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Thus shall the wondering nations see
The Lord is good and just;
And distant islands fly to Thee,

And make Thy name their trust.

They dread Thy glittering tokens, Lord,
When signs in heaven appear;

But they shall learn Thy holy Word,
And love as well as fear.

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Ps. 65.

THE HOUSE OF GOD.

THE Lord of glory is my light,
And my salvation too;

God is my strength, nor will I fear
What all my foes can do.

One privilege my heart desires :
O grant me an abode
Among the Churches of Thy saints,
The temples of my God!

There shall I offer my requests,
And see Thy beauty still;
Shall hear Thy messages of love,

And there inquire Thy will.

When troubles rise, and storms appear,
There may His children hide;
God hath a strong pavilion, where

He makes my soul abide.

Now shall my head be lifted high

Above my foes around,

And songs of joy and victory
Within Thy temple sound.

LORD'S DAY, MORNING.

EARLY, my God, without delay,
to seek Thy face;

My thirsty spirit faints away
Without Thy cheering grace.

Ps. 27.

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So pilgrims on the scorching sand,
Beneath a burning sky,

Long for a cooling stream at hand,
And they must drink or die.

I've seen Thy glory and Thy power
Through all Thy temple shine ;
My God, repeat that heavenly hour,
That vision so divine.

Not all the blessings of a feast
Can please my soul so well,
As when Thy richer grace I taste,
And in Thy presence dwell.

Not life itself, with all her joys,
Can my best passions move,
Or raise so high my cheerful voice
As Thy forgiving love.

Thus till my last expiring day

I'll bless my God and King;
Thus will I lift my hands to pray,
And tune my lips to sing.

THE PLEASURES OF DIVINE SERVICE.

[OW pleasant, how divinely fair,

O Lord of hosts, Thy dwellings are!
With long desire my spirit faints
To meet the assemblies of Thy saints.

My flesh would rest in Thine abode,
My panting heart cries out for God;
My God! my King! why should I be
So far from all my joys and Thee ?

Bless'd are the saints who sit on high
Around Thy throne of majesty;
Thy brightest glories shine above,,
And all their work is praise and love.

Ps. 63.

Bless'd are the souls that find a place
Within the temple of Thy grace;
There they behold Thy gentler rays,
And seek Thy face, and learn Thy praise.

Bless'd are the men whose hearts are set
To find their way to Zion's gate;

God is their strength, and through the road
They lean upon their helper, God.

Cheerful they walk with growing strength,
Till all shall meet in heaven at length,
Till all before Thy face appear,

And join in nobler worship there.

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THE PLEASURES OF GOD'S HOUSE.

YREAT God, attend, while Zion sings

Ps. 84.

The joy that from Thy presence springs;

To spend one day with Thee on earth
Exceeds a thousand days of mirth.

Might I enjoy the meanest place
Within Thy house, O God of grace,
Not tents of ease, nor thrones of power,
Should tempt my feet to leave Thy door.

God is our sun, He makes our day;
God is our shield, He guards our way
From all the assaults of hell and sin,
From foes without and foes within.

All needful grace will God bestow,
And crown that grace with glory too!
He gives us all things, and withholds
No real good from upright souls.

O God, our King, whose sovereign sway
The glorious hosts of heaven obey,
Lord of the earth and air and sea,
Blest is the man that trusts in Thee.

Ps. 84.

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THE PLEASURES OF GOD'S HOUSE.

ORD of the worlds above,
How pleasant and how fair
The dwellings of Thy love,
Thy earthly temples are!
To Thine abode

My heart aspires,
With warm desires
To see my God.

O happy souls that pray
Where God appoints to hear!
O happy men that pay

Their constant service there!
They praise Thee still;

And happy they

That love the way

To Zion's hill.

They go from strength to strength,
Through this dark vale of tears,
Till each arrives at length,
Till each in heaven appears :
O glorious seat,
When God our King
Shall thither bring
Our willing feet!

To spend one sacred day

Where God and saints abide

Affords diviner joy

Than thousand days beside :
Where God resorts,

I love it more
To keep the door

Than shine in courts.

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God is our sun and shield,
Our light and our defence;
With gifts His hands are filled,
We draw our blessings thence :
He shall bestow

On Jacob's race
Peculiar grace
And glory too.

The Lord His people loves;
His hand no good withholds
From those His heart approves,
From pure and pious souls:
Thrice happy he,
O God of hosts,
Whose spirit trusts
Alone in Thee.

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Ps. 84.

THE PLEASURES OF GOD'S HOUSE.

Y soul, how lovely is the place
To which thy God resorts!

"Tis heaven to see His smiling face,
Though in His earthly courts.

There the great Monarch of the skies
His saving power displays,
And light breaks in upon our eyes
With kind and quickening rays.

With His rich gifts the heavenly Dove
Descends and fills the place,

While Christ reveals His wondrous love,
And sheds abroad His grace.

There, mighty God, Thy words declare

The secrets of Thy will;

And still we seek Thy mercy there,
And sing Thy praises still.

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