Even the dark times I dread the most
Thy covenant fulfil;

And when the pleasant morning dawns,
I find Thee with me still.

No other comforter I need,

If Thou, O Lord, be mine:
Thy rod will bring my spirit low,
Thy fire my heart refine,

And cause me pain that none can heal
By other love than Thine.

Then in the secret of my soul,

Though hosts my peace invade,— Though through a waste and weary land

My lonely way be made,-
Thou, even Thou, wilt comfort me,

I need not be afraid.

Still in the solitary place

I would a while abide,

Till with the solace of Thy love

My heart is satisfied

And all my hopes of happiness

Stay calmly at Thy side.

V.

"I will pour water on him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground."-ISAIAH xliv. 3.

SOURCE of my spirit's deep desire

For living joys that shall not perish,
The patient hope Thy words inspire
Still let Thy tender mercy cherish.

On Thee my humbled soul would wait,
Her utmost weakness calmly learning,
And see Thy grace its way create,
Through thorns and briers which Thou
art burning.*

Gladly my inmost heart would know
The love that now it faintly traces,
And see the streams from Zion flow

O'er all its waste and desert places.

And still I hope-O not in vain!

I know, this holy seed possessing,
Thou wilt come down like gentle rain,

And make the barren ground a blessing.

*Isaiah xxvii. 4.

VI.

"The Lord blessed the Seventh day and hallowed it."
EXODUS XX. 11.

BEAM on us brightly, blessed day,
Dawn softly for our Saviour's sake;
And waft thy sweetness o'er our way,
To draw us heavenward when we wake.

O holy life that shall not end,

Light that will never cease to be:
May every Sabbath-day we spend
Add to our happiness in Thee.

VII.

"In returning and rest shall ye be saved: in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”—ISAIAH XXX. 15.

WITH a heart full of anxious request,
Which my Father in Heaven bestowed,

I wandered, alone and distressed,
In search of a quiet abode.
Astray and distracted, I cried-

Lord, where wouldst Thou have me to be?

And the voice of the Lamb that had died, Said-Come, my beloved, to ME.

I went, for He mightily wins
Weary souls to His peaceful retreat,—
And he gave me forgiveness of sins,
And songs that I love to repeat;
And oft as my enemies came,

My views of His glory to dim,
He taught me to trust in His name,
And to triumph by leaning on Him.

Made pure by the blood that He shed,
My heart in His presence was free:
I was hungry and thirsty-He fed-
I was sick, and He comforted me;
He gave me the blessing complete,
The hope that is with me to-day,
And a quiet abode at His feet,
That shall not be taken away.

VIII.

"The Lord is the portion cf mine inheritance."--PSALM xvi. 5.

THOUGH Some good things of lower worth
My heart is called on to resign,

Of all the gifts in heaven and earth,
The best, the very best, is mine:
The love of God in Christ made known-
The love that is enough alone,

My Father's love is all my own.

My soul's Restorer, let me learn

In that deep love to live and rest;
Let me the precious thing discern
Of which I am indeed possess'd:
My treasure let me feel and see,
And let my moments, as they flee,
Unfold my endless life in Thee.

Let me not dwell so much within

My bounded heart, with anxious heed,-
Where all my searches meet with sin,
And nothing satisfies my need:

It shuts me from the sound and sight
Of that pure world of life and light,

Which has no breadth, or length, or height.