3

4

Oh happy men that pay

Their constant service there!

Who love the

They praise thee still; And happy they,
way To Zion's hill.
They go from strength to strength,
Through this dark vale of tears,
Till each o'ercome at length,
Till each in heaven appears:

Oh glorious seat!
Shalt thither bring

Thou God, our King,

Our willing feet.

God is our Sun and Shield,
Our Light and our Defence:
With gifts his hands are fill'd;
We draw our blessings thence:

He shall bestow

His saving grace,

5

Upon our race
And glory too.

The Lord his people loves,

His hand no good withholds
From those his heart approves,
From holy, humble souls :

O God of Hosts,

Thrice happy he,

Whose spirit trusts

Alone in Thee.

This Psalm, appointed to be used on Christmas Day, describes the Incarnation

of Christ, and the blessed effects of His Advent.

FIRST PART. (vv. 7, 9, 10.)

Incarnation of Christ.
O our God,

1

THY mercy,

To all thy

2

3

P. M.

Church display:

Proclaim thy grace abroad,

And spread the Gospel Day:

High on thy throne, Our prayers attend;

And quickly send

Salvation down.

Jesus the Saviour's nigh

To those who fear his Name;
He comes !-his praise on high
Let all his Church proclaim!

His footsteps still
And all the land

Ón earth shall stand,
His glory fill.

Now Truth and Mercy meet!
In Jesu's face they shine;
And Peace and Justice greet,
With smiles of Love divine:

With heavenly grace, Midst sons of men,
They join again

Their kind embrace.

1

2

3

SECOND PART. (vv. 11-13.) P. M.
Blessed Effects of Christ's Incarnation.
H' Incarnate God appears!
From earth behold Him rise !
Truth's beauteous form he wears,
The glory of the skies!

TH

While Justice round,
With smiles of love,

From heaven above,

Surveys the ground.

The Lord his blessing pours
Around our favour'd land;
His grace like gentle showers

Descends at his command:
O'er all the plains
The rich supplies,

Blest fruits arise;
Since Jesus reigns.

His Righteousness alone

Prepares his wondrous way:
He rises to his throne,

In realms of endless day!

His steps we trace,

His path pursue;

And, Heaven in view, Adore his grace.

PSALM LXXXVI.

This Psalm is entitled." A Prayer of David," and is supposed to have been written in some of his great distresses. Like others of the same kind, it is calculated for the use of the Church, during her sufferings here below, by which she is conformed to the image of the True David, that Man of Sorrows. FIRST PART. (vv. 1-4.) S. M. Earnest Cries for Mercy.

1

MY God, my prayer attend!

Oh bow thine ear to me,
Without a hope, without a friend,
Without a help, but Thee!

2 Oh guard my soul around,

Which loves and trusts thy grace;
Nor let the Powers of Hell confound
The hopes on Thee I place!

3 Thy Mercy I intreat,

Let Mercy hear my cries,

While, humbly waiting at thy seat,

My daily prayers arise!

4

Oh bid my heart rejoice,

And every fear controul;

Since at Thy throne, with suppliant voice,
To Thee I lift my soul!

SECOND PART. (vv. 5-7.) c. M.
God plenteous in Mercy.

1 THOU, Lord, art good; nor only good, But prompt to pardon too:

Of plenteous mercy to all those
Who for thy mercy sue.

2 To my repeated humble prayer,
O Lord, attentive be

1

When troubled, I on Thee will call;
For Thou wilt answer me.

THIRD PART. (vv. 8-10.) SEVENS.
God alone to be worshipped.

1 THOU, Jehovah, God o'er all!
Idol gods to Thee shall fall:
None thy wondrous works can share;
None with Thee in might compare!
2 Form'd by thy creative hand,
Let the nations round Thee stand;
Prostrate at thy throne confess,
And adore the Saviour's grace.

3 Great in power! Thine arm divine!
Round the world thy wonders shine:
Bid the world thy glories own,
God of Gods, and God alone!

