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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.

168.

7s. M.

RYLAND.

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.

169.

L. M.

DODDRIDGE.

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.

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170.

S. M.

CHRISTIAN PSALMIST.

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.

171.

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.

172.

C. M.

MRS. STEELE.

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.

14

157

173.

L. M.

WATTS.

Ps. 121.

Divine Protection.

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.

158

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