5 Before I knew Thy chastening rod
My feet had gone astray;
But now I learn to keep Thy word,
Nor wander from Thy way.

200

1

L.M.

(PSALM 119.) Sanctified Aflictions.

WATTS.

FATHER, I bless Thy gentle hand;

How kind was Thy chastising rod, That forced my conscience to a stand,

And brought my wandering soul to God.

2 Foolish and vain, I went astray Ere I had felt Thy scourges, Lord: I left my guide, and lost my way, But now I love and keep Thy word. 3 "Tis good for me to wear the yoke, For pride is apt to rise and swell; "Tis good to bear my Father's stroke, That I might learn His statutes well. 4 Thy hands have made my mortal frame, Thy spirit formed my soul within;

Teach me to know Thy wondrous name, And guard me safe from death and sin." 5 Then all that love and fear the Lord, At my salvation shall rejoice; For I have hoped in Thy word,

And made Thy grace mine only choice.

201

C.M.

WATTS.

(PSALM 121.) Preservation by Day and Night. 10 heaven I lift my waiting eyes,

There all my hopes are laid:

The Lord that built the earth and skies
Is my perpetual aid.

2 Their feet shall never slide to fall
Whom He designs to keep:
His ear attends the softest call;
His eyes can never sleep.

3 He will sustain our weakest powers
With His almighty arm,

And watch our most unguarded hours
Against surprising harm.

4 Israel, rejoice and rest secure,
Thy Keeper is the Lord;

His wakeful eyes employ His power
For thine eternal guard.

5 He guards thy soul, He keeps thy breath,
Where thickest dangers come:
Go, and return, secure from death,
Till God commands Thee home.

4 Israel, a name divinely blest,
May rise secure, securely rest;
Thy holy Guardian's wakeful eyes
Admit Lo slumber nor surprise.

5 Should earth and hell with malice burn,
Still thou shalt go, and still return
Safe in the Lord; His heavenly care
Defends thy life from every snare.

203 God the Defender of His People.

(PSALM 121.) C.M. TATE & BRADY.

1

TO Zion's hill I lift mine eyes,

From thence expecting aidFrom Zion's hill, and Zion's God

Who heaven and earth hath made. 2 Rest then, my soul, in safety rest, Thy Guardian will not sleep,

His powerful hand and watchful eye
Will Israel safely keep.

3 Sheltered beneath the Almighty wings, Thou shalt securely rest,

Where neither sun nor moon shall thee
By day or night molest.

4 At home, abroad, in peace, in war,
Thy God shall thee defend;
Conduct thee through life's pilgrimage,
And crown thy journey's end.

204

1

H

TOW did my heart rejoice to hear
My friends devoutly say,-

In Zion let us all appear,

And keep the solemn day!

2 I love her gates, I love the road;
The church, adorned with grace,
Stands like a palace built for God,
To show His milder face.

3 Up to her courts with joys unknown
The holy tribes repair;

The Son of David holds His throne,
And sits in judgment there.

4 He hears our praises and complaints;
And while His awful voice

Divides the sinners from the saints,
We tremble and rejoice.

5 Peace be within this sacred place,
And joy a constant guest;

With holy gifts and heavenly grace
Be her attendants blest.

6 My soul shall pray for Zion still,
While life or breath remains;
There my best friends, my kindred dwell,
There God my Saviour reigns.

205 on going to the House of God.

1

H To hear the people cry

[OW pleased and blest was I

Come, let us seek our God to-day!
Yes, with a cheerful zeal

We haste to Zion's hill,

And there our vows and honours pay.

Pleasure in Worship.

Gmy old companions say,

YLAD was my heart to hear

Come, in the house of God appear! For 'tis a holy day.

Lord, to Thee our prayers ascend;

ORD, before Thy throne we bend;

Servants, to our Master true,
Lord, we yield Thee homage due;
Children, to our God we fly,
Abba! Father, hear our cry.

2 Low before Thee, Lord, we bow;
We are weak, be mighty Thou;

3

4

WATTS.

That rest their souls on God;

Firm as the mount where David dwelt,
Or where the ark abode.

As mountains stood to guard
The city's sacred ground,

So God and His almighty love
Embrace His saints around.

What though the Father's rod
Drop a chastising stroke,

Yet, lest it wound their souls too deep.
Its fury shall be broke.

Deal gently, Lord, with those

Whose faith and pious fear,

Whose hope and love and every grace, Proclaim their hearts sincere.

209

1

WATTS.

(PSALM 125.) C.M.
The Saint's Trial and Safety.

