7 His hand is my perpetual guard;
He keeps me with his eye:
Why should I, then, forget the Lord,
Who is forever nigh?

47

L. M.

The Creator and Creatures.

1 FROM thy Great Self thy being springs; Thou art thy own original,

Made up of uncreated things,

And self-sufficience bears them all.

WATTS.

2 Thy voice produced the seas and spheres, Bid the waves roar and planets shine; But nothing like thyself appears

Through all these spacious works of thine.

3 Still restless nature dies and grows;

From change to change the creatures run; Thy being no succession knows,

And all thy vast designs are one.

4 Who can behold the blazing light?
Who can approach consuming flame?
None but thy wisdom knows thy might,
None but thy word can speak thy name.

48

L. M.

WATTS.

Creation, Dissolution, and Restoration of the World. 1 SING to the Lord that built the skies, The Lord that reared this stately frame; Let all the nations sound his praise,

And lands unknown repeat his name.

2 He formed the seas, and formed the hills,
Made every drop and every dust,
Nature and time, with all their wheels,
And pushed them into motion first.
3 Now, from his high, imperial throne,

He looks far down upon the spheres ;
He bids the shining orbs roll on,

And round he turns the hasty years.

4 Thus shall this moving engine last,
Till all his saints are gathered in;
Then for the trumpet's dreadful blast
To shake it all to dust again!

5 Yet, when the sound shall tear the skies, And lightning burn the globe below, Saints, you may lift your joyful eyes; There's a new heaven and earth for you.

49

L. M.

The Perfections of God.

1 BRIGHT King of glory, dreadful God,
Our spirits bow before thy seat;
To thee we lift an humble thought,
And worship at thine awful feet.

WATTS.

2 Thy power hath formed, thy wisdom sways
All nature with a sovereign word;
And the bright world of stars obeys
The will of their superior Lord,

3 Mercy and truth unite in one,

And smiling sit at thy right hand; Eternal justice guards thy throne,

And vengeance waits thy dread command.

4 A thousand seraphs, strong and bright,
Stand round the glorious Deity;
But who, amongst the sons of light,
Pretends comparison with thee?

50

C. M.

The Divine Perfections.

1 HOW shall I praise the eternal God,
That Infinite Unknown?

Who can ascend his high abode,
Or venture near his throne?

2 The great Invisible! he dwells
Concealed in dazzling light;
But his all-searching eye reveals
The secrets of the night.

WATTS.

3 Those watchful eyes, that never sleep, Survey the world around;

His wisdom is a boundless deep,
Where all our thoughts are drowned.

4 Speak we of strength? his arm is strong, To save or to destroy;

Infinite years his life prolong,

And endless is his joy.

5 He knows no shadow of a change, Nor alters his decrees;

Firm as a rock his truth remains,

To guard his promises.

45

S. M.

God's Power and Goodness.

WATTS.

51

1 O, THE Almighty Lord,
How matchless is his power!
Tremble, O earth, beneath his word,
While all the heavens adore.

2 Let proud, imperious kings
Bow low before his throne;
Crouch to his feet, ye haughty things,
Or he shall tread you down.

3 Yet, everlasting God,

We love to speak thy praise;
Thy sceptre's equal to thy rod,
The sceptre of thy grace.

4 Salvation to the King

That sits enthroned above!
Thus we adore the God of might,
And bless the God of love.

52

C. M.

God's Power and Goodness. Ps. 66.

1 SING, all ye nations, to the Lord,
Sing with a joyful noise;
With melody of sound record
His honors and your joys.

WATTS.

2 Say to the Power that shakes the sky,: "How terrible art thou!

"Sinners before thy presence fly,

"Or at thy feet they bow."

3 0, bless our God, and never cease;
Ye saints, fulfil his praise;

He keeps our life, maintains our peace,
And guides our doubtful ways.

4 Lord, thou hast proved our suffering souls, To make our graces shine;

So silver bears the burning coals,

The metal to refine.

5 Through watery deeps and fiery ways, We march at thy command;

Led to possess the promised place
By thine unerring hand.

53

L. M.

WATTS.

The Vengeance and Compassion of God. Ps. 68.
1 LET God arise in all his might,
And put the troops of hell to flight,
As smoke that sought to cloud the skies
Before the rising tempest flies.

2 He rides and thunders through the sky;
His name Jehovah sounds on high;
Sing to his name, ye sons of grace;
Ye saints, rejoice before his face.

3 The widow and the fatherless

Fly to his aid in sharp distress;
In him the poor and helpless find
A Judge that's just, a Father kind.

4 Kingdoms and thrones to God belong; Crown him, ye nations, in your song; `His wondrous names and powers rehearse; His honors shall enrich your verse.