AVIOUR, breathe an evening blessing,
Ere repose our spirits seal;
Sin and want we come confessing,
Thou canst save and thou canst heal.
2 Though destruction walk around us,
Though the arrows past us fly,
Angel guards from thee surround us,
We are safe, if thou art nigh.
3 Though the night be dark and dreary,
Darkness can not hide from thee;
Thou art he who, never weary,
Watchest where thy people be.
Close of Worship. Baptism.
OVE divine, all love excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
Fix in us thy humble dwelling,
All thy faithful mercies crown.
2 Jesus, thou art all compassion,
Pure, unbounded love thou art:
Visit us with thy savation,
Enter every trembling heart.
3 Breathe, O Lord, thy holy spirit,
Into every troubled breast;
Let us all thy grace inherit,
Let us find thy promised rest.
4 Take away the love of sinning,
Take our load of guilt away;
End the work of thy beginning,
Bring us to eternal day.
At the Baptism of Infants.
AVIOUR, who thy flock art feeding,
With the shepherd's kindest care
All the feeble gently leading,
While the lambs thy bosom share.
2 Now, these little ones receiving,
Fold them in thy gracious arm;
There we know, thy Word believing,
Only there secure from harm!
3 Never, from thy pasture roving,
Let them be the lion's prey;
Let thy tenderness, so loving,
Keep them all life's dangerous way.
4 Then, within thy fold eternal,
Let them find a resting-place;
Feed in pastures ever vernal,
Drink the rivers of thy grace!
173 LORD, dismiss us with thy blessing;
our hearts with joy and peace
Let us each, thy love possessing,
Triumph in redeeming grace:
O refresh us,
Traveling through this wilderness.
2 Thanks we give, and adoration,
For thy Gospel's joyful sound;
May the fruits of thy salvation
In our hearts and lives abound:
May thy presence,
May thy presence,
With us evermore be found.
174 SUPPLIANT, lo! thy children bend
Father for thy blessing now;
Thou canst teach us, guide, defend;
We are weak, almighty thou!
2 With the peace thy Word imparts
Be the taught and teacher blessed;
In our lives and in our hearts,
Father, be thy laws impressed.
3 Pour into each longing mind,
Light and knowledge from above,
Charity for all mankind,
Trusting faith, enduring love.
175 H Be thy glorious name adored
[OLY, holy, holy Lord,
Lord, thy mercies never fail;
Hail, Eternal Goodness, hail!
2 Lord, we know that thou art near
Grace impart and holy fear!
Purer praise we'll joyful bring,
When around thy throne we sing.
3 There our bosoms filled with love
Shall the joys of angels prove;
While through heaven's unmeasured bound,
Praise to thee shall ever sound.
4 Lord thy mercies never fail;
Hail, Eternal Goodness hail!
Be thy glorious name adored,
Holy, holy, holy Lord!
|