Prayer prevailed amid despair,
God delights to honour prayer;
Judgment laid its terrors by,
Mercy beamed on earth, and sky.
Now be sorrow turned to song,
Let the bruised reed grow strong;
Smoking flax, break forth, and blaze;
Prayer transform itself to praise.
Let the living now record
All the goodness of the Lord;
Him let those, He healed, adore,
Go in peace, and sin no more.
JESUS, we our cross have taken,
All to leave, and follow Thee;
Earthly stay, and strength forsaken,
Thou henceforth our life shalt be.
Let the world despise, and leave us,
They have left Thee, Saviour, too,
Human hearts, and looks deceive us,
Thou art not, like them, untrue.
And, whilst Thou shalt smile upon us, God of wisdom, love, and might, Foes may hate, and friends disown us, Show Thy face, and all is bright.
Man may trouble, and distress us,
'T will but drive us to Thy breast,
Life with trials hard may press us,
Heaven will bring us sweeter rest.
Soul, then know Thy full salvation,
Rise o'er sin, and fear, and care,
Joy to find in every station
Something still to do, or bear.
Think, what Spirit dwells within Thee;
Think, what Father's smiles are thine;
Think, that Jesus died to win Thee;
Child of heaven, canst Thou repine?
Haste thee on, from grace to glory, Arm'd by faith, and wing'd by prayer, Heaven's eternal day's before thee,
God's own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close thine earthly mission, Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days: Hope shall change to full fruition, Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.
WHEN war on earth suspended
His wild career of woes,
The Prince of Peace descended,
A guiltier strife to close.
Vain battle worms were waging
With their Creator, God,
He came, and, wrath assuaging,
Made peace with His own blood.
The storm, that flamed, and lowered,
Was calm at His command,
The rod of justice flowered,
Like Aaron's, in His hand.
That sceptre, love revealing,
Rebels, approach, and kiss,
Its leaves are for your healing,
Its fruits, immortal bliss,
'Tis enough, the hour is come,
Now within the silent tomb
Let this mortal frame decay,
Mingled with its kindred clay;
Since Thy mercies, oft of old
By Thy chosen seers foretold,
Faithful now, and constant prove,
God of truth, and God of love.
Since at length, my aged eye
Sees the day spring from on high,
Those, whom death had overspread
With his dim, and dreary shade,
Lift their eyes, and from afar
Hail the light of Jacob's star;
Waiting, till the promised ray
Turn their darkness into day.
Sun of righteousness, to Thee
Lo! the nations bow the knee,
And the realms of mighty kings
Own the healing of Thy wings,
Brighter beams, intensely shed,
Rest on Zion's hallowed head;
Never may they thence remove
God of mercy, truth, and love.
BLEST are the feet, that bring to us
The tidings of God's grace,
The messengers of Christ are these,
That go before His face.
Thy servants speak, but, Thou, Lord, dost
The hearing ear bestow;
They smite the rock, but Thou, oh God, Dost make the waters flow.
They shoot the arrow, but Thy hand
Dost drive the arrow home :
They call, but only Thou dost draw,
And then Thy guests are come.
As sons of thunder, forth they break,
And we the tempest fear,
But then they open heaven's door,
And sons of comfort are:
We bless Thee, who dost keep our feet,
We sing in Zion's ways,
When shall we sing on Zion's hill
Thine everlasting praise?
WE bid thee welcome, in the name
Of Jesus, our exalted head;
Come, as a servant, so He came,
And we receive thee, in His stead.
Come, as a shepherd, guard, and keep
This fold from hell, and earth, and sin,
Nourish the lambs, and feed the sheep,
The wounded heal, the lost bring in.
Come, as a watchman, take thy stand
Upon thy tower amid the sky,
And, when the sword comes on the land,
Call us to fight, or warn to fly.
Come, as an angel, hence to guide
A band of pilgrims on their way, That, safely walking at thy side,
We fail not, faint not, turn, nor stray.
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