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161.

S. M.

WATTS.

God our Shepherd. Ps. 23.

1 THE Lord my shepherd is,
I shall be well supplied:
Since he is mine, and I am his,
What can I want beside?

2 He leads me to the place
Where heavenly pasture grows,
Where living waters gently pass,
And full salvation flows.

3 If e'er I go astray,

He doth my soul reclaim,

And guides me in his own right way,

For his most holy name.

4 While he affords his aid, I cannot yield to fear;

Though I should walk thro' death's dark shade, My shepherd's with me there.

5 In sight of all my foes

Thou dost my table spread; My cup with blessings overflows, And joy exalts my head.

6 The bounties of thy love

Shall crown my following days; Nor from thy house will I remove, Nor cease to speak thy praise.

13*

149

162.

7s. M.

MERRICK.

God our Shepherd. Ps. 23.

1 Lo, my shepherd's hand divine!
Want shall never more be mine:
In a pasture fair and large
He shall feed his happy charge.
2 When I faint with summer's heat,
He shall lead my weary feet
To the streams that, still and slow,
Through the verdant meadows flow.

3 He my soul anew shall frame,
And, his mercy to proclaim,

When through devious paths I stray,
Teach my steps the better way.

4 Thou my plenteous board hast spread;
Thou with oil refreshed my head;
Filled by thee, my cup o'erflows;
For thy love no limit knows.

5 Constant, to my latest end,
Thou my footsteps shalt attend,
And shalt bid thy hallowed dome
Yield me an eternal home.

163.

11s. M.

God our Shepherd.

MONTGOMERY.

Ps. 23.

THE Lord is my shepherd, no want shall I

know:

I feed in green pastures, safe folded I rest;
He leadeth my soul where the still waters

flow;

Restores me when wandering, redeems when oppressed.

2 Through the valley and shadow of death though I stray,

Since thou art my guardian, no evil I fear; Thy rod shall defend me, thy staff be my stay, No harm can befall with my Comforter near. 3 In the midst of affliction my table is spread; With blessings unmeasured my cup runneth

o'er ;

With perfume and oil thou anointest my head; O what shall I ask of thy providence more?

4 Let goodness and mercy, my bountiful God, Still follow my steps, till I meet thee above; I seek, by the path which my forefathers trod Through the land of their sojourn, thy kingdom of love.

164.

C. M.

DODDRIDGE.

The Divine Presence and Help.

1 AND art thou with us, gracious Lord,
To dissipate our fear?

Dost thou proclaim thyself our God,
Our God forever near?

2 Doth thy right hand, which formed the earth,
And bears up all the skies,
Stretch from on high its friendly aid,
When dangers round us rise?

3 On this support our souls shall lean,
And banish every care;

The gloomy vale of death will smile,
If God be with us there.

4 While we his gracious succor prove, 'Midst all our various ways,

The darkest shades, through which we pass, Shall echo with his praise.

165.

L. M..

WATTS.

Darkness of Providence.

1 LORD, we adore thy vast designs,
The obscure abyss of providence!
Too deep to sound with mortal lines,
Too dark to view with feeble sense.

2 Through seas and storms of deep distress
We sail by faith, and not by sight;
Faith guides us in the wilderness,
Through all the terrors of the night.

3 Dear Father, if thy lifted rod
Resolve to scourge us here below,
Still let us lean upon our God;

Thine arm shall bear us safely through.

166. L. M.

TATE & BRADY.

Confidence in God's Protection. Ps. 18.

1 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.

2 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.

3 Thou to the just shalt justice show;
The pure thy purity shall see :
Such as perversely choose to go,
Shall meet with due returns from thee.

4 Then who deserves to be adored,
But God, on whom my hopes depend?
Or who, except the mighty Lord,
Can with resistless power defend?

167.

7s. M.

MRS. BARBAULD.

Providence adored in all Changes.

1 PRAISE to God, immortal praise,
For the love that crowns our days:
Bounteous source of every joy,
Let thy praise our tongues employ;
2 For the blessings of the field,
For the stores the gardens yield;
For the vine's exalted juice,
For the generous olive's use.

3 Flocks that whiten all the plain,
Yellow sheaves of ripened grain,
Clouds, that drop their fattening dews,
Suns, that temperate warmth diffuse;

4 All that spring with bounteous hand
Scatters o'er the smiling land;
All that liberal autumn pours
From her rich o'erflowing stores ;-

5 These to thee, our God! we owe,
Source whence all our blessings flow!
And for these our souls shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise.

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