How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?
In every condition-in sickness, in health,
In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
"As thy days inay demand shall thy strength ever be.
"Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed!
I, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid:
"E'en down to old age, all my people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.
"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I will not desert to his foes ;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake!"
R. Keene? 1787.1
Come hither, ye faithful, triumphantly sing,
Come, see in the manger the angel's dread King;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to To Bethlehem hasten with joyful accord:
stand,
Upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand.
"When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow:
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace all-sufficient shall be thy supply:
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
Oh, come ye, come hither, oh, come ye, come hither,
Oh, come ye, come hither to worship the Lord.
True Son of the Father, he comes from the skies,
To be born of a virgin he doth not despise.
Hark, hark to the angels all singing in heaven,
"To God in the highest all glory be given."
To thee, then, O Jesus, this day of thy birth,
Be glory and honor through heaven and earth.
Tr. Edward Caswell, b. 1814.
2 When tempted by Satan the Spirit to grieve-
The service of Christ, my Redeemer, to leave,
I'll claim my relation to Jesus on high,
The Rock of salvation that's higher than I.
3 When judgments, O Lord, are abroad in the land,
And merited vengeance descends from thy hand;
O'erwhelmed with the sight, for protection I'll fly,
And hide in the Rock that is higher than I.
4 When summoned away before God to appear,
By free grace supported I'll yield without fear;
Most gladly I'll venture with Jesus on high,
To enter the Rock that is higher than I.
5 'Tis there, with the chosen of Jesus, I long
To dwell, and eternally join in the song,
Of praising and blessing with angels on high,
Christ Jesus, the Rock that is higher than I.
Unknown, cir. 1880.
1518 Them that are afar off upon the sea.
O Father who rulest the wind and wave,
So strong to redeem and Almighty to save;
Now hear us and help us, we cry unto thee,
Oh bless the lone wanderers afar on the sea!
From danger and tempest the voyager defend,
Thine arm for deliverance in mercy extend;
Oh, list to the helpless, that cry unto thee,
And save the lone wanderer afar on the sea!
Blessed are the pure in heart.
Oh, bliss of the purified, bliss of the free,
I plunge in the crimson tide opened for me;
O'er sin and uncleanness exulting I stand,
And point to the print of the nails in His hand.
Oh, bliss of the purified, Jesus is mine,
No longer in dread condemnation I pine;
In conscious salvation I sing of His grace,
Who lifted upon me the light of His face.
Ob, bliss of the purified! bliss of the pure!
That Great Shepherd of the Sheep.
Thos. Hastings, arr. d. 1827.
The Lord is my Shepherd, then I shall not want, He leads in green pastures by waters of peace;
11s. 1523 want, wanderer The Lord is my Shepherd, -then I shall not want O wanderer, burdened with sorrows and fears, He leads in green pastures by waters of peace; Look up from thy darkness, dejection, and tears; My soul he restoreth, when weary and faint, And leads me in righteousness, wisdom and grace. There is mercy in Jesus,-salvation is free. There is pity, and pardon, and gladness for thee, Thro' the valley of death-shade I walk without fear, His rod and his staff for my comfort abide;
No evil shall harm while my Shepherd is near,
My gracious preserver, my guardian, and guide. Tho' foes may surround me, my board thou dost spread My cup filled by thee, doth with blessings run o'er; Thine oil of rejoicing upon my poor head,
In goodness and mercy thou daily dost pour.
Thy favor shall follow my steps to the end,
Till I in thy palace of glory sublime,
Shall see my Redeemer, my Saviour and Friend,
And dwell through the ages unnumbered in time.
H., 1868,
Yea, all of them shall wax old.
Psalm cii. 26.
Your sins may like mountains before you arise,
But the mercy of God fills the earth and the skies;
Ye weary and guilty give heed to His call;
There is pardon for you,-there is pardon for all.
The mountains shall shake and the hills shall depart,
But nothing shall trouble the sanctified heart;
For He who hath loved us, our Saviour and Friend,
Shall guard us and guide us in love to the end.
11s. Acquaint thee, O mortal, acquaint thee with God; And joy like the sunshine shall beam on thy road; And peace like the dewdrop shall fall on thy head; And sleep, like an angel, shall visit thy bed. Acquaint thee, O mortal, acquaint thee with God; And he shall be with thee when fears are abroad; Thy safeguard in danger that threatens thy path,Thy joy in the valley and shadow of death.
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11s.
The world is grown old and her pleasures are past;
The world is grown old and her form may not last;
The world is grown old and trembles for fear:
For sorrows abound and judgment is near.
