The Blessedness of the Obedient.
HOW blest are they, whose hearts sincere God's perfect laws obey; Whose cautious steps with holy fear Pursue the heav'nly way.
Their minds, by sacred wisdom led, No secret guile approve;
With holy joy his paths they tread, . Directed by his love.
Oh that my ways were form'd aright, And guided by thy will; Till all my best desires unite, Thy statutes to fulfil!
Then shall each anxious fear depart, Nor shame my face o'erspread, When all thy precepts guide my heart By holy influence led.
PSALM CXIX. (PART H.) God's Word the sure Guide of Youth.
WESTMINSTER NEW. C. M.
HOW shall the young preserve their From all pollution free?
By striving, Lord, to make their lives With thy commands agree.
With my whole heart for thee I seek, To thee for help I pray ; O, suffer not my careless steps From thy right paths to stray, Safe in my heart, and closely hid, Thy word, my treasure, lies; To succour me with timely aid, When sinful thoughts arise. By this secur'd, my grateful soul Shall ever bless thy name; Then teach me, by thy holy law, My future life to frame.
Prayer for divine Instruction.
BELLE FIELD. C. M.
INSTRUCT me in thy statutes, Lord; Thy righteous paths display; That I from them, through all my life, May never go astray.
Do thou true wisdom from above, And inward strength impart; That to thy perfect laws I may Devote my zealous heart. Order my footsteps by thy word, Nor let my thoughts incline To worldly wealth, or empty show, But make them wholly thine.
From those vain objects turn mine eyes, Which this false world displays; And give me inward power and strength, To keep thy righteous ways.
PSALM CXIX. (PART IV.) The Riches of God's Word.
LORD, I have made thy word my choice, My lasting heritage;
This shall my noblest powers employ, And ev'ry thought engage.
Thy word is to my feet a lamp, The way of truth to shew: A cheering ray to mark the path In which I ought to go.
The very entrance of thy word Celestial light displays;
And knowledge of true happiness To simplest minds conveys. Direct my footsteps by thy law, That I thy will may know; And never let iniquity Thy servant overthrow.
The Blessing of sanctified Affliction.
ST. MARY'S. C. M.
WITH me, thy servant, thou hast dealt Most graciously, O Lord;
In frequent benefits bestow'd, According to thy word.
Before affliction mark'd my course,
My footsteps went astray; But now I keep thy holy law,
And make it all my stay.
'Tis good for me that I have felt Affliction's chast'ning rod; That I may duly learn, and keep, The statutes of my God.
O let thy tender mercy now Afford me needful aid, According to thy promise, Lord, To me, thy servant, made.
PSALM CXIX. (PART VI.) God's Word eternal and unchangeable. ST. STEPHEN'S.
FOR ever, and for ever, Lord, Unchang'd thou dost remain; Thy word, establish'd in the heavens, Doth all their orbs sustain.
Through circling ages, Lord, thy truth Immoveable shall stand,
As doth the earth which thou uphold'st With thine almighty hand.
All things, their course by thee ordain'd, E'en to this day fulfil: They are the subjects of thy power, And servants of thy will.
An end, alas! I've seen of all Perfection here below;
But thy commandments, like thyself, No change, or period know.
God the Refuge of his People.
LONDON NEW. C. M.
MY hiding place, my refuge tower, My shield art thou, O Lord; I firmly anchor all my hopes On thine unerring word.
As I am thine, entirely thine, Protect me, Lord, from ill;
Who have thy precepts sought to know, And carefully fulfil.
My preservation to thy saints A source of joy will be: To see success attend his hopes, Who trusted, Lord, in thee. According to thy promise, Lord, From dangers set me free;
Nor make me of those hopes asham'd, That I repose on thee.
PSALM CXIX. (PART VIII.) God faithful and just.
MANCHESTER. C. M.
THOU art the righteous Judge, in whom Wrong'd innocence may trust; For, like thyself, thy judgments, Lord, In all respects are just.
Most just and true those statutes were, Which thou didst first decree; And all, with faithfulness perform'd, Succeeding times shall see.
Thy righteousness shall yet endure, When time itself is past; Thy law is perfect truth,—that truth Which shall for ever last.
Eternal and unerring rules
Thy testimonies give;
Teach me the wisdom that will make
My soul for ever live.
For Deliverance from Treachery and Violence.
IN deep distress to God I cried, And he aveng'd my wrongs: O Lord, my soul in safety hide From false and sland'rous tongues.
Ah! wo is me; constrain'd to dwell Among the sons of strife: When will thy word their tumults quéll, And quiet bless my life!
Fain would I bid contention cease,
And live from tumult far; But when I speak to them of peace, They gird themselves for war.
PSALM CXXI.
God the Guardian of his Saints.
FROM Sion's hill my help descends;. To God I lift mine eyes; My strength on him alone depends Who form'd the earth and skies.
He, ever watchful, ever nigh, Forbids my foot to slide;
Nor sleep, nor slumber, seals the eye Of Israel's guard and guide.
He, on my side, array'd in might, His shield shall o'er me spread; Nor sun by day, nor moon by night, Shall hurt my favor'd head.
Safe shall I go, and safe return, While he my life defends, Whose eyes my ev'ry step discern, Whose mercy never ends.
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