UNSHAKEN as the sacred hill,

And firm as mountains be,

Firm as a rock the soul shall rest
That leans, O Lord, on Thee.

2 Not walls nor hills could guard so well Old Salem's happy ground,

As those eternal arms of love
That every saint surround.

3 While tyrants are a smarting scourge
To drive them near to God,
Divine compassion does allay
The fury of the rod.

4 Deal gently, Lord, with souls sincere, And lead them safely on

To the bright gates of Paradise,
Where Christ their Lord is gone.

name,

And changed my mournful state,
My rapture seemed a pleasing dream,
The grace appeared so great.

2 The Lord can clear the darkest skies,
Can give us day for night;
Make drops of sacred sorrow rise
To rivers of delight.

3 Let those that sow in sadness wait

Till the fair harvest come;

They shall confess their sheaves are great,
And shout the blessings home.

4 The seed, though buried long in dust,
Shall not deceive their hope;
The precious grain can ne'er be lost,
For grace ensures the crop.

1

IF

God succeed not, all the cost And pains to build the house are lost: If God the city will not keep,

The watchful guards as well may sleep.

2 What if you rise before the sun,

And work and toil when day is done; Careful and sparing eat your bread, To shun that poverty you dread: 3 Tis all in vain, till God hath blest; He can make rich, yet give us rest: Children and friends are blessings too, If God our Sovereign make them so. 4 Happy the man to whom He sends Obedient children, faithful friends; How sweet our daily comforts prove, When they are seasoned with His love.

thoughts

To Thee, my God, I raised my cries;
If Thou severely mark our faults,
No flesh can stand before Thine eyes.

2 But Thou hast built Thy throne of grace
Free to dispense Thy pardons there,
That sinners may approach Thy face,
And hope and love, as well as fear.

3 As the benighted pilgrims wait,
And long and wish for breaking day,
So waits my soul before Thy gate;
When will my God His face display?
4 My trust is fixed upon Thy word,
Nor shall I trust Thy word in vain;
Let mourning souls address the Lord,
And find relief from all their pain.

5 Great is His love, and large His grace,
Through the redemption of His Son;
He turns our feet from sinful ways,
And pardons what our hands have done.

215

1

(PSALM 130.) 87,87,887. LUTHER.
A Penitential Psalm.

UT of the depths I cry to Thee,
Lord God, hear my wailing!
Thy gracious ear incline to me,
And make my prayer availing:
On my misdeeds in mercy look,
O deign to blot them from Thy book,
Or who can stand before Thee?

2 Thy sovereign grace and boundless love
Make Thee, O Lord, forgiving;
My purest thoughts and deeds but prove
Sin in my heart is living:
None guiltless in Thy sight appear,
All who approach Thy throne must fear,
And humbly trust Thy mercy.

3 Thou canst be merciful while just,
This is my hope's foundation;
On Thy redeeming grace I trust,
Grant me, then, Thy salvation:
Shielded by Thee I stand secure,
Thy word is firm, Thy promise sure,
And I rely upon Thee.

(PSALM 132.)
Dedication Prayer.

ARISE, O King of grace, arise,

And enter to Thy rest:

219

(PSALM 132.)

L.M.

WATTS.

On Opening a House for God.

1 WHERE shall we go to seek and find

A habitation for our God,

A dwelling for the Eternal Mind Amongst the sons of flesh and blood? 2 The God of Jacob chose the hill Of Zion for His ancient rest: And Zion is His dwelling still, His Church is with His presence blest. 3 Here will I fix My gracious throne, And reign for ever,-saith the Lord; Here shall My power and love be known, And blessings shall attend My word. 4 Here will I meet the hungry poor, And fill their souls with living bread; Sinners that wait before My door With sweet provision shall be fed.

5 The saints, unable to restrain

Their inward joys, shall shout and sing;
The Son of David here shall reign,
And Zion triumph in her King.

220 commencement of Public Worship.

PSALM 132.) L.M. MONTGOMERY.

1

GOD in His temple let us meet;

Low on our knees before Him bend; Here hath He fixed His mercy-seat; Here on His Sabbath we attend.

2 Arise into Thy resting-place,
Thou, and Thine ark of strength, O Lord:
Shine through the veil, we seek Thy face;
Speak, for we hearken to Thy word.

3 With righteousness Thy priests array;
Joyful Thy chosen people be;

Let those who teach and those who pray, Let all, be holiness to Thee.

221

WATTS.

Lo! Thy church waits with longing eyes Thus to be owned and blest.

