with triumphant voices sing!
No force the mighty power withstands
Of GOD, the universal King.
GOD is gone up, our LORD and King,
With shouts of joy and trumpets' sound:
To Him repeated praises bring,
And let your cheerful songs abound.
Your utmost skill in praise be shown
Of Him, who all the world commands-
Who sits upon His righteous throne,
And spreads His sway o'er heathen lands.
Princes of many tribes, brought nigh,
Before the GOD of Israel bend;
For He alone, uplifted high,
As with a shield, doth earth defend.
PSALM XLVIII.
Opening of a Church.
GREAT is the LORD our GOD!
And let His praise be great,
Who Sion makes His blest abode,
His most delightful seat.
These temples of His grace,
How beautiful they stand-
The glories of our native place,
The bulwarks of our land!
In every new distress,
We'll to His House repair;
We'll think upon his promises,
And seek deliverance there.
The GOD we worship now
Will guide us till we die
Will be our GOD while here below,
And our's above the sky.
PSALM XLIX.
Burial of the Dead.
How vain the wisdom of the wise
To save a soul from death!
What can the wealth of kings devise,
To stop man's fleeting breath?
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