The Blessing of the Sabbath.
1 BLEST day of God! most calm, most The first and best of days; [bright, The laborer's rest, the saint's delight, The day of prayer and praise.
2 My Saviour's face made thee to shine; His rising thee did raise;
And made thee heavenly and divine
Beyond all other days.
3 The first fruits oft a blessing prove
To all the sheaves behind;
And they who do the Sabbath love
A happy week will find.
4 This day I must to God appear,
For, Lord, the day is thine;
Help me to spend it in thy fear,
And thus to make it mine.
14 Ten thousand differing lips shall join
To hail this welcome morn,
Which scatters blessings from its wings
To nations yet unborn.
1 GREAT God, this sacred day of thine
Demands our soul's collected powers;
May we employ in work divine
These solemn, these devoted 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,
The King of kings is drawing near,
The Saviour of the world is here;
Life and salvation he doth bring,
Wherefore rejoice, and gladly sing!
Fling wide the portals of your heart,
Make it a temple set apart
From earthly use for heaven's employ
Adorned with prayer, and love, and joy;
So shall your Sovereign enter in,
And new and nobler life begin.
And fix our thoughts on things divine. 1 THY glory, Lord, the heavens declare;
3 The word of life dispensed to-day
Invites us to a heavenly feast;
May every ear the call obey;
Be every heart a humble guest;
Then shall our souls adoring own
The grace which calls us to thy throne.
47
1 LIFT up your heads, ye mighty gates, Behold the King of glory waits,
The firmament displays thy skill;
The changing clouds, the viewless air,
Tempest and calm thy word fulfill;
Day unto day doth utter speech,
And night to night thy knowledge teach.
2 While these transporting visions shine,
Along the path of Providence,
Glory eternal, joy divine,
Thy word reveals, transcending sense;
My soul thy goodness longs to see,
Thy love to man, thy love to me.
The Lord is in his Holy Temple.
1 GOD is in his holy temple:
Thoughts of earth, be silent now,
While with reverence we assemble,
And before his presence bow!
He is with us now and ever,
When we call upon his name,
Aiding every good endeavor,
Guiding every upward aim.
2 God is in his holy temple;
In the pure and holy mind;
In the reverent heart and simple;
In the soul from sense refined:
Then let every low emotion,
Banished far and silent be!
And our souls, in pure devotion,
Lord, be temples worthy thee!
Joyfully on earth adore him,
Till in heaven our song we raise;
There, enraptured, fall before him,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.
1 Now, on sea and land descending,
Brings the night its peace profound;
Let our vesper hymn be blending
With the holy calm around.
Soon as dies the sunset glory,
Stars of heaven shine out above,
Telling still the ancient story,—
Their Creator's changeless love.
2 Now our wants and burdens leaving
To his care, who cares for all,
Cease we fearing, cease we grieving;
At his touch our burdens fall.
As the darkness deepens o'er us,
Lo, eternal stars arise;
Hope and Faith and Love rise glorious,
Shining in the spirit's skies.
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