(L. M. MONTGOMERY.)
The misery of contending with Christ.
1 IN vain the Saviour's mightiest foes
Conspire his kingdom to oppose,
Crush'd like the potter's brittle store,
And scatter'd, to unite no more.
2 Sinners! awake: ye fools! be wise;
From sin's delusive dreams arise;
Behold your Saviour, seek his face,
And kiss the sceptre of his grace :-
3 0,-lest ye perish from the way
That leads to realms of endless day;
Lest fierce the threat'ning storm descend,
And on your heads its fury spend.
4. If, yet but kindling in his breast,
His wrath the guilty soul arrest,
How blest are they who serve the Lord,
Who hear his voice, and trust his word!
1 O GOD! how endless is thy love!
Thy gifts are every evening new,
And morning mercies from above
Gently distil like early dew.
2 Thou spread'st the curtain of the night,
Great Guardian of our sleeping hours!
Thy sovereign word restores the light,
And quickens all our drowsy powers.
3 Thine arm sustain'd us while we slept,
Else had our eyelids closed in death :
Our life in safety still is kept,
And still we breathe our wonted breath.
4 That life we yield to thy command;
To Thee we consecrate our days:
Perpetual blessings from thy hand
Demand perpetual acts of praise.
PSALM 4.
(C. M. TRURO.)
The Christian rejoicing in God.
1 O LORD! the Guardian of my life!
To my request give ear:
Thou, who dost keep thy saints from harm,
Have mercy, Lord, and hear.
2 While worldly minds impatient grow,
More prosperous
times to see,
Still let the glories of thy face
Shine brightly, Lord I on me.
3 So shall my heart o'erflow with joy,
More lasting and more true,
Than theirs, who stores of corn and wine
Successively renew.
4 Then down in peace I'll lay my head,
And take my needful rest;
No other guard, O Lord! I need,
Of thy defence possess❜d.
The Christian communing with himself, v. 4.
1 RETURN, my wandering heart, return,
And life's vain shadows chase no more;
Seek out some solitude, to mourn;
And thy forsaken God implore.
2 O Thou, great God! whose piercing eye
Distinctly marks each deep retreat,
In these sequester'd hours draw nigh,
And let me here thy presence meet.
3 Through all the windings of my heart,
My search let heavenly wisdom guide,
And still its beams unerring dart,
Till all be known and purified.
4 Then let the comforts of thy love,
Mine inmost soul be call'd to share;
Till every grace combine to prove,
That Thou hast fix'd thy dwelling there.
PSALM 4.
(c. M. BEDFORD.)
The folly of the men of this world. v. 6.
1 IN vain the thoughtless world enquires, Forgetful of their God,
"Who shall supply our vast desires, "Or shew us any good?"
2 From scene to scene through all the earth Their eager wishes rove,
In search of honour, wealth, and mirth,
The idols of their love.
3 But oft these shadowy joys elude
Their most intense pursuit ;
Or, if they seize the fancied good,
There's poison in the fruit.
4 From this vain world, Lord! wean our love
Set our affections right;
Make us aspire to joys above,
And walk no more by sight.
PSALM 5.
(P. M. SANCTUARY.)
'God's delight only in those that serve Him.
1 ON Thee, O God of purity!
We wait for hallowing grace:
None, without holiness, shall see
The glories of thy face.
In souls, unholy and unclean,
Thou never cans't delight;
We cannot, if enslaved by sin,
Appear before thy sight.
2 Behold us, Lord! with humble fear,
Approach thy temple's gate,
Though most unworthy to draw near,
Or in thy courts to wait;
But trusting in thy boundless grace,
To us so freely given,
We worship in thy holy place,
And lift our souls to heaven.
3 Lead us in all thy righteous ways;
Nor let our footsteps slide;
Make straight thy path before our face,
And be our Guard and Guide.
No more to sin, Lord! let us yield,
Defended from above,
And kept and cover'd with the shield
Of thine Almighty love.
PSALM 6.
(C. M. HARLEY.)
Sinners deprecating the wrath of God.
I In tender mercy, not in wrath,
Rebuke thy servants, Lord!
Lest, if thine anger all arise,
We fall beneath thy word.
2 Touch'd by the pow'r of sov'reign grace, Our load of guilt we feel:
The wounds thy Spirit has unclosed,
O! let that Spirit heal.
3 Oppress'd with Satan's galling yoke,
Must we for ever mourn?
And wilt Thou not at length, O God!
In pitying love return?
4 Oh! come with speed, ere life expire,
And shew thy power to save:
For who shall sing thy name in death,
Or praise Thee in the grave?
5 Why should our souls distrust thy grace,
Or yield to blank despair?
Thou wilt fulfil thy promised word,
And grant us all our prayer.
PSALM 8.
(C. M. OTFORD.)
The wonders of creation and redemption.
1 O LORD! how glorious is thy name, Above the highest heaven!
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