3320 send out thy light and thy truth that they may lead me.
IVE light, O LORD, that we may learn
The way
that leads to Thee,
That where our hearts true joys discern,
Our life may be.
Give light, O LORD, that we may know
Thy one unchanging truth,
And follow, all our days below,
Our Guide in youth.
Give light, O LORD, that we may see
Where wisdom bids beware,
And turn our doubting minds to Thee
In faithful prayer.
Give light, O LORD, that we may look
Beneath, around, above,
And learn from nature's living book
Thy power and love.
Give light, O LORD, that we may read
All signs that Thou art near,
And, while we live, in word and deed
Thy Name revere.
Give light, O LORD, that we may trace
In trial, pain, and loss,
In poorest lot, and lowest place,
A Saviour's Cross.
Give light, O LORD, that we may see
A home beyond the sky,
Where all who live in CHRIST with Thee
333 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.
For the beauty of the skies,
NOR the beauty of the earth,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,
LORD of all, to Thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.
For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light,
LORD of all, to Thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
Pleasures pure and undefiled,
LORD of all, to Thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.
For each perfect gift of Thine
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of heaven,
LORD of all, to Thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise. Amen.
334 Thou, O Lord, art our Father;
ALMIGHTY FATHER, Unoriginate,
Whom no man hath seen ever, nor can see ;
Who reignest Bless'd and Only Potentate,
Light unapproachable encircling Thee:
Almighty FATHER, hallow'd be Thy Name,
Who ever art, unchangeably the same.
Thou lovest us, else had we never been:
Before we were, in ages long ago,
Thy love had us and all our want foreseen,
Creating us that we Thy love might know.
Yea, FATHER, Thou, in Whom we live and move,
Hast loved us with an everlasting love.
Thou madest man immortal at the first,
An image of Thine own eternity;
And when he fell from life, through sin accurst,
And lost his right to the life-giving tree,
Thy love, unconquer'd, would to him restore
His life ennobled and for evermore.
Such was Thy love, Thou didst not even spare
Thy Best-beloved, but gav'st Him for us all;
To live that human life beyond compare,
And dying, by His death retrieve our fall.
In Him Thy love unbounded we behold,
For, giving Him, Thou canst not aught withhold.
Thou knowest what we are, how frail and blind,
Thou still rememb'rest that we are but dust:
Like as a father pitieth, Thou art kind,
Thy justice kindness and Thy kindness just. Then hear Thy children's prayer from heav'n Thy throne,
FATHER, Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done.
335 Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
ROM highest heav'n th' Eternal SON,
With GOD the FATHER ever One,
Came down to suffer and to die ;
For love of sinful man He bore
Our human griefs and troubles sore,
Our load of guilt and misery.
Rejoice, ye Saints of GOD, and praise
The LAMB Who died, His flock to raise
From sin and everlasting woe;
With Angels round the throne above
O tell the wonders of His love,
The joys that from His mercy flow.
In darkest shades of night we lay,
Without a beam to guide our way,
Or hope of aught beyond the grave;
But He has brought us life and light,
And open'd heaven to our sight,
And lives for ever strong to save.
Rejoice, ye Saints of GOD, rejoice ;
Sing out, and praise with cheerful voice
The LAMB Whom heav'n and earth adore ;
To Him Who gave His only SON,
TO GOD the SPIRIT, with Them One,
Be praise and glory evermore.
336 The love of Christ which passeth knowledge.
O amor quam ecstaticus.
LOVE, how deep! how broad! how high!
It fills the heart with ecstasy,
That GOD, the SON of GOD, should take
Our mortal form for mortals' sake.
He sent no Angel to our race
Of higher or of lower place,
But wore the robe of human frame
Himself, and to this lost world came.
For us He was baptized, and bore
His holy fast, and hunger'd sore ;
For us temptations sharp He knew
For us the tempter overthrew.
For us He pray'd, for us He taught,
For us His daily works He wrought,
By words, and signs, and actions, thus
Still seeking not Himself but us.
For us to wicked men betray'd,
Scourged, mock'd, in purple robe array'd,
He bore the shameful Cross and death;
For us at length gave up His breath.
For us He rose from death again,
For us He went on high to reign,
For us He sent His SPIRIT here
To guide, to strengthen, and to cheer.
To Him Whose boundless love has won
Salvation for us through His SON,
TO GOD the FATHER, glory be
Both now and through eternity. Amen.
337 The second man is the Lord from heaven.
PRAISE to the Holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise,
In all His words most wonderful,
Most sure in all His ways.
O loving wisdom of our GOD!
When all was sin and shame,
A second Adam to the fight
And to the rescue came.
O wisest love! that flesh and blood,
Which did in Adam fail,
Should strive afresh against the foe,
Should strive and should prevail;
And that a higher gift than grace
Should flesh and blood refine,
GOD's presence and His very Self,
And Essence all-divine.
O generous love! that He Who smote
In Man for man the foe,
The double agony in Man
For man should undergo;
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