889

THE

God, my glory and my shield.

L. M.

HE tempter to my soul hath said,-
There is no help in God for thee:
Lord, lift thou up thy servant's head;
My glory, shield, and solace be.

2 Thus to the Lord I raised my cry;-
He heard me from his holy hill;
At his command the waves roll'd by;
He beckon'd, and the winds were still.
3 I laid me down and slept,-I woke;
Thou, Lord, my spirit didst sustain
Bright from the east the morning broke,-
Thy comforts rose on me again.

4 I will not fear, though armed throngs Surround my steps in all their wrath; Salvation to the Lord belongs;

His presence guards his people's path.

890

HO

His everlasting arms of love.

L. M.

OW do thy mercies close me round! Forever be thy Name adored; blush in all things to abound; The servant is above his Lord. 2 Inured to poverty and pain, A suff'ring life my Master led; The Son of God, the Son of man, He had not where to lay his head. 3 But lo! a place he hath prepared For me, whom watchful angels keep; Yea, he himself becomes my guard; He smooths my bed, and gives me sleep. 4 Jesus protects; my fears, begone: What can the Rock of Ages move! Safe in thy arms I lay me down,Thine everlasting arms of love.

891

WHI

Continued.Confident security.
THILE thou art intimately nigh,
Who, who shall violate my rest!
Sin, earth, and hell, I now defy:
I lean upon my Saviour's breast.
2 I rest beneath the Almighty's shade,
My griefs expire, my troubles cease;
Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stay'd,
Wilt keep me still in perfect peace.
3 Me for thine own thou lov'st to take,
In time and in eternity;

Thou never, never wilt forsake

A helpless worm that trusts in thee.

S. M.

892
Steadfast reliance upon the promises.

WAY, my needless fears,

mine;

A ray of heavenly light appears,
A messenger divine.

2 Thrice comfortable hope,

That calms my troubled breast; My Father's hand prepares the cup, And what he wills is best.

3 If what I wish is good,

And suits the will divine,

By earth and hell in vain withstood,
I know it shall be mine.

4 Still let them counsel take

To frustrate his decree;
They cannot keep a blessing back,
By Heaven design'd for me.

5 Here then I doubt no more,
But in his pleasure rest;

Whose wisdom, love, and truth, and power, Engage to make me blest.

893

0

C. M.

Grateful praise for delivering mercy.
THOU, who, when we did complain,
Didst all our griefs remove;

O Saviour, do not now disdain.
Our humble praise and love.

2 Since thou a pitying ear didst give,
And hear us when we pray'd,
We'll call upon thee while we live,
And never doubt thy aid.

3 Pale death, with all his ghastly train,
Our souls encompass'd round;
Anguish, and fear, and dread, and pain,
On every side we found.

4 To thee, O Lord of life, we pray'd,
And did for succour flee:

O save, in our distress we said,-
The souls that trust in thee.

5 How good thou art! how large thy grace! How ready to forgive!

Thy mercies crown our fleeting days;
And by thy love we live.

6 Our eyes no longer drown'd in tears,
Our feet from falling free;

Redeem'd from death and guilty fears,
O Lord, we 'll live to thee.

894

All things in Christ,

THOU very-present aid

In suff'ring and distress;

S. M.

The mind which still on thee is stay'd,

Is kept in perfect peace.

2 The soul by faith reclined On the Redeemer's breast,

"Mid raging storms, exults to find An everlasting rest.

3 Sorrow and fear are gone,
Whene'er thy face appears;
It stills the sighing orphan's moan,
And dries the widow's tears.

4 It hallows every cross;
It sweetly comforts me;
Makes me forget my every loss,
And find my all in thee.

5 Jesus, to whom I fly,
Doth all my wishes fill;

What though created streams are dry!
I have the fountain still.

6 Stripp'd of each earthly friend,
I find them all in one:

And peace and joy which never end,
And heaven, in Christ, begun.

895

Aflictions blessed.

HOW tender is thy hand,

S. M.

O thou most gracious Lord!
Afflictions came at thy command,
And left us at thy word.

2 How gentle was the rod
That chasten'd us for sin!
How soon we found a smiling God
Where deep distress had been!

3 A Father's hand we felt,

A Father's love we knew:
Mid tears of penitence we knelt,
And found his promise true,

4 Now will we bless the Lord,
And in his strength confide:
Jehovah ever be adored,
There is no God beside.

896

The benefit of affliction.

C. M.

ORD, when to thee my sinking soul
Did'in affliction fly:

Thy mercy did my griefs control,
And all my wants supply.

2 How oft, when dark misfortune's band
Around their victim stood,

The seeming ill, at thy command,
Hath changed to real good!

8 The tempest that obscured the sky
Hath set my spirit free

From earthly care and sensual joy,
And turn'd my thoughts to thee.

4 Affliction's blast hath made me learn
To feel for others' wo;

And humbly seek, with deep concern,
My own defects to know."

5 Then rage, ye storms; ye billows, roar; My heart defies your shock:

Ye make me cling to God the more,-
To God, my shelt'ring rock.

897

Delivering grace celebrated.

C. M.

LORD, thou hast heard thy servants cry,

And rescued from the grave;

Now shall we live-for none can die
Whom God delights to save.

2 Thy praise, more constant than before, Shall fill rur daily breath;

Thy hand, that hath chastised us sore,
Defends us still from death.

3 Here, with the' assembly of thy saints, Our cheerful voice we raise;

Here we have told thee our complaints, And here we speak thy praise.