O may Thy Spirit guide my feet
In ways of truth and grace!
Make Thou each path of duty straight
And plain before my face.
To all, that love and fear Thy Name,
Thy blessing shall extend;
Thy favour, LORD, shall compass them,
Ånd, like a shield, defend.
IN Mercy, not in wrath,
Rebuke us, gracious GOD;
Lest, if Thy whole displeasure rise,
We sink beneath Thy rod.
Touched by Thy quickening power,
Our load of guilt we feel;
The wounds Thy Spirit hath unclosed,
O let that Spirit heal!
Oppressed with sin and woe,
Must we for ever mourn;
And wilt Thou not at length, O GOD,
In pitying Love return?
Why should we doubt Thy Grace,
Or yield to dread despair?
Thou wilt fulfil Thy promised word,
And grant our humble prayer.
O THOU, to Whom all creatures bow
Within this earthly frame,
Through all the world how great art Thou!
How glorious is Thy Name!
In heaven Thy wondrous acts are sung,
Nor fully reckoned there;
And yet Thou mak'st the infant tongue
Thy boundless praise declare.
When all Thy beauteous work on high
Employs our wondering sight-
The moon that nightly rules the sky,
With stars of feebler light-
LORD, what is man, that Thou shouldst love
To keep him in Thy mind?
Or son of man, that Thou shouldst prove
To him so wondrous kind?
O Thou, to Whom all creatures bow
Within this earthly frame,
Through all the world how great art Thou!
How glorious is Thy Name!
To celebrate Thy praise, O LORD,
I will my heart prepare
To all the listening world Thy works,
Thy wondrous works, declare.
The thought of them shall to my soul
Exalted pleasure bring;
Whilst to Thy Name, O Thou most High,
Triumphant praise I sing.
All those, who have His Goodness proved,
Will in His Truth confide,
Whose Mercy ne'er forsook the man
That on His help relied.
Sing praises, therefore, to the LORD
From Sion, His abode!
Proclaim His deeds, till all the world
Confess no other GOD.
No change of times shall ever shock
My firm affection, LORD, to Thee;
For Thou hast always been a rock,
A fortress and defence, to me.
Thou my deliverer art, my GOD;
My trust is in Thy mighty power:
Thou art my shield from foes abroad-
At home, my safeguard and my tower,
To Thee will I address my prayer,
To Whom all praise we justly owe;
So shall I, by Thy watchful care,
Be guarded from my treacherous foe.
Be the Eternal LORD adored,
The mighty Rock on which we rest!
His goodness through the earth record—
Through earth with His salvation blest.
THE heavens declare Thy glory, LORD,
Which that alone can fill;
The firmament and stars express
Their great Creator's skill,
The dawn of each returning day
Fresh beams of knowledge brings;
And from the dark returns of night
Divine instruction springs.
Their powerful language to no realm,
Or region, is confined;
'Tis nature's voice, and understood
Alike by all mankind.
Wide as the circling sun, they spread
The glorious truth abroad;
And teach the wondering world to sing
The praises of our GOD.
PSALM XIX. (Part II.)
GOD's perfect law converts the soul,
And makes the simple wise;
The statutes of the LORD are pure,
And light our darkened eyes.
Our trusty counsellors are they,
And friendly warnings give;
For great is the reward of all,
Who by Thy precepts live.
Let no presumptuous sin O LORD,
Dominion have o'er me;
So shall I, by Thy Grace preserved,
The great transgression flee.
Then shall my prayers and praises be
With thine acceptance blest;
And I, secure, on Thy defence,
My Strength and SAVIOUR, rest.
PSALM XIX. (Second Version.)
HEAVEN declares its Maker's glory,
And the firmament His might;
Day to day the wondrous story
Echoes on, and night to night.
All is silence, yet Creation
Knows and hears that voiceless speech,
Which, to every tribe and nation,
Doth their Maker's glory teach.
From his chamber bright in heaven,
Lo! the bridegroom of the earth
Gladness by his smile hath given,
And hath waked the morn to mirth,
So all full of life and pleasure
Is God's Word, and all complete ;
"Tis more precious than all treasure-
Than the honeycomb more sweet.
It rejoices, heals, and teaches,
Ever holy, just, and good—
To the inmost feeling reaches,
Leading up the heart to God.
Let our words and meditation,
Ever pleasing in Thy sight,
Meet with gracious acceptation,
Our Redeemer, and our Might!
GOD in time of trouble hear thee,
And the name of Jacob's LORD
From His sanctuary cheer thee,
Out of Sion help afford—
Crown thy sacrifice with fire,
All thy gifts remember still,
Grant thee all thy hearts desire,
And thy choicest wish fulfil.
Some in mortal man confide-
We in GOD Almighty trust:
Our defence shall still abide-
They are fallen in the dust.
Save, JEHOVAH, save and hear us,
King of Glory, King of Might!
When we call, be ever near us--
Ever for Thy Servants fight.
THE LORD Himself, the mighty LORD,
Vouchsafes to be my Guide-
The Shepherd, by whose constant care
My wants are all supplied.
'Tis He my wandering soul reclaims,
And, to His endless praise,
Instructs with humble zeal to walk
In His most righteous ways.
I pass the gloomy vale of death
From fear and danger free;
For there His aiding rod and staff
Defend and comfort me.
Since GOD doth thus His wondrous Love
Through all my life extend,
That life to Him I will devote,
And in His temple spend.
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