HOW sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In each believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrow, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
It makes the broken spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.
Dear name! the rock on which I build,
My shield, my hiding place,
My never-failing treas'ry, fill'd
With boundless stores of grace.
Jesus! my Shepherd, Surety, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King;
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End!
Accept the praise I bring.
Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see thee as thou art,
I'll praise thee as I ought.
HOW sweet to leave the world awhile,
And seek the presence of our Lord!
Great Saviour, on thy people smile,
And come, according to thy word.
From busy scenes we now retreat,
That we may here converse with thee;
Behold us gath'ring round thy feet;
Let this the gate of heaven be.
O blessed Jesus, now appear,
That we by faith may see thy face;
O speak, that we thy voice may hear,
And let thy presence fill this place.
Then let the worldling boast his joys;
We've bread to eat he knows not of:
We count his treasures worthless toys,
While we possess a Saviour's love.
IF friendless in the vale of tears I stray,
Where briars wound, and thorns perplex my way,
Still let my steady soul thy goodness see,
And, with strong confidence, lay hold on thee.
In ev'ry creature, Lord, I own thy pow'r,
In each event thy providence adore;
Thy promises shall cheer my drooping soul,
Thy precepts guide me, and thy fear controul.
Then when at last I quit this transient scene,
Help me to leave it with a heart serene ;
Teach me to fix my ardent hopes on high,
And having liv'd to thee, in thee to die.
79.
IF some poor wand'ring child of thine
Have spurn'd to-day, thy voice divine,
Now, Lord, the gracious work begin,
Let him no more lie down in sin.
Watch by the sick, enrich the poor
With blessings from thy boundless store;
Be ev'ry mourner's sleep to night,
Like infant slumbers, pure and light.
Come near, and bless us when we wake,
Ere through the world our way we take;
Till in the ocean of thy love,
We lose ourselves in heav'n above.
IF such the views which grace unfolds,
Weak as it is below,
What raptures must the church above
In Jesu's presence know!
If such the sweetness of the stream,
What must the fountain be,
Where saints and angels draw their bliss,
Immediately from thee?
O may the unction of these truths
For ever with me stay!
Till from her sinful cage dismiss'd,
My spirit flies away.
I HOLD the sacred book of God,
To hear, and keep, and use it, free;
But holy martyrs shed their blood
To win this word of life for me!
With steady faith in Christ alone,
The threats of impious power they spurn'd;
And, bold that holy faith to own,
They gave their bodies to be burn'd.
In heav'n with palms they triumph now ;
We love to speak their honour'd names;
Oh, may our lips and lives avow
The truth they kept through blood and flames.
We bear, we'll hold, the Christian name,
Though hell oppose, and earth deride;
We'll keep the faith through fear and shame;
That faith for which our fathers died.
IN all the ways and works of God,
His justice and his love we trace:
We bend to his avenging rod,
Or kiss the sceptre of his grace.
Around his saints, who fear his name,
In endless streams his mercies flow:
But all the fruit of sin is shame,
And present grief and future woe.
Lord, at thy footsool we appear,
To own our guilt and seek thy love
O let thy fav'ring mercy hear,
And send a blessing from above,
Impart thy truth; our souls restore ;
And keep us in thy righteous ways;
So shall the church thy grace adore,
And gladly sound the Saviour's praise.
83.
IN heaven a rapt'rous song was heard,
Of sweet seraphic praise,
When Jesus in our flesh appear'd,
A fallen world to raise.
The theme, the song, the joy was new,
To each angelic tongue;
Swift through the realms of light it flew,
And loud the echo rung.
Down through the portals of the sky,
The pealing anthem ran,
And angels flew with eager joy,
To bear the news to man.
Hark! the cherubic armies shout,
And glory leads the song;
Peace and salvation swell the note,
Of all the heav'nly throng.
Hail, Prince of life! for ever hail!
Redeemer, Brother, Friend,
Though life, and earth, and time, must fail,
Thy praise shall never end.
IN thy presence we appear,
Lord we love to worship here,
When within the veil we meet
Thee upon thy mercy seat!
While thy glorious name is sung,
Touch our lips, unloose our tongue,
Then our joyful souls shall bless
Thee, the Lord, our righteousness.
While to thee our prayers ascend,
Let thine ear in love attend;
Hear us, when thy Spirit pleads;
Hear! for Jesus intercedes.
IN token that thou shalt not fear
Christ crucified to own,
We print the cross upon thy brow,
And mark thee his alone.
O may the Holy Ghost with pow'r
Thy heav'nly birth attest;
And when the Lord shall own his saints,
Then be thy name confest.
Fearless, and faithful to the end,
Tread all temptations down;
And call'd on earth to bear his cross,
Hereafter share his crown.
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