Excellence of God's Word. Morning. Ps 19
BEHOLD the morning sun
Begins his glorious way!
His beams through all the nations run, And life and light convey.
2 But where the gospel comes,
It spreads diviner light;
It calls dead sinners from their tombs,
And gives the blind their sight.
3 How perfect is thy word!
And all thy judgments just!
Forever sure thy promise, Lord,
And men securely trust.
4 My gracious God, how plain
Are thy directions given!
I never read in vain,
But find the path to heaven.
5 I hear thy word with love,
And I would fain obey;
Send thy good Spirit from above,
To guide me, lest I stray.
6 While with my heart and tongue
I spread thy praise abroad,
Accept the worship and the song,
My Saviour and
my God.
Goodness of God. Morning. Ps. 147.
1 DELIGHTFUL is the task to sing,
On each returning day,
The praises of our heavenly King,
And grateful homage pay.
2 The countless worlds, which, bathed in light, Through fields of azure move,
Proclaim his wisdom and his might,
But O, how great his love!
3 He deigns each broken, contrite heart
With tender care to bind;
And comfort, hope and grace impart
To heal the wounded mind.
4 All creatures with instinctive cry,
From God implore their food;
His bounty grants a rich supply,
And fills the earth with good.
5 Delightful is the task, O Lord!
With each returning day
Thy countless mercies to record,
And grateful homage pay.
Seeking God. Morning. Ps. 63.
1 EARLY, my God, without delay,
I haste to seek thy face
My thirsty spirit faints away,
Without thy cheering grace.
2 So pilgrims on the scorching sand,
Beneath a burning sky,
Long for a cooling stream at hand,
And they must drink or die.
3 Not life itself, with all its joys,
Can my best passions move,
Or raise so high my cheerful voice,
As thy forgiving love.
4 Thus till my last expiring day,
I'll bless my God and King;
Thus will I lift my hands to pray,
And tune my lips to sing.
1 GOD of the morning, at whose voice The cheerful sun makes haste to rise, And like a giant doth rejoice
To run his journey through the skies;
2 Oh, like the sun may I fulfil
The appointed duties of the day;
With ready mind and active will
March on, and keep my heavenly way.
3 Lord, thy commands are clean and pure,
Enlightening our beclouded eyes;
Thy threatenings just, thy promise sure;
Thy gospel makes the simple wise.
4 Give me thy counsel for my guide,
And then receive me to thy bliss ;
All my desires and hopes beside
Are faint and cold, compared with this
1 IN sleep's serene oblivion laid,
I safely passed the silent night:
Again I see the breaking shade,
I drink again the morning light.
2 New-born, I bless the waking hour;
Once more, with awe, rejoice to be;
My conscious soul resumes her power,
And springs, my guardian God! to thee.
3 O guide me through the various maze
My doubtful feet are doomed to tread;
And spread thy shield's protecting blaze
Where dangers press around my head.
4 A deeper shade shall soon impend,
A deeper sleep my eyes oppress;
Yet then thy strength shall still defend,
Thy goodness still delight to bless.
5 That deeper shade shall break away,
That deeper sleep shall leave my eyes:
Thy light shall give eternal day;
Thy love, the rapture of the skies.
Morning Psalm. Ps. 5.
1 LORD, in the morning thou shalt hear
My voice ascending high;
To thee will I direct my prayer,
To thee lift up mine eye.
2 Thou art a God, before wnose sight
The wicked shall not stand:
Sinners shall ne'er be thy delight,
Nor dwell at thy right hand.
3 But to thy house will I resort,
To taste thy mercies there;
I will frequent thine holy court,
And worship in thy fear.
4 O may thy Spirit guide my feet
In ways of righteousness!
Make every path of duty straight
And plain before my face.
5 The men, who love and fear thy name,
Shall see their hopes fulfilled;
The mighty God will compass them
With favour as a shield.
1 LORD of my life! O may thy praise
Employ my noblest powers,
Whose goodness lengthens out my days,
And fills the circling hours!
2 Preserved by thy almighty arm,
I pass the shades of night,
Serene, and safe from every harm,
And see returning light.
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