6 Yet should rising whirlwinds tear From its stem the ripening ear; Should the fig-tree's blasted shoot Drop her green untimely fruit;
7 Should thine altered hand restrain The early and the latter rain; Blast each opening bud of joy, And the rising year destroy ;
8 Still to thee our souls shall raise Grateful vows and solemn praise; And, when every blessing's flown, Love thee-for thyself alone.
Our Times in the Hand of God.
1 SOVEREIGN Ruler of the skies, Ever gracious, ever wise! All my times are in thy hand, All events at thy command.
2 Thou didst form me by thy power; Thou wilt guide me, hour by hour; All my times shall ever be Ordered by thy wise decree :
3 Times of sickness, times of health; Times of penury and wealth; Times of trial and of grief; Times of triumph and relief;
4 Times temptation's power to prove; Times to taste a Saviour's love; All is fixed, the means and end, As shall please my heavenly Friend.
God the Eternal Dwelling-place. Ps. 90.
1 THOU, Lord, through every changing scene, Hast to thy saints a refuge been; Through every age, eternal God, Their pleasing home, their safe abode. 2 In thee our fathers sought their rest, In thee our fathers still are blest; And while the tomb confines their dust, In thee their souls abide, and trust.
3 Lo, we are risen, a feeble race, Awhile to fill our fathers' place; Our helpless state with pity view, And let us share their refuge too.
4 Through all the thorny paths we trace In this uncertain wilderness,
When friends desert, and foes invade, Revive our heart and guard our head.
5 So when this pilgrimage is o'er, And we must dwell in flesh no more, To thee our separate souls shall come, And find in thee a surer home.
6 To thee our infant race we leave; Them may their fathers' God receive; That voices yet unformed may raise Succeeding hymns of humble praise.
God working in the Soul.
1 'Tis God the spirit leads. In paths before unknown: The work to be performed is ours; The strength is all his own.
2 Assisted by his grace,
We still pursue our way; And hope at last to reach the prize, Secure in endless day.
3 'Tis he that works to will, "Tis he that works to do;
He is the power by which we act, His be the glory too.
C. M. MRS. STEELE.
Kindness and Constancy of Providence.
1 THY kingdom, Lord, forever stands, While earthly thrones decay;
And time submits to thy commands, While ages roll away.
2 Thy sovereign bounty freely gives Its unexhausted store, And universal nature lives On thy sustaining power.
3 Holy and just in all its ways Is providence divine;
In all its works, immortal rays Of power and mercy shine.
4 The praise of God,-delightful theme!- Shall fill my heart and tongue: Let all creation bless his name In one eternal song.
Distinguished Goodness of God to Man.
1 THY wisdom, power and goodness, Lord, In all thy works appear;
But most thy praise should man record, Man, thy distinguished care.
2 From thee the breath of life he drew; That breath thy power maintains; Thy tender mercy, ever new, His brittle frame sustains.
3 Thy providence, his constant guard, When threatening ills impend, Or will th' impending dangers ward, Or timely succors lend.
4 Yet nobler favors claim his praise, Of reason's light possest;
By revelation's brighter rays Still more divinely blest.
5 All bounteous Lord, thy grace impart; O teach me to improve
Thy gifts with ever grateful heart, And crown them with thy love.
1 Up to the hills I lift mine eyes, The eternal hills beyond the skies; Thence all her help my soul derives; There my Almighty Refuge lives.
2 He lives; the everlasting God,
That built the world, that spread the flood; The heavens with all their hosts he made, And the dark regions of the dead.
3 He guides our feet, he guards our way, His morning smiles bless all the day; He spreads the evening veil, and keeps The silent hours while Israel sleeps.
4 Israel, a name divinely blest, May rise secure, securely rest; Thy holy guardian's wakeful eyes Admit no slumber nor surprise.
5 No sun shall smite thy head by day, Nor the pale moon with sickly ray Shall blast thy couch; no baleful star Dart his malignant fire so far.
6 Should earth and hell with malice burn, Still thou shalt go, and still return, Safe in the Lord! his heavenly care Defends thy life from every snare.
« PreviousContinue » |