3 The Lord's own word from Zion's hill
Shall spread through ev'ry land;
The king who sits on Salem's throne
Shall all the world command.
4 No strife shall vex Messiah's reign,
Or mar the peaceful years:
To ploughshares soon they beat their swords,
To pruning-hooks their spears.
5 No longer hosts encount'ring hosts
Their millions slain deplore;
They hang their trumpet in the hall,
And study war no more.
6 Come then-O come from ev'ry land
To worship at his shrine;
And, walking in the light of God,
With holy beauties shine.
The Lord's church---an ungrateful vineyard. Isai, v. 1---7.
1 THE vineyard of the Lord, how fair!
Planted by his peculiar care
With choicest vines, whose ranges fill
The borders of yon fruitful hill.
2 His eye had mark'd the chosen ground;
His mighty hand hath fenc'd it round.
What clusters doth his vine produce?-
The grapes are wild, and sour the juice.
3 Well might he take the fence away,
And leave it to the beasts of prey;
Might give it to be wild again,
And charge his clouds to cease their rain.
4 But spare us, Lord; thy churches spare;
The vengeance, long provok'd, forbear.
Let the true vine his influence give,
And make our withering branches live.
Isaiah's vision. Is. vi, 1---8.
1 THE Lord is seated on his throne!
His train throughout his temple shown!
Above, the six-wing'd seraphs stand,
They fly, to do the Lord's command.
2 While they surround His glorious seat,
They veil their faces, and their feet:
And with their voice responsive cry,
Praising the Name of God Most High;
3" Thou, Holy, Holy, Holy-LORD!
"Thou LORD of Hosts, by all ador'd!
"The heavenly hosts thy glory know,
Thy glory fills the world below."
4 But ah! can sinful men proclaim
The honours of so great a Name?
And dwellers in this world endure
The presence of a God so pure?
5 O send thine altar's glowing coal;
Touch thou our lips, refine our soul!
Then, if thou call, our joy shall be,
To suffer, act, and speak, for THEE.
Behold a virgin shall conceive, &c. Isai. vii. 1---16. Com-
pare this with the prophecy of Jacob; Gen. xlix. 10.
1 WHEN Ahaz fear'd confed'rate foes,
That round in threatening warfare rose;
The prophet's voice God's promise spoke
To save his land from Syria's yoke.
2 God of that rescue gave a sign;
Renewing then that word divine,-
That Judah's tribe should still remain,
Preserv'd until Messiah's reign.
3 Hark! Hark! to us the angels bring
Glad tidings of that new-born King!
Born of the holy virgin pure,
Born without sin, from guilt secure.
4 Hail! perfect GOD, and perfect MAN! Thy matchless love what mind can scan ? Wondrous Thy Name, IMMANUEL!
"Gop pleased on earth with men to dwell!" HYMN 93.
A Light to enlighten the Gentiles.
1 OUR race, that long in darkness pin'd
Have seen a glorious light;
The people dwell in day, who dwelt
In death's surrounding night.
2 To hail thy rise, Thou better Sun!
The gathering nations come,
Joyous, as when the reapers bear
The harvest-treasures home.
3 To us a child of Hope is born,
To us a Son is given;
Him shall the tribes of earth obey,
Him, all the hosts of heaven.
4 His Name shall be the Prince of Peace,
For evermore adored;
The Wonderful, the Counsellor,
The great and mighty Lord.
5 His power, increasing still, shall spread;
His reign no end shall know;
Justice shall guard his throne above,
And peace abound below.
Praise for the Waters of Salvation.---" In that day thou shalt say," &c. Isa. xii.-- John vii, 37.
1 ONCE beneath thy wrath we mourn'd;
Now, O Lord, thy wrath is turn'd.
Now a song of thankful praise
For thy comforts we will raise.
2 Lo, the Lord salvation gives;
Joyful trust within us lives.
He is now our strength and song;
Let our voice his praise prolong.
3 Here, in the fair Gospel field,
Wells of free salvation yield
Streams of life-we drink with joy;
Praises shall our tongues employ.
4 Praise ye then his glorious name;
Publish his exalted fame.
Let the nations learn his deeds;
For his work all praise exceeds.
5 Raise again the joyful sound;
Hark! the nations roll it round.
Zion, shout, for this is HE;
God the Saviour dwells in thee.
HYMN 95.
The key of David. Isai. xxii. 22.---Rev. iii. 7.
1 CHRIST bears in his majestic hand
Of David's royal house the key;
Subject to his supreme command
Mansions and treasures there we see.
2 Fix'd in omnipotence, he bears
The honours of his Father's throne:
He shuts and opens; and his cares
His Church in every age will own.
3 Our little all we there suspend
Where the whole weight of heaven is hung;
Secure, we rest on such a friend;
And into rapture wake our tongue.
HYMN 96.
Confidence in God.--" In that day shall this song be sung; &c."
Isai. xxvi. 1---4.
1 BULWARKS of mighty grace defend
God's Zion, where we dwell;
Salvation is our circling wall,
And vain th' assaults of hell.
2 By Thee the victory is given,
Thou Majesty divine!
And strength, and might, and earth and heaven,
And all therein is THINE.
3 The Kingdom, Lord, is Thine alone;
Thou dost the right maintain:
And high on Thine eternal throne
O'er men and angels reign.
4 Riches, as seemeth good to Thee,
Thou dost, and honour give;
And Kings their strength and dignity
Out of thine hand receive.
5 Thou hast on us the grace bestow'd
Thy greatness to proclaim;
And therefore now we thank our God,
And praise Thy glorious Name.
The offerings of a congregation. 1 Chron. xxix. 14---17.
1 Lord, when our off'rings we present
Before thy gracious throne,
We but return what Thou hast lent,
And give thee of thine own.
2 The earth, with all its wealth, is Thine,
The heavens, with all their host;
Why should we then in want repine,-
Or in abundance boast?
3 The power and willingness to give
Alike proceed from Thee;
Sojourning strangers here we live,
And leave at thy decree.
4 Ourselves, our all, to Thee we owe;
And if we come behind
What others, of their wealth, bestow,-
Accept our willing mind.
|