3 From enticements of the devil,

From the might of spirits evil, Be our shield and panoply;

Let no foe our peace molest; Jesus, Thou our guardian be, Sweet it is to trust in Thee.

And a heavenly peace attend us,

And angelic company.

4 Whilst the night dews are distilling, Holy Ghost! each heart be filling

With Thine own serenity; Softly let our eyes be closing, Loving souls on Thee reposing, Ever blessed Trinity.

strangers,

Dwelling in the midst of foes, Us and ours preserve from dangers, In Thine arms may we repose: And when life's short day is past, Rest with Thee in heaven at last. 1806.

GEORGE RAWSON. 1853.

925

C.M.

THOMAS KELLY.

8.7.

The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.-PSA. cxli. 2.

you afraid.-LEV. xxvi. 6.

1 HOU brightness of the Father's

THOU

face,

Thou Sun of heavenly day,

Thousand odours mingling

rise,

Borne like incense up to heaven,Nature's evening sacrifice.

remove

The soul's dark shades away!

2 The sun is set; the shadowy night

Is reigning in his room; Continue, Lord, Thy saving help, And keep us through the gloom.

3 What though our eyes be sunk in sleep,

To Thee our hearts ascend;
Do Thou, with Thine Almighty hand,
Thy loving saints defend.

4 What though, by earthly woes
The body wearied lies, [opprest,
Yet may the spirit freely wing
Its passage to the skies.

5 O Thou, who art our only hope,
Thy help we humbly crave:
Defend Thy blood-bought people,
Whom Jesus died to save. [Lord,

And Thy faithfulness every night.

THR

PSA. xcii. 2.

HROUGH the day Thy love hath spared us;

Wearied we lie down to rest; [us, Through the silent watches guard

85.

Are they not all ministering spirits?
HEB. i. 14.

NSPIRER and Hearer of prayer,

INSP

Thou Shepherd and Guardian of
Thine,

My all to Thy covenant care

I, sleeping and waking, resign.

If Thou art my shield and my sun, The night is no darkness to me: And fast as my moments roll on, They bring me but nearer to Thee. 2 Thy ministering spirits descend, To watch, while Thy saints are asleep;

By day and by night they attend,
The heirs of salvation to keep :
Bright seraphs despatched from the
throne,

Repair to their stations assigned:
And angels elect are sent down,
To guard the elect of mankind.
3 Their worship no interval knows:

Their fervour is still on the wing:
And while they protect my repose,
They chant to the praise of my King.
I, too, at the season ordained,
Their chorus for ever shall join :
And love and adore, without end,
Their faithful Creator and mine.
AUGUSTUS M. TOPLADY. 1776.

courts.-PSA. xcvi. 8.

1 THIS is the day to tune with care

Each unseen chord within; Would we for sabbaths well prepare, To-day we should begin.

2 Before the Majesty of heaven,

To-morrow we appear;

No honour half so great is given
Throughout man's sojourn here.

3 We must beforehand lay aside
Our own polluted dress;
And wear the robe of Jesus' bride-
His spotless righteousness.

4 The altar must be cleansed to-day,
Meet for the offered Lamb;
The wood in order we must lay,
And wait to-morrow's flame.

5 Lord of the sacrifice we bring,
To Thee our hopes aspire;
Our Prophet, our High Priest, and
Send down the sacred fire. [King!

CHARLOTTE ELLIOTT. 1857.

2

MATT. xxvii. 62.

AFELY through another week,
God has brought us on our way;
Let us now a blessing seek
On the approaching sabbath day:
Day of all the week the best,
Emblem of eternal rest.

When the morn shall bid us rise,
May we feel Thy presence near !
May Thy glory meet our eyes,
When we in Thy house appear!
There afford us, Lord, a taste
Of our everlasting feast.

3 May the gospel's joyful sound
Conquer sinners, comfort saints;
Make the fruits of grace abound,
Bring relief for all complaints:
Thus may all our sabbaths prove,
Till we join the church above.

With all-engaging charms;
Hark! how He calls the tender lambs,
And folds them in His arms.

