Lord! Thou hast been Thy people's rest
Through all their generations,
Their refuge when by danger prest,
Their hope in tribulations;
Thou, ere the mountains sprang to birth,
Or ever Thou had'st form'd the earth,
Art God from everlasting!
The sons of men return to clay,
When Thou the word hast spoken,
As with a torrent borne away,
Gone, like a dream when broken;
A thousand years are, in Thy sight,
But as a watch amid the night,
Or yesterday departed.
Our life is like the transient breath
That tells a mournful story;
Early or late, stopped short by death,
And where is all our glory?
Our days are threescore years and ten,
And, if the span be lengthen'd then,
Their strength is toil and sorrow.
Lo, Thou hast set before Thine eyes
Our misdeeds and our errors;
Our secret sins from darkness rise,
With their awakening terrors;
Who can abide the trying hour?
Or who escape Thine arm of power?
We flee unto Thy mercy.
Lord! teach us so to mark our days,
That we may prize them duly;
So guide our feet in wisdom's ways,
That we may love Thee truly;
Return, O Lord! our griefs behold,
And with Thy goodness, as of old,
O satisfy us early.
THE RESOLVE.
Hath my heart been wavering long?
Have I dallied oft with wrong?
Now, at last, I firmly say:
All my will to Thee I give,
Only to my God to live,
And to serve Him night and day.
Lord, I offer at Thy feet
All I have most dear and sweet,
Lo! I keep no secret hoard.
Try my heart, and lurks there aught
False within its inmost thought,
Take it hence this moment, Lord!
I will shun no toil nor woe;
Where Thou leadest I will go ;
Be my pathway plain or rough.
If but every hour may be
Spent in work that pleases Thee,
Ah! dear Lord, it is enough!
Thee I make my choice alone;
Make forever, Lord, Thine own,
All my pow'rs of soul and mind.
I have chosen now Thy way,
Let the covenant stand for aye
That my hand to-day hath signed.
110 FOR YOM KIPPOOR (DAY OF ATONE
To Thee we give ourselves to-day ;
Forgetful of the world outside,
We tarry in Thy house, O God!
From eventide to eventide.
From Thy all-searching, righteous eye
Our deepest heart can nothing hide;
It crieth up to Thee for peace
From eventide to eventide.
Who could endure shouldst Thou, O God,
As we deserve, forever chide!
We, therefore, seek Thy pard'ning grace
From eventide to eventide.
O may we lay to heart how swift
The years of life do onward glide;
So learn to live that we may see
Thy light at our life's eventide.
Thy faithful servant, Lord, doth yearn
For Thy consoling grace;
Spread over Him its healing wing,
His guilt do Thou efface.
Were not Thy word: Turn back from sin
And I will turn to Thee,
I, like a helmsman in the storm,
Would, helpless, face the sea.
To Thy despondent servant show
The path of penitents:
He striveth painfully for words
To tell how he repents.
O God! I tremble when I mark
How day on day is lost,
And yet my heart, by passions ruled,
Still to and fro is tossed.
O let my penitence to-day
Be my soul's surety;
Contrite I vow to serve Thee well;
Be merciful to me !
"He who confesses and forsaketh evil shall find mercy."Prov. xxviii: 13.
God of mercy, God of love,
Hear our sad, repentant songs ;
Listen to Thy suppliant ones,
Thou, to whom all grace belongs.
Deep our shame for follies past,
Talents wasted, time misspent,
Hearts absorbed by worldly cares,
Thankless for the blessings lent;
Foolish fears and proud desires,
Vain regrets for things as vain,
Lips too seldom taught to praise,
Oft to murmur and complain;
These and every secret fault,
Filled with grief and shame, we own ;
Humbled at Thy feet we bow,
Seeking strength from Thee alone.
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