The sun in the heaven is languid and pale,
And feeble and few are the fruits of the vale;
And the hearts of the nations fail them for fear,
For the world is grown old and judgment is near.
The king on his throne and the bride in her bower;
The children of pleasure all feel the sad hour;
The roses are faded, and tasteless the cheer,
For the world is grown old and judgment is near!
The world is grown old,-but should we complain,
Who have tried her and know that her promise is vain?
Our heart is in heaven, our home is not here,
And we look for our crown when judgment is near.
Reginald Heber, 1783-1826.
O Word everlasting, within me abide,
Beneath thy wing resting, in peace let me hide.
My strength is but weakness, my faith is but small,
Oh, watch me great Shepherd, my Saviour, my All.
Be thou my director, my helper, my guide,
My shield and protector, whatever betide;
Be thou my provider whatever may come,
And bring me in safety to glory my home.
Oh, may no earth-born cloud a-rise, To hide Thee from thy serv-ant's eyes.
The Lord God is a Sun.
Psalm lxxiv. 11.
L. M. Blest are the humble souls that wait
Harmonious all their passions move,
With sweet submission to his will;
2 When the soft dews of kindly sleep
My wearied eye-lids gently steep,
Be my last thought, how sweet to rest
Forever on my Saviour's breast.
3 Abide with me from morn till eve,
For without Thee I cannot live;
Abide with me when night is nigh,
For without Thee I dare not die.
4 If some poor wandering child of Thine
Have spurned to-day the voice divine-
Now, Lord, the gracious work begin;
Let him no more lie down in sin.
5 Watch by the sick; enrich the poor
With blessings from thy boundless store;
Be every mourner's sleep to-night,
Like infant slumbers, pure and light.
6 Come near and bless us when we wake,
Ere through the world our way we take;
Till in the ocean of Thy love
We lose ourselves in heaven above.
John Keble, ab. 1827.
Wait thou only upon God.
Psalm lxii. 5.
1527
L. M.
Wait on the Lord, ye heirs of hope,
And let his word support each soul;
Well can he bear your courage up,
And all your foes and fears control.
He waits his own well-chosen hour
Th' intended mercy to display;
And his paternal pities move,
While wisdom dictates the delay.
And in the midst of storms are still.
Still, till their Father's well-known voice Wakens their silence into songs; Then earth grows vocal with his praise, And heaven the grateful shout prolongs.
At even, when the sun did set. Luke i. 82.
1528
At even, when the sun was set,.
The sick, O Lord, around thee lay;
Oh, in what divers pains they met,
Oh, with what joy they went away. Once more 'tis eventide, and we
Oppressed with various ills, draw near: What if thy form we cannot see?
We know and feel that thou art here. O Saviour Christ, our woes dispel,
For some are sick and some are sad, And some have never loved thee well, And some have lost the love they had. O Saviour Christ, thou too art Man;
Thou hast been troubled, tempted, tried; Thy kind but searching glance can scan The very wounds that shame would hide; Thy touch has still its ancient power, No word from thee can fruitless fall; Hear in this solemn evening hour, And in thy mercy heal us all.
1529 I myself will awake early. L. M. 2 Thy precious time misspent redeem; Each present day thy last esteem; Improve thy talent with due care, For the great day thyself prepare. 3 In conversation be sincere, Keep conscience as the noontide clear, Think how all-seeing God thy ways And all thy secret thoughts surveys.
4 Wake, and lift up thyself, my heart, And with the angels bear thy part, Who all night long unwearied sing High praises to the eternal King.
5 All praise to Thee, who safe hast kept, And hast refreshed me while I slept: Grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake, I may of endless life partake.
6 Lord, I my vows to thee renew:
Disperse my sins as morning dew;
Guard my first springs of thought and will,
And with thyself my spirit fill.
7 Direct, control, suggest this day,
All I design, or do, or say;
That all my powers, with all their might,
In thy sole glory may unite.
Thomas Ken, ab. 1637-1710.
The evening oblation Daniel ix. 21.
1533
All praise to thee, my God, this night,
For all the blessings of the light;
Beneath thine own almighty wings.
Keep me, oh, keep me, King of kings,
Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,
The ill that I this day have done:
That with the world, myself, and thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.
Teach me to live, that I may dread
The grave as little as my bed;
Teach me to die, that so I may
Oh, may my soul on Thee repose,
Rise glorious at the judgment day.
And with sweet sleep mine eye-lids close;
Sleep, that may me more vigorous make
To serve my God when I awake.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise him all creatures here below;
Praise him above ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Thomas Ken, ab. 1637-1710.
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