5 O come and show thy pow'r to save, 6 Satan, my cruel envious foe, He smiles to see me brought so low, 7 But hence, thou enemy, depart, My Saviour comes to cheer my heart, XLVI. None upon Earth I desire beside thee. 1 How tedious and tasteless the hours, When Jesus no longer I see; Sweet prospects, sweet birds, and sweet flow'rs Have lost all their sweetness with me; The midsummer sun shines but dim, The fields strive in vain to look But when I am happy in him, gay; 2 His name yields the richest perfume, My summer would last all the year. 3 Content with beholding his face, My all to his pleasure resign'd, No changes of season or place, Would make any change in my mind; While bless'd with a sense of his love, A palace a toy would appear; And prisons would palaces prove, If Jesus would dwell with me there. 4 Dear Lord, if indeed I am thine, If thou art my sun and my song; Where winter and clouds are no more. XLVII. The Believer's Safety. Psalm xci. 1 INCARNATE God! the soul that knows 2 Thy wisdom, faithfulness, and love, 3 In vain the fowler spreads his'net, Thy timely call instructs their feet 4 When, like a baneful pestilence, Sin mows its thousands down On ev'ry side, without defence, Thy grace secures thine own. 5 No midnight terrors haunt their bed, Unhurt on serpents they shall tread, 6 Angels, unseen, attend the saints, 7 The angels' Lord himself is nigh 8 Crosses and changes are their lot, But since their Saviour changes not, XLVIII. Another. 1 THAT man no guard or weapons needs, Whose heart the blood of Jesus knows; But safe may pass, if duty leads, Through burning sands or mountain-snows. 2 Releas'd from guilt, he feels no fear; Redemption is his shield and tow'r; He sees his Saviour always near To help in ev'ry trying hour. 3 Though I am weak, and Satan strong, 4 His love possessing I am blest, Secure whatever change may come ; Whether I go to east or west, With him I still shall be at home. 5 If plac'd beneath the northern pole, Though winter reigns with rigour there; His gracious beams would cheer my soul, And make a spring throughout the 6 Or if the desert's sun-burnt soil year. My lonely dwelling e'er should prove; His presence would support my toil, Whose smile is life, whose voice is love. XLIX. He led them by a right Way. Ps. cvii. 7. 1 WHEN Israel was from Egypt freed, The Lord, who brought them out, 2 To enter Canaan soon they hop'd; 3 The desert fill'd them with alarms, And Amalek, by force of arms, To check their progress stood. 4 They often murmur'd by the way, 5 In the Red Sea, that stopp'd them first, Their enemies were drown'd; The rocks gave water for their thirst, 6 By fire and cloud their way was shown Across the pathless sands; And Amalek was overthrown 7 The way was right their hearts to prove, 8 Just so the true believer's path Though dark to sense, 'tis right to faith, L. What shall I render*? Ps. cxvi. 12, 13. 1 FOR mercies, countless as the sands, From Jesus my Redeemer's hands, 2 Alas! from such a heart as mine, My best is stain'd and dy'd with sin, * Book iii. Hymn 67. |