766

IT

C. M.

Chastisement received with humility.

T is the Lord, who doth not grieve,
Or needlessly reprove;

Saviour, we thankfully receive

The tokens of thy love.

2 These tokens may we ever prize,
And answer their intent,

By list'ning to thy word, that cries,—
Be zealous, and repent.

767

SON

5th P. M. 4 lines 7s.

Weak and helpless.

ON of God, thy blessing grant;
Still supply my every want;
Tree of life, thine influence shed:
From thy fulness I am fed.

2 Tend'rest branch, alas! am I,—
Wither without thee and die;
Weak as helpless infancy:
O confirm my soul in thee!
3 Unsustain'd by thee, I fall;
Send the help for which I call:
Weaker than a bruiséd reed,
Help I every moment need.
4 All my hopes on thee depend;
Love me, save me to the end;
Give me persevering grace;
Take the everlasting praise.

768

0

4th P. M. 886, 886.

God a very present help in trouble.
GOD, thy faithfulness I plead:
My present help in time of need,
My great deliv'rer thou!

Haste to mine aid, thine ear incline,
And rescue this poor soul of mine:
I claim the promise now.

2 Where is the way? ah, show me where,
That I thy mercy may declare,—
The power that sets me free:
How can I my destruction shun?
How can I from my nature run?
Answer, O Lord, for me.

3 One only way the erring mind
Of man, short-sighted man, can find,
From inbred sin to fly:

Stronger than love, I fondly thought
Death, only death, can cut the knot,
Which love cannot untie.

4 But thou, O Lord, art full of grace;
Thy love can find a thousand ways
To foolish man unknown:
My soul upon thy love I cast;
I rest me, till the storm be past,
Upon thy love alone.

5 Thy faithful, wise, almighty love,
Still every stumbling-block remove,
And make an open way:

Thy love shall burst the shades of death,
And bear me from the gulf beneath,
To everlasting day.

769

The Lord is my rock.

HOU rock of my salvation, haste;

THOU
Extend thine ample shade;

And let it over me be cast,
To screen my naked head.

2 Defend me in this trying hour;
My sure protection be;

C. M.

My shelter from the tempest's power,
Till I am fix'd on thee.

30 set upon thyself my feet,
And make me surely stand;
From fierce temptation's rage and heat
Protect me with thy hand.

4 Now let me in the cleft be placed;
Nor my defence remove;

Within thine arms of love embraced,-
Thine arms of endless love.

770

C. M.

The shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
TOW to the haven of thy breast,
O Son of man, I fly;

NOW

Be thou my refuge and my rest,
For O! the storm is high.

2 Protect me from the furious blast;
My shield and shelter be:
Hide me, my Saviour, till o'erpast
The storm of sin I see.

3 As welcome as the water-spring
Is to a barren place,
Jesus, descend on me, and bring
Thy sweet, refreshing grace.

4 As o'er a parch'd and weary land,
A rock extends its shade,
So hide me, Saviour, with thy hand,
And screen my naked head.

5 In all the times of my distress
Thou hast my succour been;
And in my utter helplessness,
Restraining me from sin

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6 How swift to save me didst thou move In every trying hour;

O still protect me with thy love,

And shield me with thy power.

771

12th P. M. 76, 76, 78, 76.

A shelter from the storm.

AVIOUR, now in me perform
The work thou hast begun;
Be my shelter from the storm,
My shadow from the sun:
Weary, parch'd with thirst, and faint,
Till thou the' abiding Spirit breathe:
Every moment, Lord, I want

The merit of thy death.

2 Never shall I want it less
When thou the gift hast given,
Fill'd me with thy righteousness,
And seal'd the heir of heaven;
I will trust in thee, my God,

Till I thy perfect glory see;
Till the sprinkling of thy blood
Shall speak me up to thee.

772

WHY

The Lord is my refuge.

L. M.

WHY is my heart with grief oppress'd?
Can all the pains I feel or fear,

Make thee, my soul, forget thy rest-
Forget that God, thy God, is near?
2 Hast thou not often call'd the Lord
Thy refuge, thy almighty friend?
And canst thou fear to trust that word
On which thy hopes of heaven depend?
3 Lord, form my temper to thy will;
If thou my faith and patience prove,.
May every painful stroke fulfil

Thy purposes of faithful love.

4 O may this weak, this fainting mind,
A Father's hand, adoring, see;
Confess thee just, and wise, and kind,
And trust thy word, and cleave to thee.

773

L. M.

Trial and faith of Abraham. BRAHAM, when severely tried, His faith by his obedience show'd; He with the harsh command complied, And gave his Isaac back to God. 2 His son the father offer'd up,Son of his age, his only son; Object of all his joy and hope,

And less beloved than God alone. 3 0 for a faith like his, that we The bright example may pursue ; May gladly give up all to thee,

To whom our more than all is due. 4 Is there a thing than life more dear? A thing from which we cannot part? We can; we now rejoice to tear

The idol from our bleeding heart. 5 Jesus, accept our sacrifice;

All things for thee we count but loss Lo! at thy word our idol dies,

Dies on the altar of thy cross.

6 For what to thee, O Lord, we give,
A hundred-fold we here obtain;
And soon with thee shall all receive,
And loss shall be eternal gain.

774

GOD

Hope in God.

L. M.

OD of my strength, in thee alone TA refuge from distress I see; O why hast thou thine aid withdrawn? Why hast thou, Lord, forsaken me? 2 0 let thy light my footsteps guide; Thy love and truth my spirit fill; That in thy house I may reside, And worship at thy holy hill.

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