But Jesus spent his life to work

The robe of righteousness.

6 Strangely, my soul, art thou arrayed
By the great sacred Three;
In sweetest harmony of praise,
Let all thy powers agree.

381

AV

PRAISE FOR LOVING-KINDNESS.

L. M.

WAKE, my soul, in joyful lays, And sing thy great Redeemer's praise, He justly claims a song from thee; His loving-kindness, O! how free!

2 He saw me ruined in the fall,
Yet loved me notwithstanding all;
He saved me from my lost estate;
His loving-kindness, O! how great!

3 Though numerous hosts of mighty foes,
Though earth and hell my way oppose,
He safely leads my soul along;

His loving-kindness, O! how strong!

4 When trouble, like a gloomy cloud,
Has gathered thick, and thundered loud,
He near my soul has always stood;
His loving-kindness, O! how good!

5 Often I feel my sinful heart,
Prone from my Saviour to depart;
But though I oft have him forgot,
His loving-kindness changes not.

6 Soon shall I pass the gloomy vale,
Soon all my mortal powers must fail;
O may my last expiring breath,
His loving-kindness sing in death.

7 Then let me mount and soar away,
To the bright world of endless day;
And sing, with rapture and surprise,
His loving-kindness in the skies.

382 PRAISE FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST. C. M.

COME,

let our hearts and voices join,
To praise the Saviour's name;

Whose truth and kindness are divine,
Whose love's a constant flame.

2 When most we need his gracious hand,
This Friend is always near;

With heaven and earth at his command,
He waits to answer prayer.

3 His love no end nor measure knows,
No change can turn its course;
Immutably the same it flows,
From one eternal source.

4 When frowns appear to veil his face,
And clouds surround his throne;
He hides the purpose of his grace,
To make it better known.

5 And when our dearest comforts fall,
Before his sovereign will,

He never takes away our all;
Himself he gives us still.

383

PERPETUAL PRAISE.

YES, I will bless thee, O my God,

Through all my mortal days;

And to eternity prolong

Thy vast, thy boundless praise.

2 Nor shall my tongue alone proclaim The honours of my God;

C. M.

My life, with all its active powers,
Shall spread thy praise abroad.

3 Not death itself shall stop my song,
Though death will close my eyes:
My thoughts shall then to nobler heights,
And sweeter raptures rise.

4 There shall my lips in endless praise,
Their grateful tribute pay;

The theme demands an angel's tongue,
And an eternal day.

384

H

HOSANNA TO CHRIST.

OSANNA to the royal Son
Of David's ancient line!
His natures two, his person one,
Mysterious and divine.

2 The root of David, here we find,
And offspring is the same;
Eternity and time are joined
In our Immanuel's name.

3 Blest He that comes to wretched men,
With peaceful news from heaven;
Hosannas of the highest strain

To Christ the Lord be given.

4 Let mortals ne'er refuse to take The hosanna on their tongues,

C. M.

Lest rocks and stones should rise and break
Their silence into songs.

385

INGRATITUDE DEPLORED.

S. M.

S this the kind return,

Is

And these the thanks we owe?

Thus to abuse eternal love,

Whence all our blessings flow!

2 To what a stubborn frame

Has sin reduced our mind;
What strange rebellious wretches we,
And God as strangely kind.

3 On us he bids the sun

Shed his reviving rays;

For us the skies their circles run,
To lengthen out our days.

4 The brutes obey their God,

And bow their necks to men;
But we, more base, more brutish things,
Reject his easy reign.

5 Turn, turn us, mighty God,

And mould our souls afresh;

Break, sovereign grace, these hearts of stone, And give us hearts of flesh.

6 Let past ingratitude

Provoke our weeping eyes,

And hourly as new mercies fall,
Let hourly thanks arise.

386

TRIUMPH IN CHRIST.

In a

N every trouble, sharp, and strong,

My anchor-hold is firm in him,
When swelling billows rise.

2 His comforts bear my spirits up,
I trust a faithful God;

The sure foundation of my hope
Is in a Saviour's blood.

3 Loud hallelujahs sing, my soul,
To thy Redeemer's name;
In joy, in sorrow, life and death,
His love is still the same.

C. M.

387 GRATITUDE FOR RETURNING HEALTH. C. M. OPPRESSED with fear, oppressed with grief,

To God I breathed my cry;

His mercy brought divine relief,
And wiped my tearful eye.

2 His mercy chased the shades of death,
And snatched me from the grave:
O may his praise employ that breath
Which mercy deigns to save.

3 Come, O ye saints, your voices raise
To God in grateful songs;
And let the memory of his grace
Inspire your hearts and tongues.

4 Its deepest gloom when sorrow spreads,
And light and hope depart;
His smile celestial morning sheds,
And joy revives the heart.

5 Then let my utmost glory be,
To raise thy honours high;
Nor let my gratitude to thee,
In guilty silence die.

6 To thee, my gracious God, I raise
My thankful heart and tongue;
O be thy goodness and thy praise
My everlasting song.

388

SA

PRAISE FOR SALVATION.

ALVATION! O the joyful sound;
'Tis pleasure to our ears;

A sovereign balm for every wound,
A cordial for our fears.

2 Buried in sorrow and in sin,
At hell's dark door we lay;
But we arise by grace divine,
To see a heavenly day.

C. M.