3 Therefore my hope is in His grace
And not in my own merit,
On Him my confidence I place,
Instructed by His Spirit;
His precious Word hath promised me,
He will my joy and comfort be,
Thereon is my reliance.
4 Though sin with us doth much abound,
Yet grace still more aboundeth,
Sufficient help in Christ is found,
Where sin most deeply woundeth,
He the good Shepherd is indeed,
Who His lost sheep doth seek and lead,
With tender love and pity. Amen.
441 "Blessed be the Lord my strength . . . my high tower and my deliverer; my shield, and He in Whom I trust.'
1 A SURE stronghold our God is He,
A trusty shield and weapon;
Our help He'll be and set us free
From every ill can happen.
That old malicious foe
Intends us deadly woe;
Armed with the strength of hell
And deepest craft as well,
On earth is not his fellow.
2 By force of ours nought could be done,
Straight were we lost for ever;
But for us fights the Righteous One,
By God sent to deliver.
Ask ye who this may be?
Christ Jesus named is He,
Of Sabaoth the Lord;
Sole God to be adored;
'Tis He must win the battle. Amen.
442 "A very present help in trouble.
1 GOD is our Refuge, tried and proved
Amid a stormy world;
We will not fear, though earth be moved,
And hills in ocean hurled.
2 The waves may roar, the mountains shake. Our comforts shall not cease;
The Lord His saints will not forsake,
The Lord will give us peace.
3 A gentle stream of hope and love
To us shall ever flow;
It issues from His throne above,
It cheers His Church below,
4 When earth and hell against us came,
He spoke, and quelled their powers
The Lord of hosts is still the same,
The God of grace is ours.
443 "I cried unto God with my voice, and He
1 GOD of my life, to Thee I call;
Afflicted at Thy feet I fall:
When the great water-floods prevail,
Leave not my trembling heart to fail.
2 Friend of the friendless and the faint!
Where should I lodge my deep complaint?
Where but with Thee, Whose open door
Invites the helpless and the poor?
3 Did ever mourner plead with Thee
And Thou refuse that mourner's plea?
Does not the word still fixed remain,
That none shall seek Thy face in vain
4 That were a grief I could not bear
Didst Thou not hear and answer prayer;
But a prayer-hearing, answering God,
Supports me under every load.
5 Poor though I am, despised, forgot,
Yet God, my God, forgets me not;
And he is safe, and must succeed
For whom the Lord vouchsafes to plead.
444 "O give thanks unto the Lord."
1 To God, the mighty Lord,
Your joyful thanks repeat
To Him due praise afford,
As good as He is great.
For God does prove
Our constant Friend
His boundless love
Shall never end.
2 By His Almighty hand
Amazing works are wrought:
The heavens by His command
Were to perfection brought.
For God, &c.
3 He, in our depth of woes,
On us with favour thought,
And from our cruel foes
In peace and safety brought.
For God, &c.
4 He does the food supply
On which all creatures live:
To God Who reigns on high
Eternal praises give.
For God, &c.
"I will love Thee, O Lord.
1 No change of times shall ever shock
My firm affection, Lord, to Thee,
For Thou hast always been my Rock,
A Fortress and Defence to me.
2 Thou my Deliverer art, my God,
My trust is in Thy mighty power;
Thou art my Shield from foes abroad,
At home my Safeguard and my Tower.
3 Let the eternal Lord be praised,
The Rock on Whose defence I rest; O'er highest heavens His Name be raised, Who me with His salvation blest.
4 Therefore to celebrate His fame
My grateful voice to heaven I'll raise,
And nations, strangers to His Name,
Shall thus be taught to sing His praise.
446 “Now, therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious Name."
1 Now thank we all our God,
With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done,
In Whom His world rejoices;
Who, from our mother's arms,
Hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
And still is ours to-day.
2 Oh! may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts
And blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace,
And guide us when perplexed,
And free us from all ills
In this world and the next.
3 All praise and thanks to God
The Father, now be given,
The Son, and Him Who reigns
With Them in highest heaven,
The One Eternal God,
Whom earth and heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.
|