Confession of unworthiness and depravity.
1 FOR mercies, countless as the sands,
Which daily we receive
From our Redeemer's bounteous hands,
Oh! what shall sinners give?
2 Alas! from hearts so vile as ours
No good can issue forth;
For sin has spoil'd our noblest powers,
Our all is nothing worth.
3 Yet this acknowledgment we make,
For all He has bestow'd;
Salvation's sacred cup we take,
And call upon our God.
4 The best return for such as we,
So wretched and so poor,
Is from his gifts to draw a plea,
And ask Him still for more.
5 We cannot serve Him as we ought;
No works have we to boast:
Yet would we glory in the thought,
That we shall owe Him most.
PSALM 118.
(c. M. MELCHISEDEC.)
Praise for the Sabbath.
1 THIS is the day the Lord hath made;
He calls the hours his own;
Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad,
And praise surround the throne.
2 To-day He rose, and left the dead,
And Satan's empire fell:
To-day the saints his triumph spread,
And all his wonders tell.
3 Blest be the Lord, who comes to men
With messages of grace;
Who comes, in great Jehovah's name,
To save our guilty race.
4 Hosanna in the loftiest strains
The church on earth can raise !
The highest heavens, in which He reigns,
Shall yield Him nobler praise.
PSALM 119.
(C. M. MESSIAH,)
The word of God a lamp to our feel. v. 9. 10. 1 How shall the young secure their hearts, And guard their lives from sin? Thy word, O Lord! the way imparts To keep the conscience clean.
2 When that pervades the sinner's mind,
And spreads its light abroad,
The meanest may instruction find,
And raise their thoughts to God.
3 'Tis like the sun, a heavenly light,
That guides us all the day,
And through the dangers of the night,
A lamp to lead our way.
4 Thy word is everlasting truth,
How pure is every page!
Oh! may it guide our earliest youth,
And cheer our latest age!
(C. M. MANCHESTER.)
Sanctified affliction a blessing. v. 67. 71.
1 'Tis good for us, most gracious Lord!
To feel thy chastening rod:
Afflictions make us learn thy law,
And bring us near to God.
2 Had not thy word been our delight,
When earthly joys were fled,
Our souls, oppress'd with sorrow's weight,
Had sunk among the dead.
3 We know thy judgments all are right,
Though some may seem severe:
The heaviest sufferings we endure,
Flow from thy faithful care.
4 Before we felt thy chastening hand,
Our feet were wont to stray;
But now we learn to keep thy word,
And love to tread thy way.
PSALM 119.
(L. M. PANCRas.)
The Christian weeping over the ungodly, v. 136.
1 Arise, my tenderest thoughts, arise,
Your torrents pour, my weeping eyes;
And thou, my heart, with anguish feel
Those evils which thou canst not heal.
2 See human nature sunk in shame ;
See scandals pour'd on Jesus' name;
The Father wounded through the Son,
The world abused, the soul undone.
3 See the short course of vain delight
Closing in scenes of endless night;
In flames, that no abatement know,
Though floods of tears for ever flow.
4 Who can survey the mournful scene?
Who but must weep o'er dying men?
Fain, Lord! my pity would reclaim,
And snatch the fire-brands from the flame.
5 But feeble my compassions prove;
I can but weep where most I love;
Thine own all-saving arm employ,
And turn these tears to tears of joy.
PSALM 121.
(c. M. DUBLIN.);
God the guardian of his saints.
1 FROM Zion's hills our help descends;
To them we lift our eyes:
Our strength on God alone depends,
Who made the earth and skies.
2 Around his saints, array'd in might,
His guardian shield He spreads;
Nor sun by day, nor moon by night,
Shall hurt their favour'd heads.
3 He, ever watchful, ever nigh,
Forbids their feet to slide;
Nor sleep nor slumber seals the eye
Of Israel's Guard and Guide.
4 Safe may they come, and safe may go,
While they on Him depend:
For why? his power no bounds can know,
His mercy knows
no end.
PSALM 122.
(C. M. TRURO.)
The house of God welcome to the Christian. 1 How did our hearts rejoice to hear Our friends devoutly say,
"In Zion let us all appear,
And keep this solemn day."
2 Up to her courts, with heartfelt praisé,
The holy tribes repair;
There David's Son his sceptre sways,
And sits in judgment there.
3 He hears our praise and our complaint;
And, while his awful voice
Divides the sinner from the saint,
We tremble and rejoice.
4 Peace be within this sacred place,
And joy, a constant guest;
With holy gifts and heavenly grace,
Be her attendants blest!
5 Our souls shall still for Zion pray
Long as our breath remains:
There our best friends their homage pay;
There God, our Saviour, reigns.
PSALM 122.
(P. M. GREENWICH.)
For the morning of the Sabbath.
1 THE festal morn, our God! is come, That calls us to thy hallow'd dome, Thy presence to adore:
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