And, as a conqueror, His foes
In glorious triumph led.
4 Welcome, kind Shepherd! to Thy sheep
Are these sweet tastes of love;
But what a Sabbath shall they keep,
When safe with Thee above!
5 As the first fruits an earnest prove
Of all the sheaves behind,
So they who do the Sabbath love
A happy week shall find.
1 RE another Sabbath close,
Ere again we seek repose,
Lord! our song ascends to Thee;
At Thy feet we bow the knee.
2 For the mercies of the day,
For this rest upon our way,
Thanks to Thee alone be given,
Lord of earth, and King of heaven!
3 Cold our services have been ;
Mingled every prayer with sin;
But Thou canst and wilt forgive;
By Thy grace alone we live.
4 Whilst this thorny path we tread,
May Thy love our footsteps lead:
When our journey here is past,
May we rest with Thee at last.
5 Let these earthly Sabbaths prove
Foretastes of our joys above;
While their steps Thy children bend
To the rest which knows no end.
Six 8s. 1 REAT God! this sacred day of Thine Demands the soul's collected powers;
Gladly may we to Thee resign
These solemn consecrated hours;
Now may our souls, adoring, own The grace that calls us to Thy throne. 2 Hence ye vain cares and trifles, fly!
Where God resides, disturb no more; All seeing God! Thy piercing eye
Can every secret thought explore:
Oh! may Thy grace our bosoms move,
And fix our thoughts on things above.
3 Thy Spirit's powerful aid impart,
And bid Thy word, with life divine,
Engage the ear and warm the heart;
Then shall the day indeed be Thine;
Then shall our souls, adoring, own
Thy grace that calls us to Thy throne.
AIL to the Sabbath day!
The day divinely given,
When men to God their homage pay,
And earth draws near to heaven.
Lord! in this sacred hour
Within Thy courts we bend,
And bless Thy love, and own Thy power,
Our Father and our Friend!
3 Yet may a happier day
Dawn on Thy servants' sight,
When purer worship we shall pay
In heaven's unclouded light.
N Thine own appointed way,
On Thy holy Sabbath day,
Lord! within Thy house we meet,
Pleading at Thy mercy-seat:
Thou wilt own our humble claim,
For we plead the Saviour's name.
2 He hath poured His precious blood!
He hath made our peace with God;
He hath overcome the grave;
Ours the souls He came to save;
In His name we now appear; Lord! through Him receive our prayer. 3 Needful grace to all afford; Bless the message of Thy Word; Let Thy Holy Ghost impart Light and peace to every heart : Heal the sick, the captive free; Let us all rejoice in Thee.
ORD of the Sabbath! hear us pray, In this Thy house, on this Thy day; Accept, as grateful sacrifice,
The songs that from Thy servants rise.
2 Now met to pray, and bless Thy name, Whose mercies flow each day the same, Whose kind compassions never cease; We seek instruction, pardon, peace.
3 Thine earthly sabbaths, Lord! we love; But there's a nobler rest above;
Oh! that we might that rest attain,
From sin, from sorrow, and from pain!
4 In Thy blest kingdom we shall be
From every mortal trouble free;
No sighs shall mingle with the songs
Resounding from immortal tongues.
5 No rude alarms of raging foes,
No cares to break the long repose,
No midnight shade, no clouded sun,
But sacred, high, eternal noon.
6 O long-expected day, begin!
Dawn on this world of woe and sin:
Fain would we leave this weary road,
To sleep in death, and rest in God.
AFELY through another week
God has brought us on our way;
Let us now a blessing seek
On the approaching Sabbath-day;
Day of all the week the best,
Emblem of eternal rest!
2 Mercies, multiplied each hour
Through the week, our praise demand;
Guarded by Almighty power,
Fed and guided by Thy hand;
Now from worldly care set free,
May we rest this night with Thee!
3 When the morn shall bid us rise,
May we feel Thy presence near;
May Thy glory meet our eyes
When we in Thy house appear:
There afford us, Lord, a taste
Of our everlasting feast.
4 May Thy Gospel's joyful sound
Conquer sinners, comfort saints,
Make the fruits of grace abound,
Bring relief to all complaints;
Thus may all our sabbaths prove,
Till we join the church above.
SWEET is the work, my God! my King!
To praise Thy name, give thanks, and sing;
To show Thy love by morning light,
And talk of all Thy truth at night!
2 Sweet is the day of sacred rest;
No mortal care shall seize my breast;
Oh! may my heart in tune be found,
Like David's harp of solemn sound!
3 My heart shall triumph in my Lord,
And bless His works, and bless His word,
Thy works of grace, how bright they shine!
How deep Thy counsels! how divine!
4 And I shall share a glorious part,
When grace hath well refined my heart,
And fresh supplies of joy are shed,
Like holy oil, to cheer my head.
5 Then shall I see, and hear, and know
All I desired or wished below;
And every power find sweet employ
In that eternal world of joy.
1 THE light of sabbath eve
Is fading fast away;
Oh! then, what record will it leave
To crown the closing day?
Is it a Sabbath spent
Fruitless, and vain, and void?
Or have these blessed moments, lent,
Been piously employed?
How dreadful, and how drear,
In yon dark world of pain,
Will many a sabbath lost, appear,
Which cannot come again!
4 Lord of these Sabbath hours!
Oh! may we never dare
To waste, in sinful thoughts of ours,
Thy sacred days of prayer!
HIS is our solemn day of praise;
To Thee our voices high we raise,
Eternal God and King!
To Thy blest courts we will repair,
Approach Thy throne in fervent prayer,
And heartfelt tribute bring.
2 Prosper this day Thy sacred Word;
And grant that, as a two-edged sword,
may our hearts explore;
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