2 Enter with all Thy glorious train,
Thy Spirit and Thy word;

All that the ark did once contain
Could no such grace afford.

3 Here, Mighty God, accept our vows,
Here let Thy praise be spread;
Bless the provisions of Thy house,
And fill Thy poor with bread.

4 Here let the Son of David reign,
Let God's Anointed shine;

Justice and truth His court maintain
With love and power divine.

5 Here let Him hold a lasting throne;
And as His kingdom grows,

Fresh honours shall adorn His crown,
And

O! what an entertaining sight Are brethren that agree;

WATTS.

Brethren, whose cheerful hearts unite
In bands of piety.

2 When streams of love, from Christ the Descend to every soul,

[spring,

And heavenly peace, with balmy wing,
Shades and bedews the whole.

3 "Tis like the oil, divinely sweet,
On Aaron's reverend head;
The trickling drops perfumed his feet,
And o'er his garments spread:

4 "Tis pleasant as the morning dews
That fall on Zion's hill,
Where God His mildest glory shows,
And makes His grace distil.

B Whose hearts and hopes are one;

Whose kind designs to serve and please

3 All power that gods or kings have claimed Is found with Him alone;

But heathen gods should ne'er be named
Where our Jehovah's known.

4 Which of the stocks or stones they trust
Can give them showers of rain?
In vain they worship glittering dust,
And pray to gold in vain.

50 Britain, know thy Living God,
Serve Him with faith and fear:
He makes thy churches His abode,
And claims thine honours there.
C.M.
(PSALM 136.)
Creation and Redemption.

WATTS.

226

1

Morning and Evening Devotion.

Yattend His holy place;

E that obey the Immortal King,

Bow to the glories of His power,

And bless His wondrous grace.

2 Lift up your hands by morning light, Lift up your souls on high;

Raise your admiring thoughts by night, Above the starry sky.

3 The God of Zion cheers our hearts With rays of quickening grace ;—

The God that spread the heavens abroad, And rules the swelling seas.

224

1

(PSALM 135.)

PRAISE

L.M.

Praise by the Church.

WATTS.

ye the Lord, exalt His name,
While in His holy courts ye wait;
Ye saints that to His house belong,
Or stand attending at His gate.

2 Praise ye the Lord; the Lord is good;
To praise His name is sweet employ :
Israel He chose of old, and still
His church is His peculiar joy.

3 The Lord Himself will judge His saints;
He treats His servants as His friends;
And when He hears their sore complaints,
Repents the sorrows that He sends.

4 Through every age the Lord declares
His name, and breaks the oppressor's rod :
He gives His suffering servants rest,
And will be known,-The Almighty God.
5 Bless ye the Lord, who taste His love;
People and priests exalt His name :
Among His saints He ever dwells;
His church is His Jerusalem.

REAT is the Lord, and works unAre His divine employ : [known But still His saints are near His throne, His treasure and His joy.

2 Heaven, earth, and sea confess His hand; He bids the vapours rise;

Lightning and storm at His command Sweep through the sounding skies.

WATT

[Lord

GIVE thanks to God, the Sovereign
His mercies still endure;
And be the King of kings adored

His truth is ever sure.

2 What wonders hath His wɛsdom done!
How mighty is His hand!
Heaven, earth, and sea, He framed alone;
How wide is His command!

3 The sun supplies the day with light;
How bright His counsels shine;
The moon and stars adorn the night;
His works are all Divine.

4 He saw the nations dead in sin;
He felt His pity move:

How sad the state the world was in
How boundless was His love!

5 He sent to save us from our woe,-
His goodness never fails-
From death and hell and every foe;
And still His grace prevails.,

6 Give thanks to God, the heavenly King: His mercies still endure:

Let the whole earth His praises sing;
His truth is ever sure.

227 The Wonders of Divine Grace.

1

GIVE to our God immortal praise,
Mercy and truth are all His ways:
Wonders of grace to God belong,
Repeat His mercies in your song.

2 Give to the Lord of lords renown;
The King of kings with glory crown;
His mercies ever shall endure, [more.
When lords and kings are known no
3 He built the earth, He spread the sky,
And fixed the starry lights on high:
Wonders of grace to God belong,
Repeat His mercies in your song.

4 He fills the sun with morning light,
He bids the moon direct the night:
His mercies ever shall endure,
When sun and moon shall shine no more.

5 The Jews He freed from Pharaoh's hand,
And brought them to the promised land:
Wonders of grace to God belong,
Repeat His mercies in your song.