686.

1

(414,)

C. M.

National security from God.
vain opposing nations rage,
If God with us abide:

IN

One word of his dissolves their strength,
And humbles all their pride.

2 His wisdom sees correction meet;
He gives the dread command,
And war its desolation spreads
Through every trembling land.

3 is purpose wrought, again he speaks,
And desolations cease;

War's loud alarms are heard no more,
And all the world is peace.

4 Mortals, adore his sov'reign pow'r,
Nor dare provoke his rod:

Through all your various tribes be still,
And know that he is God.

687.

1

S. M.
In time of war.

GOD, to correct the world,

In wrath is slow to rise;

But comes at length, in thunder cloth'd,
And darkness veils the skies.

2 His banners, lifted high,

The nations' God declare,

And, stain'd with blood, with terrors mark'd, Spread wonder and despair.

3 All earthly pomp and pride Are in his presence lost;

Empires o'erturn'd, thrones, sceptres, crowns, In wild confusion tost.

4 While war and wo prevail,
And desolation wide;

In God, the sov'reign Lord of all,
The righteous still confide.

5 Mysterious is the course

Of his tremendous way:

His path is in the trackless winds,
And in the foaming sea.

6 Yet, though now wrapt in clouds,
And from our view conceal'd
The righteous Judge will soon appeal,
In majesty reveal'd!

7 He'll curb the lawless pow'r,
The deadly wrath of man;
And all the windings will unfold
Of his own gracious plan.

8 The sons of tyranny

In ruin shall be hurl'd;

And light, and liberty, and bliss,
Embrace the new-born world.
L, M.

688. In Time of War. Ps. xlvi.
ION Thee, great Ruler of the skies,

On thee our steadfast hope relics; When hostile powers against us join, What aid so present, Lord, as thine? 2 By thee secur'd, no fears we own, Though earth, convuls'd, beneath us groan, Though tempests o'er her surface sweep, And whirl her hills into the deep;―

3 Though, arm'd with rage, before our eyes That deep in all its horrors rise,

While, as the tumult spreads around,
The mountains tremble at the sound.

4 Behold fair Sion's blest retreat,
Where God has fixt his awful seat;
Whose walls to heaven's almighty Lord
His chosen residence afford.

5 God, ever watchful, ever nigh,
Bids storms around her harmless fly;

His early car cach foe withstands,

And backward turns the yielding bands.

689.

1

L. M.

Prayer for Peace.

WHILE Justice waves her vengeful hand

Tremendous o'er a guilty land,

Almighty God, thy awful pow'r With fear and trembling we adore. 2 Where shall we fly but to thy feet? Our only refuge is thy seat;

Thy seat where potent mercy pleads,
And holds thy thunder from our heads,
S While peace and plenty blést our days,
Where was the tribute of our praise?
Ungrateful race! how have we spent
The blessings which thy goodness lent!
4 Look down, O Lord, with pitying eye;
Though loud our crimes for vengeance cry,
Let mercy's louder voice prevail,
Nor thy long-suffering patience fail.

5 Encourag'd by thy sacred word,
May we not plead thy promise, Lord;
That when an humble nation mourns,
Thy rising wrath to pity turns?
6 Olet thy sov'reign grace impart
Contrition to each rocky heart;
And bid sincere repentance flow,
In general, undissembled wo.
7 Fair smiling peace again restore;
With plenty bless the pining poor:
And may a happy, thankful land,
Obedient own thy guardian. hand.

690.

1

L. M. Prayer for Peace.-Amoš iiì. 1-6. WHILE o'er our guilty land, O Lord,

We view the terrors of thy sword,

O whither shall the helpless fly?
To whom but thee direct their cry?
2 The helpless sinner's cries and tears
Are grown familiar to thine ears:
Oft has thy mercy sent relief,

When all was fear and hopeless grief.
3 On thee our guardian God we call-
Before thy throne of grace we fall;
And is there no deliverance there?
And must we perish in despair?

See, we repent, we weep, we mourn→
To our forsaken God we turn!
O spare our guilty country-spare
The church which thou hast planted here

5 We plead thy grace, indulgent God;
We plead thy Son's atoning blood;
We plead thy gracious promises.—
And are they unavailing pleas?

6 These pleas, presented at thy throne, Have brought ten thousand blessings down, On guilty lands in helpless wo:

Let them prevail to save us too.

691.

C. M.

For a Public Fast.

1 SEE, gracious God before thy throne
Thy mourning people bend!

'Tis on thy sovereign grace alone
Our humble hopes depend.

2 Tremendous judgments from thy hand
Thy dreadful power display;

Yet mercy spares this guilty land,
And still we live to pray.

3 Great God, and is Columbia spar'd,
Ungrateful as we are!

O make thy awful warnings heard,
While mercy cries, 'Forbear.’

What land so favour'd of the skies,
As these apostate States!

Our num'rous crimes increasing rise,
Yet still thy vengeance waits.

5 How chang'd, alas! are truths divine
For error, guilt, and shame!
What impious numbers, bold in sin,
Disgrace the Christian's name!

S Regardless of thy smile or frown,
Their pleasures they require;
And sink with gay indifference down
To everlasting fire.

O turn us, turn us, mighty Lord,
By thy unbounded grace;
Then shall our hearts obey thy word,
And humbly seek thy face.

8 Then should insulting foes invade,
We shall not sink in fear;
Secure of never-failing aid,
If God, our God is near.

~L. M.

Confession and Prayer.

692.

1

OH may power

the

which melts the rock

Be felt by all assembled here!

Or else our service will but mock

The God whom we profess to fear!

2 Lord, while thy judgments shake the land Thy people's eyes are fix'd on thee! We own thy just uplifted hand,

Which thousands cannot, will not see.

3 How long hast thou bestow'd thy care
On this indulg'd, ungrateful spot;
While other nations far and near,
Have envy'd and admir'd our lot.

4 Here peace and liberty have dwelt,
The glorious gospel brightly shone;