Accept, great God, the tribute of our song,
And all the mercies of this day prolong.
Then spread thy peaceful word through every nation,
That all the earth may hail thy great salvation.
CCCLXVIII. The Blessing pronounced upon Israel by the Priests. Numbers vi. 24-27.
1 GUARDIAN of Israel, source of peace,
Who hast ordain'd thy priests to bless,
Shine forth as our propitious Lord,
And verify thy servants' word.
2 Let thy own power defend us still
Through all the year from every ill;
And let the splendor of thy face
Cheer all its bright or gloomy days.
3 Thy countenance our souls would see,
For all our joys unite in thee;
And peace still waits at thy command
To calm our hearts, and bless our land.
4 Hear, while thy priests address their vows,
And scatter blessings through thy house;
And, while they fall, may Israel raise
Its pious songs of ardent praise.
CCCLXIX. A Hymn for a Fast-Day in Time of War. Deuteronomy
REAT God of heaven and nature, rise,
And hear our loud united cries:
See Britain bow before thy face
Through all her coasts, and seek thy grace.
2 No arm of flesh we make our trust;
Nor sword, nor horse, nor ships we boast:
Thine is the land, and thine the main,
And human force and skill is vain.
3 Our guilt might draw thy vengeance down
On every shore, on every town;
But view us, Lord, with pitying eye,
And lay thy lifted thunder by.
4 Forgive the follies of our times,
And purge our land from all its crimes;
Reform'd and deck'd with grace divine,
Let princes, priests and people shine.
5 O may no God-provoking sin
Through all our camps and navies reign;
3 If thou wilt smite, offended God,
Sheath up thy sword, and take thy rod,
And, 'midst the anguish and the smart,
Open to discipline our heart.
4 By chastening, if our souls be taught,
And cleans'd from every secret fault;
The wise severity we'll bless,
And mix our groans with songs of praise:
CCCLXXIV. Thanksgiving for National Deliverance, and Improve ment of it. Luke i. 74, 75.
1 SALVATION doth to God belong;
His power and grace shall be our song;
His hand hath dealt a secret blow,
And terror strikes the haughty foe.
2 Praise to the Lord, who bows his ear
Propitious to his people's prayer;
And, though deliverance long delay,
Answers in his well-chosen day.
3 "O! may thy grace our land engage,
"Rescu'd from fierce tyrannic rage,
"The tribute of its love to bring
"To thee, our Saviour, and our King!"
4 Our temples guarded from the flame,
Shall echo thy triumphant name;
And every peaceful private home
To thee a temple shall become.
5 Still be it our supreme delight
To walk as in thy honour'd sight:
Still in thy precepts and thy fear,
To life's last hour to persevere.
3 If thou wilt smite, offended God,
Sheath up thy sword, and take thy rod,
And, 'midst the anguish and the smart,
Open to discipline our heart.
4 By chastening, if our souls be taught,
And cleans'd from every secret fault;
The wise severity we'll bless,
And mix our groans with songs of praise:
CCCLXXIV. Thanksgiving for National Deliverance, and Improvement of it. Luke i. 74, 75.
1 SALVATION doth to God belong
His power and grace shall be our song;
His hand hath dealt a secret blow,
And terror strikes the haughty foe.
2 Praise to the Lord, who bows his ear
Propitious to his people's prayer;
And, though deliverance long delay,
Answers in his well-chosen day.
3 "O! may thy grace our land engage,
"Rescu'd from fierce tyrannic rage,
"The tribute of its love to bring
"To thee, our Saviour, and our King!"
4 Our temples guarded from the flame,
Shall echo thy triumphant name;
And every peaceful private home
To thee a temple shall become.
5 Still be it our supreme delight
To walk as in thy honour'd sight:
Still in thy precepts and thy fear,
To life's last hour to persevere.
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