The Works and Word of God. Ps. xix.
1 GREAT GOD, the heaven's well ordered frame Declares the glories of thy name;
There thy rich works of wonder shine: A thousand starry beauties there, A thousand radiant marks appear
Of boundless power, and skill divine.
2 From night to day, from day to night, The dawning and the dying light Lectures of heavenly wisdom read; With silent eloquence, they raise Our thoughts to the Creator's praise, And neither sound nor language need.
3 Yet their divine instructions run Wide as the circuit of the sun,
And every nation knows their voice; The sun, in robes of splendor dressed, Breaks from the chambers of the east, Moves round, and makes the earth rejoice,
4 Where'er he spreads his beams abroad, He speaks the majesty of God:
All nature joins to show thy praise : Thus God in every creature shines, Bright in the book of nature's lines, But brighter in the book of grace.
For the Lord's Day Morning.
1 GREAT GOD! this sacred day of thine Demands our souls' collected powers; May we employ in work divine
These solemn, these devoted hours!
2 Hence, ye vain cares and trifles, fly; Where God resides, appear no more: Omniscient God! thy piercing eye Can every secret thought explore.
3 The word of life dispensed to-day, Invites us to a heavenly feast; May every ear the call obey, Be every heart an humble guest!
4 Thy gracious aid, O God! impart ; Oh may thy word, with life divine, Engage the ear and warm the heart! Then shall the day indeed be thine.
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The God of Nature invoked.
1 HAIL great Creator, wise and good! To thee our songs we raise :
Nature, through all her various scenes, Invites us to thy praise.
2 At morning, noon, and evening mild, Fresh wonders strike our view; And while we gaze, our hearts exult, With transports ever new.
3 Thy glory beams in every star Which gilds the gloom of night; And decks the smiling face of morn With rays of cheerful light.
4 The lofty hill, the humble vale, With countless beauties shine: The silent grove, the awful shade, Proclaim thy power divine.
5 Great nature's God! still may these scenes Our serious hours engage; Still may our grateful hearts consult Thy works' instructive page!
6 And while, in all thy wondrous works, Thy varied love we see; Still may the contemplation lead Our hearts, O God! to thee.
The Perfections and Providence of God. Ps. xxxvi. 5-9.
1 HIGH in the heavens, eternal God! Thy goodness in full glory shines;
Thy truth shall break through every cloud That veils and darkens thy designs.
2 For ever firm thy justice stands, As mountains their foundations keep; Wise are the wonders of thy hands; Thy judgments are a mighty deep.
3 Thy providence is kind and large; Both man and beast thy bounty share: The whole creation is thy charge, The righteous thy peculiar care.
4 O God! how excellent thy grace! Thence all our hope and comfort spring; In fear, in trouble, and distress, We'll seek the shadow of thy wing.
5 The living bread thy word bestows, Will fainting souls with strength renew; There mercy like a river flows, And brings salvation to our view.
6 Life, like a fountain rich and free, Springs from the goodness of the Lord; And in thy presence, we shall see The glories promised in thy word.
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Humble Adoration.
1 HOLY, holy, holy, Lord! Be thy glorious name adored; Lord! thy mercies never fail; Hail, celestial goodness, hail!
2 Though unworthy, Lord! thine ear, Deign our humble songs to hear; Purer praise we hope to bring, When around thy throne we sing.
3 While on earth ordained to stay, Guide our footsteps in thy way; Then on high we'll joyful raise Songs of everlasting praise.
4 Lord! thy mercies never fail; Hail, celestial goodness, hail! Holy, holy, holy Lord!
Be thy glorious name adored.
The Book of Grace. Ps. xix.
1 How precious, Lord! thy holy word! What light and joy its truths afford To souls benighted and distressed! Thy precepts guide our doubtful way; Thy fear forbids our steps to stray; Thy promise leads the heart to rest.
2 Thy threatenings wake our slumbering eyes, And warn us where our danger lies; While gospel-truth and grace divine Inspire the heart with filial love, Exalt and fix our hopes above, And make the willing spirit thine.
3 From the discoveries of thy law What perfect rules of life we draw! Be these our study and delight: May every deed, and word, and thought, To truth and duty's standard brought, Become well-pleasing in thy sight.
4 Oh may thy word those faults reveal, Which blind self-love may yet conceal, And from presumptuous sins restrain! Thus taught to use the book of grace, We'll raise a grateful song of praise That we possess it not in vain.
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