THE MERCY OF THE LORD

We yield Thee praise for sovereign power
That steadies us o'er gulfs of pain;
Shall we forget Thee in the hour
That leads us back to Thee again?

Let not our gratitude delay

Till good withheld constrains the prayer; Give clearer vision, that we may

Hold common blessings as if rare.

322

0

C. M. Packwood.

BLESS the Lord, my soul !
Let all within me join,

And aid my tongue to bless His name
Whose favours are divine.

O bless the Lord, my soul !
Nor let His mercies lie
Forgotten in unthankfulness,
And without praises die.

'Tis He forgives thy sins;
"Tis He relieves thy pain:
'Tis He that heals thy sicknesses,
And makes thee young again.

He crowns thy life with love,
When ransomed from the grave
He that redeemed my soul from hell
Hath sov'reign power to save.

He fills the poor with good;

He gives the suff'rers rest;

The Lord hath judgments for the proud,
And justice for th' opprest.

His wondrous works and ways
He made by Moses known;

But sent the world His truth and grace
By His beloved Son.

323

I. Watts.

LORD of heaven and earth and sea, To Thee all praise and glory_be: How shall we show our love to Thee, Giver of all?

The golden sunshine, vernal air,

Sweet flowers and fruits, Thy love declare;
Where harvests ripen, Thou art there,
Giver of all!

For peaceful homes and healthful days,
For all the blessings earth displays,
We owe Thee thankfulness and praise,
Giver of all !

Thou didst not spare Thine only Son,
But gav'st Him for a world undone,
And freely with that Blessèd One
Thou givest all.

Thou giv'st the Holy Spirit's dower,
Spirit of life, and love, and power,
And dost His sevenfold graces shower
Upon us all.

For souls redeemed, for sins forgiven,
For means of grace, and hopes of heaven,
Father, what can to Thee be given,

Who givest all?

C. Wordsworth.

OUR ETERNAL HOME

324

THOU! who art of all that is

Beginning both and end,

We follow Thee through unknown paths,
Since all to Thee must tend:
Thy judgments are a mighty deep
Beyond all fathom-line;

Our wisdom is the child-like heart;
Our strength, to trust in Thine.

We bless Thee for the skies above,
And for the earth beneath,

For hopes that blossom here below
And wither not with death;
But most we bless Thee for Thyself,
O heavenly Light within,
Whose day-spring in our hearts dispels
The darkness of our sin.

Be Thou in joy our deeper joy,
Our comfort when distressed;
Be Thou by day our strength for toil,
And Thou by night our rest.

And when these earthly dwellings fail,
And Time's last hour is come,

Be Thou, O God, our dwelling-place
And our eternal home!

F. L. Hosmer.

325

I

SING the almighty power of God, That made the mountains rise; That spread the flowing seas abroad, And built the lofty skies.

I sing the wisdom that ordained
The sun to rule the day:

The moon shines full at His command,
And all the stars obey.

There's not a plant or flower below,
But makes Thy glories known;
And clouds arise, and tempests blow,
By order from Thy throne.

Creatures, as numerous as they be,
Are subject to Thy care;
There's not a place where we can flee
But God is present there.

His hand is my perpetual guard,
He keeps me with His eye:

Why should I then forget the Lord,
Who is for ever nigh?

326

I. Watts.

MY The earth so bright,

Y God, I thank Thee Who hast made

So full of splendour and of joy,
Beauty and light:

So many glorious things are here,
Noble and right.

I thank Thee, too, that Thou hast made
Joy to abound:

So many gentle thoughts and deeds
Circling us round:

That in the darkest spot of earth
Some love is found.

HARK! HARK MY SOUL

I thank Thee Lord, that Thou hast kept
The best in store:

I have enough, yet not too much
To long for more:

A yearning for a deeper peace
Not known before.

I thank Thee Lord, that here our souls,
Though amply blest,

Can never find, although they seek,
A perfect rest,—

Nor ever shall, until they lean

On Jesus' breast.

327

A. A. Proctor.

HARK hark, my soul! Angelic songs are swelling

O'er earth's green fields, and ocean's wavebeat shore

How sweet the truth those blessèd strains are telling

Of that new life when sin shall be no more. Angels of Jesus, Angels of light,

Singing to welcome the pilgrims of the night!

Onward we go, for still we hear them singing, Come, weary souls, for Jesus bids you

And through the dark, its echoes sweetly ringing,

The music of the Gospel leads us home. Angels of Jesus, Angels of light,

Singing to welcome the pilgrims of the night!