THO

FOURTH PART. (vv. 11-13.) L.M.
Grace sought, and Praise promised.
HOU Great Instructor, lest I stray,
Oh teach my erring feet thy way y!
Thy truth, with ever fresh delight,
Shall guide my doubtful steps aright.
2 How oft my heart's affections yield,
Scatter'd o'er all the world's wide field!
My vagrant passions, Lord, reclaim;
Unite them all to fear thy Name.

3 Then, to my God, my heart and tongue,
With all their powers, shall raise the song:
On Earth thy glories I'll declare,
Till Heaven th' immortal notes prepare.

4 Thy mercies claim the song I raise,
The tribute of eternal praise;

And there the wondrous grace I'll tell,
Which saved me from the depths of hell!

This Psalm was probably penned, on a survey of the City of David, just after the buildings of it were finished.

1

First Version.

L. M.

The Church the Birth-place of the Saints.
OD in his earthly temple lays
Foundations for his heavenly praise :

GOD

He likes the tents of Jacob well,

But still in Zion loves to dwell. 2 His mercy visits every house

Which pays its night and morning vows;
But makes a more delightful stay
Where Churches meet to praise and pray.
3 What glories were describ'd of old!
What wonders are of Zion told!
Thou City of our God below,

Thy fame shall Tyre and Egypt know.
4 Egypt and Tyre, and Greek and Jew,
Shall there begin their lives anew :
Angels and men shall join to sing
The hill where living waters spring.
5 When God makes up his last account
Of natives in his holy mount,

2

"Twill be an honour to appear
As one new-born or nourish'd there!
Second Version.

P. M.

Christ the Glory of the Church.

FIX'D on the sacred hills,

Its firm foundations rest:
The Lord his Temple fills,
With all his glory blest!

He waits where'er His saints adore,
But loves the gates Of Zion more.

O Zion, sacred place!

Thy name shall spread around;
The City of His Grace,

His wonders there abound:

Thy glories shall Thy God declare,
And earth thy fame Resound afar.
3 "Where Egypt's sons adore,

Where Babel's idols reign,
I'll there reveal My power,
And bid My grace remain:

The fact record, The grace proclaim,

In Zion's born

The Wondrous Name!"

4 Philistia, now behold,

5

6

66

Through Tyre the message runs,
His glory shall be told

To Ethiopia's sons :

Zion no more

Shall sink to scorn,

The Man, the Man, In her was born!

'Tis He, the Lord Most High!

His Zion shall defend;

Shall all her foes defy,

And save her to the end:

Around his throne Shall all proclaim,
Immanuel's born! The Wondrous Name!
In Him the Day arose

Of everlasting grace;

Jesus the day shall close,

Midst endless songs of praise:

While heavenly harps On high resound,

All, all my springs

In Thee are found!"

PSALM LXXXVIII.

The nature and degree of the sufferings related in this Psalm, the strength of the expressions used to describe them, the consent of ancient expositors, the appointment of the Psalm by the Church to be read on Good Friday-all these circumstances concur in directing an application of the whole to our Blessed Lord. His unexampled sorrows, both in body and soul; his desertion in the day of trouble; his bitter passion and approaching death; with his frequent and fervent prayers for the accomplishment of the promises, for the salvation of the Church through him, and for the manifestation of God's glory-these are the particulars treated of in this most instructive and affecting Psalm.

66

Meditation for Good Friday. P. M.

FIRST PART. (vv. 1-8.)

"O LORD, My God, with power divine

Thine arm can make salvation Mine!"
Thus cried our suffering Lord:
"By night, by day, My ceaseless prayer
Has sought in grief thy guardian care,
O God, Thine aid afford!"

2 What anguish fill'd his dying soul !
Behold the cup of mis'ry's full!

His life draws near the grave:
By lawless power consign'd to death,
Lo! on the Cross he yields his breath,
As impotent to save.

3 Free, midst the regions of the dead,
His spirit flies: his guiltless head,
Beneath our curse, declines