ALMIGHTY Author of my frame,
To thee my vital pow'rs belong;
Thy praise, (delightful, glorious theme!)
Demands my heart, my life, my tongue.
2 My heart, my life, my tongue are thine :
be thy praise their best employ!
But.may my song with angels join,
Nor sacred awe forbid the joy!
3 Thy glories, the seraphic lyre
On all its strings attempts in vain;
Then how shall mortals dare aspire
In thought, to try th' unequal strain?
4 Yet the great Sov'reign of the skies
To mortals bends a gracious ear;
Nor the mean tribute will despise,
If offer'd with a heart sincere.
5 Great God, accept the humble praise,
And guide my heart, and guide my tongue,
While to thy name I trembling raise
The grateful, though unworthy song.
God the Soul's only Portion. Lam. iii. 4. [N vain the world's alluring smile
I would my unwary heart beguile :
Deluding world! its brightest day,
Dream of a moment, fleets away!
2 Earth's highest pleasures, could they last,
Would pall and languish on the taste;
Such airy chaff was ne'er design'd
To feed the immortal, craving mind.
3 To nobler bliss my soul aspires';
Come, Lord, and fill these vast desires;
Be thou my portion, here I rest,
Since of my utmost wish possest.
4 0 let thy sacred word impart
Its sealing influence to my heart;
With pow'r, and light, and love divine,
Assure my soul that thou art mine.
5 The blissful word, with joy replete,
Shall bid my gloomy fears retreat,
And heav'n-born hope, serenely bright,
Shine cheerful through this mortal night.
6 Then shall my joyful spirit rise
On wings of faith above the skies;
And when these transient scenes are o'er,
'And this vain world shall tempt no more;
7 O may I reach the blissful plains,
Where thy unclouded glory reigns,
And dwell forever near thy throne
In joys to mortal thoughts unknown.
Intreating the Presence of Christ in his Churches. Hag. xi. 7.
HOME, thou desire of all thy saints,
Our humble strains attend,
While with our praises and complaints
Low at thy feet we bend.
2. When we thy wond'rous glories hear,
And all thy suff'rings trace,
What sweetly awful scenes appear !
What rich unbounded grace!
3 How should our songs, like those above,
With warm devotion rise!
How should our souls on wings of love,
Mount upward to the skies!
4 But ah! the song, how cold it flows!
How languid our desire!
How faint the sacred passion glows,
Till thou the heart inspire!
5 Come, Lord, thy love alone can raise
In us the heav'niy flame;
Then shall our lips resound thy praise,
Our hearts adore thy name.
6 Dear Saviour, let thy glory shine,
And fill thy dwellings here,
Till life, and love, and joy divine
A heaven on earth appear.
7 Then shall our hearts enraptur'd say,
Come, great Redeemer, come,
And bring the bright, the glorious day,
That calls thy children home.
HOW pity, Lord! O Lord, forgive!
Art not thy mercies large and free? May not the contrite trust in thee? 2 With shame my num'rous sins I trace, Against thy law, against thy grace; And though my prayer thou should'st not hear, My doom is just, and thou art clear.
3 Yet save a penitent, O Lord!
Whose hope, still hov'ring round thy word,
Seeks for some precious promise there,
Some sure support against despair.
4 My sins are great, but don't surpass
The riches of eternal grace;
Great God, thy nature hath no bound,
So let thy pard'ning love be found.
5 O wash my soul from ev'ry stain,
Nor let the guilt I mourn remain ;
Give me to hear thy pard'ning voice,
And bid my bleeding heart rejoice.
6 Then shall thy love inspire my tongue;
Salvation shall be all my song;
And every power shall join to bless
The Lord, my strength and righteousness. Watts.
HOW pleasing is the scene, how sweet!
When kindred souls in friendship join;
Whose joys and cares united meet
In bands of amity divine.
2 Less fragrant was the ointment pour'd
On Aaron's consecrated head,
When balmy sweets profusely shower'd Down to his sacred vesture spread. 3 Not flow'ry Hermon e'er display'd, (Impearl'd with dew,) a fairer sight; Nor Zion's beauteous hills array' 'd In golden beams of morning light. 4 'Tis here the Lord indulgent sheds His kindest gifts, a heavenly store; With life immortal crowns their heads, When earth's frail comforts please no more.
HYMN 573. L. P. M.
Lord's Day Morning.
GREAT God, this sacred day of thine
Demands our souls' collected powers;
May we employ in work divine.
These solemn, these. dévoted hours
O may our souls adoring own
The grace which calls us to thy throne!
2 Hence, ye vain cares and trifles, fly!
Where God resides appear no more;
Omniscient God, thy piercing eye
Can every secret thought explore;
O may thy grace our hearts refine,
And fix our thoughts on things divine.
3 The word of life, dispens'd to-day,
Invites us to a heavenly feast;
May every ear the call obey,
Be every heart a humble guest!
O bid the wretched sons of need
On soul-reviving dainties feed!
4 Thy spirit's powerful aid impart;
O may thy word, with life divine,
Engage the ear and warm the heart;
Then shall the day indeed be thine,
Then shall our souls adoring own
The grace which calls us to thy throne.
Pin his own courts your songs of joy;
RAISE ye the Lord; let praise employ
The spacious firmament around
Shall echo back the joyful sound.
2 Recount his works in strains divine;
His wond'rous works how bright they shine!
Praise him for his almighty deeds,
Whose greatness all your praise exceeds.
3 Awake the trumpet's piercing sound,
To spread your sacred pleasures round;
While sweeter music tunes the lute,
The warbling harp, and breathing flute.
4 Ye virgin train, with joy advance
To praise him in the graceful dance;
To praise awake each tuneful string,
And to the solemn organ sing.
5 Let the loud cymbal sounding high,
To softer, deeper notes reply;
Harmonious let the concert rise,
And bear the raptures to the skies.
6 Let all whom life and breath inspire,
Attend and join the blissful choir;
But chiefly you who know his word,
Adore, and love, and praise the Lord.
MRS. STEELle.
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