From Thee our vital breath we drew,
Our childhood was Thy care;
And vigorous youth and feeble age
Thy kind protection share:
Hear, gracious Lord, our mingled praises hear; Thou art our hope, our joy, our fear!
Whate'er we do, where'er we turn,
Thy ceaseless bounty flows;
Oppressed with woe, when nature faints,
Thine arm is our repose:
Hear, gracious Lord, our mingled praises hear;
Thou art our hope, our joy, our fear!
To Thee we look, thou Power supreme;
O still our wants supply!
Safe in Thy presence may we live,
And in Thy favour die!
Hear, gracious Lord, our mingled praises hear; Thou art our hope, our joy, our fear!
1 Can creatures to perfection find
The eternal, uncreated mind?
Or can the largest stretch of thought
Measure and search His nature out?
2 T is high as heaven, 't is deep as hell;
And what can mortals know or tell?
His glory spreads beyond the sky,
And all the shining worlds on high.
3 He wounds the heart, and He makes whole ;
He calms the tempest of the soul;
When He shuts up in long despair,
Who can remove the heavy bar?
4 He frowns, and darkness veils the moon.
The fainting sun grows dim at noon:
The pillars of heaven's starry roof
Tremble and start at His reproof.
5 He gave the vaulted heaven its form,
The crooked serpent, and the worm;
He breaks the billows with His breath,
And smites the sons of pride to death.
6 These are a portion of His ways:
But who shall dare describe His face?
Who can endure His light, or stand
To hear the thunders of His hand?
10 Thou, the wretched's sure retreat,
Who canst our cares control!
Look down, and with Thy smile of peace
Revive the fainting soul.
2 Did ever Thy relenting ear
The humble plea disdain?
Or when did plaintive misery sigh,
And supplicate, in vain?
3 Opprest with grief and shame, dissolved In penitential tears,
Thy goodness calms our restless doubts,
And dissipates our fears.
4 New life from Thy refreshing grace
Our sinking hearts receive;
Thy gentle, best-loved attribute,
To pity and forgive.
5 From that blest source, propitious hope Appears serenely bright;
And sheds her soft diffusive beam
O'er sorrow's dismal night.
6 Our griefs confess her vital power,
And bless her friendly ray;
Bright herald to the smiling morn
Of everlasting day.
1 My God, my King! Thy various praise
Shall fill the remnant of my days;
Thy grace employ my humble tongue,
Till death and glory raise the song.
2 The wings of every hour shall bear
Some thankful tribute to Thy ear;
And every setting sun shall see
New works of duty done for Thee.
3 Thy truth and justice I'll proclaim :
Thy bounty flows an endless stream:
Thy mercy swift; Thy anger slow,
But dreadful to the stubborn foe.
4 Thy works with sovereign glory shine,
And speak Thy majesty divine:
Let distant times and nations raise
The long succession of Thy praise.
5 But who can speak Thy wondrous deeds?
Thy greatness all our thoughts exceeds:
Vast and unsearchable Thy ways;
Vast and immortal be Thy praise.
1 Leader of Israel's host, and Guide
Of all who seek the land above,
Beneath Thy shadow we abide,
The cloud of Thy protecting love;
Our strength, Thy grace; our rule, Thy word;
Our end, the glory of the Lord.
2 By Thine unerring Spirit led,
We shall not in the desert stray;
We shall not full direction need,
Nor miss our providential way;
As far from danger as from fear,
While Love, almighty Love, is near.
1 God of the universe, whose hand
Hath sown with suns the fields of space,
Round which, obeying Thy command,
Unnumbered worlds fulfil their race;
2 How vast the region where Thy will
Existence, form, and order gives!
Pleased the wide cup with joy to fill
For all that grows, and feels, and lives.
3 Lord, while we thank Thee, let us learn
Beneficence to all below;
Those praise Thee best, whose bosoms burn
Thy gifts on others to bestow.
1 Lord! Thou hast searched and seen me through ; Thine eye commands, with piercing view, My rising and my resting hours,
My heart and flesh, with all their powers. 2 My thoughts, before they are my own, Are to my God distinctly known;
He knows the words I mean to speak,
Ere from my opening lips they break.
3 Within Thy circling power I stand;
On every side I find Thy hand;
Awake, asleep, at home, abroad,
I am surrounded still with God.
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