So Christ, our Rock, shall life maintain,
Till we shall dwell above.
4 Thus, guarded by th' Almighty hand,
The chosen tribes possess'd
Canaan, the rich, the promis'd land,
And there enjoy'd their rest.
mf 5 Then let the world forbear its rage,
The Church renounce her fear;
Israel must live through ev'ry age,
And be th' Almighty's care!
SECOND VERSION.-78. Nuremburg. Kimball.
God's wonderful Works to be praised.
1 O, GIVE thanks unto the Lord,
Call ye on his holy name,
All his deeds and faithful word,-
Word of promis'd good, proclaim!
2 Sing to God; sing hymns and psalms,
Talk of all his wondrous ways;-
Fear of Him all passion calms,
Love to Him each pow'r o'ersways.
3 Once He spread a cloud-form'd tent,
Once He rear'd the pillar'd light,
When his ancient people went
Desert-wand'rers day and night.
4 Smote He not the flinty rock?
Straight the waters gushed out,
Following his chosen flock,
As they wander'd round about.
5 Lord, conduct thy people still
Through the perils of their way,
Till they reach the heav'nly hill,
Land of rest, their home for aye!
106. FIRST VER.-L. M. Mendon. Ellenthorpe.
Praise to God; Communion with Saints.
" 1 TO God, the great, the ever blest,
Let songs of honor be address'd;
His mercy firm forever stands,
Give Him the thanks, his love demands.
2 Who knows the wonders of thy ways?
Who shall fulfil thy boundless praise?
Blest are the souls, who fear Thee still,
And pay their duty to thy will.
3 Remember what thy mercy did
For Jacob's race, thy chosen seed
And with the same salvation bless
The meanest suppliant of thy grace.
mf 4 O may I see thy tribes rejoice,
And aid their triumphs with my voice!
This is my glory, Lord, to be
Join'd to thy saints, and near to Thee! WATTS. SECOND VERSION.-L. M. Danvers. Uxbridge.
mf 1 O, RENDER thanks to God above,
The fountain of eternal love,
Whose mercy firm through ages past
Has stood and shall forever last.
`2 Who can his mighty deeds express,-
Not only vast, but numberless?
What mortal eloquence can raise
His tribute of immortal praise?
aff 3 0, may I worthy prove to see
Thy saints in full prosperity;
That I the joyful choir may join,
And count thy people's triumph mine!
mf 4 Let Israel's God be ever blest
His name eternally confess'd:
Let all his saints, with full accord,
Sing loud Amens.-Praise ye the Lord!
THIRD VERSION.-H. M. Harwich. Stow.
Forgetfulness of God.
mf 1 THE Lord did Israel save,
His wondrous pow'r to show;
He led them through the wave,
And did their foes o'erthrow:-
O'er Egypt's host the tide did sweep ;-
They sunk, as lead, in mighty deep!
2 Then they believ'd his word,
And bless'd his holy name;
In songs they praise the Lord,
His works of might proclaim;
But soon, alas, forget his power,
And madly trespass more and more!
S Full oft the Lord did hear,
When in their wo they cry;
Full oft did He appear
To bring salvation nigh:-
Let us, O Lord, thy mercy know,
And let our praises ceaseless flow!
FOURTH VERSION.-6 & 4. Oakham. Italian Hymn.
God praised for his Mercy.
1 GIVE thanks to God above,
Exhaustless source of love
In ages past;
His word is ever sure,
His mercy shall endure,
And good men shall assure,
While time shall last.
2 Who can his deeds express,
Mighty and numberless,
His deeds of grace?
The holy seers of old
Did in dim sketch unfold
His scheme of love untold
In Jesus' face.
aff 3 O Lord! how blest are they,
Who all thy laws obey,
And mercy know?—
As Thou didst set them free,
In mercy visit me,
Give me true liberty,
And joy bestow!
4 Thy people's hope and weal
Unto my soul reveal
In thy great love!
Then I with them shall rise,
In sweet and glad surprise,
To dwell in yonder skies,-
In heav'n above!
107. FIRST VER.-L. M. Nottaway. Rothwell. Israel led to Canaan.
1 GIVE thanks to God:-He reigns above;
Kind are his thoughts; his name is love;
His mercy ages past have known,
And ages long to come shall own.
2 In their distress when Israel cried,
God was their Savior and their guide;
He led their march far wand'ring round
'T was the right path to Canaan's ground.
3 So, when our first release we gain
From sin's own yoke and Satan's chain,
We have a desert to pass through,
With perils, such as Israel knew.
4 God feeds and clothes us all the way,
He guides our footsteps, lest we stray;
He guards us with a pow'rful hand,
And brings us to the heav'nly land!
5 0, let us then with joy record
The truth and goodness of the Lord!
How great his works? How kind his ways?— f Let ev'ry tongue pronounce his praise! WATTS.
SECOND VERSION.-L. M. Bernard. Appleton.
Nations and Individuals corrected for Sin.
mp 1 THE prosp'rous nation is brought low,
Affliction bends them to the dust;
Chasten'd for sin, they bondage know,
And find, that God on high is just.
2 Proud princes sink down into shame,
And wander in a desert path ;
Dishonoring God's holy name,
They see his pow'r, they feel his wrath.
3 Yet He the poor doth set on high,
Their troubles and their griefs removes;
He guards them with his watchful eye,
And richly blesses them, He loves.
4 For this shall not good men rejoice,
And scorners shrink in shame away?
O, praise the Lord with joyful voice,
And all his holy laws obey!
THIRD VERSION.-L. M. Walton. Uxbridge.
God punishing and rewarding.
1 RIVERS into a wilderness,
The water-springs into dry ground,
A fruitful land to barrenness
The Lord doth change, where sins abound.
2 The wilderness into a pool,
The dry ground into water-springs,
Clear, as the crystal, deep and cool,-
He changeth, when his love He brings.
3 And there He makes the hungry dwell,
That they a city fair may build;-
Their fields and vineyards, nurtur'd well,
The fruits of increase amply yield.
mf 4 0, that each desert heart might know
The renovating pow'r of God!
That streams of life o'er earth might flow, ff And spread salvation's joys abroad!
FOURTH VERSION.-78. Wilmot Kimball..
Praise to God for his Faithfulness.
mf 1 PRAISE the Lord, for He is good;
Firmly has his mercy stood,
And his promise is secure ;-
Firm his mercy shall endure.
2 Say, ye ransom'd of the Lord,
Who have known his faithful word,—
Is his promise insecure?
Fails his mercy to endure?
3 Once ye stray'd in desert wide ;
Fainting, to the Lord ye cried;
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