2 Permit them to approach, He cries,
Nor scorn their humble name;
For 'twas to bless such souls as these,
The Lord of angels came.

3 We bring them, Lord, by fervent prayer,

And yield them up to Thee;
Joyful that we ourselves are Thine:-
Thine let our offspring be.

4 If orphans they are left behind,
Thy guardian care we trust;
That care shall heal our bleeding
If weeping o'er their dust. [hearts,
5 Ye little flock, with pleasure hear;
Ye children, seek His face;
And fly, with transport, to receive
The blessings of His grace.

932

1

PHILIP DODDRIDGE.

C.M.

1755.

2 He, Lord of all the worlds on high, Stoops to converse with you; And lays His radiant glories by, Your friendship to pursue.

3The soul, that longs to see My face, Is sure My love to gain :

And those that early seek My grace,
Shall never seek in vain.'
What object, Lord, my soul should

Who reigns above the sky! How shall a child presume to sing His dreadful majesty?

YE

warm,

In smiling crowds draw near;

And turn from every mortal charm, A Saviour's voice to hear.

tell,

Nor think how large His grace; Not men below, nor saints that dwell On high before His face.

3 Not angels, that stand round the Can search His secret will; [Lord, But they perform His heavenly word, And sing His praises still.

4 Then let me join this holy train, And my first offerings bring; The eternal God will not disdain

To hear an infant sing.

5 My heart resolves, my tongue obeys, And angels shall rejoice

To hear the Almighty Maker's praise
Sound from a feeble voice.

934

1

2

3

ISAAC WATTS. 1715.

148th.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.

REV. v. 12.

HALL hymns of grateful love

SHAI

And shall not we take up the strain, And send the echo back again?

Shall every ransomed tribe, Of Adam's scattered race, To Christ all power ascribe, Who saved them by His grace? And shall not we take up the strain, And send the echo back again?

Shall they adore the Lord

Who bought them with His blood,
And all the love record

That led them home to God?

And shall not we take up the strain, And send the echo back again?

And publish all around

Salvation, through His name,

His proper hour to rise, [know
And, to give light to all below,
Doth send him round the skies.

2 When from the chambers of the east
His morning race begins,
He never tires, nor stops to rest,
But round the world he shines.

3 So, like the sun, may I fulfil
The business of the day;
Begin my work betimes, and still
March on my heavenly way.
4 Give O Lord, Thy early grace;
Nor let my soul complain,
That the young morning of my days
Has all been spent in vain.

me,

strain

Very early in the morning, the first day

THIS

of the week.-MARK XVI. 2.
THIS is the day when Christ arose
So early from the dead;
Why should I keep my eyelids closed,
And waste my hours in bed?

2 This is the day when Jesus broke

The powers of death and hell; And shall I still wear Satan's yoke And love my sins so well?

3 To-day with pleasure Christians meet,

To pray and hear Thy word; And I would go with cheerful feet, To learn Thy will, O Lord.

4 I'll leave my sport to read and pray, And so prepare for heaven;

O may I love this blessed day,
The best of all the seven.

go,

To hear His word, and sing His love, We ought to worship Him below, As saints and angels do above. 2 They stand before His presence now, And praise Him better far than we. Who only at His footstool bow, And love Him whom we cannot see. 3 But God is present everywhere,、 And watches all our thoughts and ways; [prayer, He marks who humbly join in And who sincerely sing His praise. 4 The triflers, too, His eye can see, Who only seem to take a part; They move the lip, and bend the knee,

But do not seek Him with the heart. 5 O may we never trifle so,

Nor lose the days our God has given;
But learn, by sabbaths here below,
To spend eternity in heaven.

941

The same day at evening, being the first day of the week.-JOHN XX. 19.

ORD, how delightful 'tis to see

A whole assembly worship Thee: At once they sing, at once they pray; They hear of heaven, and learn the way.

2 I have been there and still would go, 'Tis like a little heaven below:

Not all my pleasure, nor my play, Shall tempt me to forget this day. 3 0 write upon my memory, Lord, The texts and doctrines of Thy word: That I may break Thy laws no more, But love Thee better than before.