219

ISAAC B. WOODBURY.

28

9:3

2

all thy truth by night.

171, 215, 212.

2 Sweet is the day of sacred rest;

No mortal cares shall seize my breast;
O, may my heart in tune be found,
Like David's harp of solemn sound!
3 My heart shall triumph in the Lord

And bless his works and bless his word;
Thy works of grace how bright they shine!
How deep thy counsels, how divine!
4 When grace has purified my heart,
Then I shall share a glorious part;
And fresh supplies of joy be shed,
Like holy oil to cheer my head.

5 Then shall I see and hear and know
All I desired or wished below,
And every hour find sweet employ
In that eternal world of joy.

Isaac Watts.

1 SWEET is the Sabbath of the Lord
To those who in his law delight;
Who love the precepts of his word,
And tread the narrow path of right.

2 This holy day Jehovah blessed

Ere sorrow, pain, or death were born, And sanctified for man his rest

In glad creation's sinless morn. 3 It speaks of him whose wondrous might The heavens and earth from nothing made;

Who formed the glorious orbs of light,

And the deep sea's foundations laid. 4 Its sacred hours, ye saints of God,

Remember with respect and love; And through obedience to his word Your love for your Creator prove. 5 And, when, immortalized we see The treasures of the new earth bright, God's holy Sabbath still shall be A source of blessing and delight. J. S. Thorp

222

223, 347, 343.

223

ISAAC B. WOODBURY.

2 Thine earthly Sabbaths, Lord, we love,
But there's a nobler rest above;
To that our laboring souls aspire
With ardent hope and strong desire.
3 No more fatigue, no more distress,
No sin nor death can reach that place;
No tears shall mingle with the songs
That warble from immortal tongues.

4 No rude alarm of raging foes,

No cares to break the long repose,
No midnight shade, no clouded sun,
But sacred, high, eternal noon.

5 O long-expected day, begin!
Dawn on these realms of woe and sin;
Fain would I leave this weary road,
And go to meet my blessed Lord.
Philip Doddridge.
224

108, 336, 171.

1 LORD, on this Sabbath-day of rest We lift to thee our earnest praise, Obedient to the high behest

Which thou didst give to guide our ways. 2 We thank thee for the holy light

That from thy law shines full and clear, Directing our weak steps aright

Through earth's low path of doubt and fear.

-3 For Jesus, too, whom thou didst send To teach the way of grace and truth, We bow before thy throne, and blend The thanks of age, the love of youth.

40, write thy word on every heart!
In us let thy pure Spirit live,
That his rich presence may impart
Such peace as thou alone canst give.

1, 219, 343.

T. R. Williamson.

225 1 THIS day the Lord has called his own; O, let us, then, his praise declare! Fix our desires on him alone,

And seek his face with fervent prayer.

2 Lord, in thy love we would rejoice, Which bids the burdened soul be free; And with united heart and voice, Devote these sacred hours to thee. 3 Now let the world's delusive things

No more our groveling thoughts employ, But faith be taught to stretch her wings In search of heaven's unfading joy. 4 0, let these earthly Sabbaths, Lord, Be to our lasting welfare blessed! The purest comfort here afford, And fit us for eternal rest.

70, 80, 147.

2 Thy chosen temple, Lord, how fair!
Where willing votaries throng

To breathe the humble, fervent prayer,
the choral song.
And pour

3 Spirit of grace, O deign to dwell
Within thy church below;
Make her in holiness excel,

With pure devotion glow.

4 Let peace within her walls be found; Let all her sons unite

To spread with grateful zeal around,
Her clear and shining light.

5 Then hail! thou sacred, blessed day,
The best of all the seven,
When hearts unite their vows to pay
Of gratitude to heaven.

Henry F. Lyte.

1 DEAR Lord, we would thy praises sing On this thy holy day;

With grateful hearts our tribute bring;
To thee our homage pay.

2 This day, which thou for us hast blessed, And set apart as thine,—

This day, when God himself did rest,
Hath honors all divine.

3 Lord, we would turn away our feet
From this thy holy day,
And call its rest and worship sweet,
Not doing our own way.

1 COME, dearest Lord, and feed thy sheep, On this sweet day of rest;

O bless this flock, and make this fold
Enjoy a heavenly rest.

2 Welcome and precious to my soul
Are these sweet days of love,
But what a Sabbath shall I keep
When I shall rest above!

3 I come, I wait, I hear, I pray;
Thy footsteps, Lord, I trace;
Here, in thine own appointed way,
I wait to see thy face.

4 These are the sweet and precious days
On which my Lord I've seen;
And oft, when feasting on his word,
In raptures I have been.

5 O, if my soul, when Christ appears,
In this sweet frame be found,
I'll clasp my Saviour in my arms,
And leave this earthly ground!

William Mason.

1 WHEN the worn spirit wants repose, And sighs her God to seek,

How sweet to hail the hours that close

The labors of the week!

2 How sweet to hail the Sabbath-day,
The day of holy rest;

From earth's wild cares to soar away
To regions pure and blest.

3 Sweet day! thine hours too soon will cease; Yet, while they gently roll,

Breathe, heavenly Spirit, source of peace, A sabbath o'er my soul.

4 Soon will my pilgrimage be done,

The world's long week be o'er,That Sabbath dawn which needs no sun, That day which fades no more.

James Edmeston.

1 How bright a day was that which saw Creation's work complete!

All nature owned her Maker's law,
And worshiped at his feet.

2 The world, arranged by power divine,
In perfect order stood;

And, resting from his great design,
God saw that all was good.

3 Not such a Sabbath now appears,
For sin has ruined all;

No longer man with pleasure hears
A gracious Father's call.

4 Yet, Lord, bring back the reign of peace, Let brighter days begin;

And teach vain creatures how to cease
From folly and from sin.

5 Let sinners be again made thine,

Though once with vengance cursed ;
And let the holy Sabbath shine,
As glorious as at first.

COME, thou beloved Redeemer, come,
Thy waiting church to bless;
Shine forth upon this Sabbath-day,
Thou Sun of righteousness.

2 Thou art our Maker, thou our God,
And thy great name we own;
All praise and honor and renown
We yield to thee alone.

Anon.

657, 320.

What rapturous praises echo now!

Around that holy law of love

When at his temple all adore, And own his universal sway

From age to age, forevermore; Then Zion shall in triumph reign, And Eden bloom on earth again.

Seraphs in adoration bow;

Let earth, responsive to the strain, Exalt alone Jehovah's name.

235

Annie R. Smith. LOWELL MASON.

9

9

my powers employ.