2 Within thy circling pow'r I stand,
On ev'ry side I find thy hand;
Awake, asleep, at home, abroad,
I am surrounded still with God!
aff 30 may these thoughts possess my breast,
Where'er I rove, where'er I rest!
Nor let my weaker passions dare
Consent to sin, for God is there!
SECOND VERSION.-L. M. Hebron. Rockingham.
God all-seeing and present every where.
Aff 1 0, LORD, I'm ever in thine eye,
And Thou my secret thoughts dost spy,
My path Thou compassest around,
And all my actions Thou dost bound.
2 0, whither shall I go, to flee
The presence of immensity?
Should I ascend to heav'nly light,
Thy glory there shines out most bright.
3 Down to the grave should I repair,
Thou wouldst be present with me there;
In distant lands beyond the sea,
Thy Spirit, Lord, would be with me.
4 And if I say, the shades of night
Shall surely hide me from thy sight;-
Yet noon of night, like noon of day,
To Thee will all my deeds display!
5 Then teach me, Lord, as in thy view
The path of goodness to pursue,
That, when from earth my soul is free,
I may be present, Lord, with Thee!
THIRD VERSION.-C. M. Spencer. Dundee.
God's Omnipresence and Omniscience.
Aff 1 IN all my vast concerns with Thee,
In vain my soul would try
To shun thy presence, Lord, or flee
The notice of thine eye.
2 Thy all surrounding sight surveys
My rising and my rest,
My public walks, my private ways,
And secrets of my breast.
mf 3 0, wondrous knowledge, deep and high!
Where can a creature hide?
Within thy circling arms I lie,
Beset on ev'ry side.
mf 4 So let thy grace surround me still,
And like a bulwark prove,
To guard my soul from ev'ry ill,
Secur'd by sov'reign love!
FOURTH VERSION.—S. M. Olmutz. Watchman.
Sincerity professed before God.
1 THE wicked Thou wilt slay,
In thy great wrath, O God,
Unless they turn from evil way,
In which their feet have trod.
2 The men with bloody stain,
The men, who Thee blaspheme,
And those, who take thy name in vain,-
All these my foes I deem.
mp 3 For wicked men I mourn,
In all their guilt and gloom ;-
O, let them unto Thee return,
And flee th' avenging doom!
4 Search me; my heart survey;
Be mercy to me given:-
O make me feel thy Spirit's sway,
And lead me up to heaven!
FIFTH VERSION.-7s. Norwich. Pleyel's Hymn.
mp 1 WHERE from Thee, can I, Lord, go?
Whither from thine eye repair?
If to gloomy world below,
Or to heaven ;-Thou art there!
2 If the morning's wings I take,
And with speed of light should fly
Where the western billows break,-
There, O Lord, I meet thine eye!
mp 3 If I say, the veil of night
Spreads o'er me impervious gloom ;
Darkness is with Thee as light,
Night thy presence doth illume!
aff 4 Then, O Lord, the thought of Thee,
Let it all my steps attend,
Urging ev'ry sin to flee,
That in heav'n my path may end!
SIXTH VERSION.-7s. Palmer. Rutland.
God's Omnipresence.
1 LORD, Thou searchest all my heart!
Ne'er from Thee can I depart ;
Rising up, or lying down,
All my ways by Thee are known,
All my thoughts are seen by Thee,
God of glorious majesty!
2 From thy Spirit where shall I,
From thy presence whither fly?
Up to heaven? Thou art there!-
In th' abyss of dark despair?
Even there is felt thy power,-
Present justice every hour!
3 If I fly with morning's wings,
As the dawn its radiance flings,
And in distant sea do dwell;
There thy hand doth guide me well:
There Thou, Lord, art near to me,
There thy glory I shall see.
4 If I say, "T is light reveals,-
Darkness from thy view conceals!"
Night shall then to me be day,
Darkness all my deeds display.
Night, O God, to Thee shines free,-
Light and darkness one to Thee.
aff 5 Then, Jehovah, let me fear
Thy just scrutiny severe ;
Nor, when tempter plies his art,
Let my soul from Thee depart,
Since, O God, thy pow'r is nigh,
Since I'm ever in thine eye!
PSALM 140.-L. M. Walton. Duke Street,
Prayer for Protection.
1 MINE enemies have laid their snare,
The tempter spread his net for me;
O, Lord my God, regard my prayer,
And let me thy salvation see!
2 Each meditated ill prevent,
Each wicked project overthrow,
Lest, prosp'rous, proud, and insolent,
In boastfulness exult the foe.
3 Thou wilt the rightful cause maintain,
And vindicate the poor oppress'd;
None thy kind aid shall seek in vain,
Nor deem his confidence unblest.
4 Surely, thy righteous servants, Lord, Thy grace and pow'r shall joyful tell; mf They shall inherit high reward,
And in thy presence ever dwell!
141. FIRST VER.-L. M. Walton. Winchester, Worship of God: Prayer for the Righteous.
1 MY God, accept my early vows,
Like morning incense, in thy house;
And let my nightly worship rise
Sweet as the evening sacrifice.
2 Watch o'er my lips, and guard them, Lord,
From ev'ry rash and heedless word,
Nor let my feet incline to tread
The guilty path, where sinners lead.
3 O, may the righteous, when I stray,
Smite and reprove my wand'ring way!
Their gentle words, like ointment shed,
Shall never bruise, but cheer my head.
mp 4 When I behold them press'd with grief,
I'll cry to heav'n for their relief,
mf And by my warm petitions prove,
How much I prize their faithful love.
SECOND VERSION.-L. M. Walton. Duke Street.
God's Favor sought.
Aff 1 LORD, when I cry to Thee, give ear,
My earnest supplication hear;
And let my pray'r, like incense, rise,
Or smoke of evening sacrifice.
2 Teach me the door of speech to guard,
And constant keep a watch and ward;
My heart to naught of ill incline,
Nor let me from thy word decline.
3 But, should I from thy precepts stray,
Let righteous men reprove my way;
Their wise reproof shall cheer my head,
Like oil of gladness o'er me spread! ALLEN.
142. FIRST VER.-L. M. Windham. Medway. God a Refuge.
Aff 1 IN all my straits to Thee I'll cry,
To Thee, O Lord, my God, most high,
Nor will I cease to seek thy face,
And supplicate thy wondrous grace.
2 My way is thick beset with snares,
And for my soul no brother cares;
Before my num'rous foes I quail,
And earthly refuge seems to fail.
3 Yet, when I cry to Thee, O Lord,
I find a refuge in thy word;
Thy promises sustain my soul,
And all my restless fears control.
aff 4 Behold me, Lord, brought very low;
My pow'rful foes still bend their bow;
O, burst my chains and prison-door;
Then will I praise Thee evermore!
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