Guile nor violence can harm thee,
In eternal safeguard there.
From the sword at noon-day wasting,
From the noisome pestilence,
In the depth of midnight blasting,
God shall be thy sure defence:
Fear not thou the deadly quiver,
When a thousand feel the blow;
Mercy shall thy soul deliver,
Though ten thousand be laid low.
Only with thine eye, the anguish
Of the wicked thou shalt see,
When by slow disease they languish,
When they perish suddenly:
Thee, though winds and waves be swelling,
God, thine hope, shall bear through all;
Plague shall not come nigh thy dwelling,
Thee no evil shall befall.
He shall charge his angel-legions,
Watch and ward o'er thee to keep,
Though thou walk through hostile legions,
Though in desert-wilds thou sleep:
On the lion vainly roaring,
On his young thy foot shall tread;
And, the dragon's den exploring,
Thou shalt bruise the serpent's head.
Since, with pure and warm affection,
Thou on God hast set thy love,
With the wings of his protection
He will shield thee from above:
Thou shalt call on Him in trouble,
He will hearken, He will save,
Here for grief reward thee double,
Crown with life beyond the grave.
THE Lord is King;-upon his throne
He sits in garments glorious;
Or girds for war his armour on,
In every field victorious:
The world came forth at his command;
Built on his word, its pillars stand;
They never can be shaken.
The Lord was King ere time began,
His reign is everlasting;
When high the floods in tumult ran,
Their foam to heaven up-casting,
He made the raging waves his path;
-The sea is mighty in its wrath,
But God on high is mightier.
Thy testimonies, Lord! are sure;
Thy realm fears no commotion,
Firm as the earth, whose shores endure
Th' eternal toil of ocean:
And Thou with perfect peace wilt bless
Thy faithful flock;-for holiness
Becomes thine house for ever.
O COME, let us sing to the Lord,
In God our salvation rejoice;
In psalms of thanksgiving record
His praise, with one spirit, one voice!
For Jehovah is King, and He reigns,
The God of all gods, on his throne;
The strength of the hills he maintains,
The ends of the earth are his own.
The sea is Jehovah's;-He made
The tide its dominion to know;
The land is Jehovah's;-He laid
Its solid foundations below:
Oh come, let us worship, and kneel
Before our Creator, our God!
-The people who serve Him with zeal,
-The flock whom He guides with his rod
As Moses, the fathers of old
Through the sea and the wilderness led, His wonderful works we behold,
With manna from heaven are fed :
To-day, let us hearken, to-day,
To the voice that yet speaks from above,
And all his commandments obey,
For all his commandments are love.
His wrath let us fear to provoke,
To dwell in his favour unite;
His service is freedom, his yoke
Is easy, his burden is light:
But, oh! of rebellion beware,
Rebellion, that hardens the breast,
Lest God in his anger should swear
That we shall not enter his rest.
BE joyful in God, all ye lands of the earth!
Oh, serve Him with gladness and fear!
Exult in his presence with music and mirth,
With love and devotion draw near.
For Jehovah is God,-and Jehovah alone,
Creator and ruler o'er all;
And we are his people, his sceptre we own;
His sheep, and we follow his call.
Oh, enter his gates with thanksgiving and song, Your vows in his temple proclaim;
His praise with melodious accordance prolong,
And bless his adorable name!
For good is the Lord, inexpressibly good,
And we are the work of his hand;
His mercy and truth from eternity stood,
And shall to eternity stand.
O My Soul! with all thy powers,
Bless the Lord's most holy name;
O my soul! till life's last hours,
Bless the Lord, his praise proclaim:
Thine infirmities He heal'd;
He thy peace and pardon seal'd.
He with loving-kindness crown'd thee,
Satisfied thy mouth with good;
From the snares of death unbound thee,
Eagle-like thy youth renew'd:
Rich in tender mercy He,
Slow to wrath, to favour free.
He will not retain displeasure,
Though awhile He hide his face;
Nor his God-like bounty measure
By our merit, but his grace:
As the heaven the earth transcends,
Over us his care extends.
Far as east and west are parted,
He our sins hath sever'd thus:
As a father, loving-hearted,
Spares his son, He spareth us;
For He knows our feeble frame,
He remembers whence we came.
Mark the field-flower, where it groweth,
Frail and beautiful ;—anon,
When the south-wind softly bloweth,
Look again, the flower is gone!
Such is man; his honours pass,
Like the glory of the grass.
From eternity, enduring
To eternity, the Lord,
Still his people's bliss insuring,
Keeps his covenanted word:
Yea, with truth and righteousness,
Children's children He will bless.
As in heaven, his throne and dwelling,
King on earth he holds his sway;
Angels! ye in strength excelling,
Bless the Lord, his voice obey;
All his works beneath the pole,
Bless the Lord, with thee, my soul!
My soul! adore the Lord of might:
With uncreated glory crown'd,
And clad in royalty of light,
He draws the curtain'd heavens around;
Dark waters his pavilion form,
Clouds are his car, his wheels the storm.
Lightning before Him, and behind
Thunder rebounding to and fro;
He walks upon the winged wind,
And reins the blast, or lets it go:
-This goodly globe his wisdom plann'd,
He fix'd the bounds of sea and land.
|