Meditations in the night Season. Ps. lxiii. 6.
1 WHAT though downy slumbers flee,
Strangers to my couch and me ;
While with God's protection blest,
Cares and fears ne'er haunt my breast.
2 While the empress of the night
Scatters mild her silver light;
While the vivid planets stray
Various through their mystic way:
3 While the stars unnumbered roll
Round the ever-constant pole ;
Far above these spangled skies,
All my soul to God shall rise.
4 'Midst the silence of the night
Mingling with those angels bright,
Whose harmonious voices raise
Ceaseless love and ceaseless praise;
5 'Midst the throng his gentle ear
Shall my grateful accents hear :
From on high will he impart
Secret comfort to my heart:
6 Lifting all my thoughts above
On the wings of faith and love:
Blest alternative to me,
Thus to sleep, or wake with thee!
ASCRIPTIONS AND BENEDICTIONS.
PRAISE to thee, thou great Creator,
Praise to thee from every tongue ;
Join, my soul, with every creature,
Join the universal song :
For ten thousand blessings given,
For the hope of future joy;
Sound his praise through earth and heaven, Sound Jehovah's praise on high.
2. S. M.
To God the only wise,
Our Saviour and our King,
Let all the saints below the skies
Their grateful homage bring,
May he present our souls
Unblemished and complete,
Before the glory of his face
With joys divinely great.
LORD! may we live before thy face,
The willing subjects of thy grace,
And through each path of duty move,
With filial awe and filial love,
LORD! dismiss us with thy blessing,
Hope and comfort from above;
Let us each, thy peace possessing,
Triumph in redeeming love.
Thanks we give and adoration,
For thy gospel's joyful sound;
May the fruits of thy salvation
In our hearts and lives abound.
TO THEE, supreme, the ever-blest,
Be praise in thankful notes addrest;
Such as the stars of morning sung,
When earth was on its balance hung:
Such praise as from th' angelic choirs,
And saints whom zeal like theirs inspires,
In heaven above, and earth below,
Still flows, and shall for ever flow.
BLEST are the souls that hear and know
The gospel's, joyful sound;
Peace shall attend the path they go,
And light their steps surround:
The LORD, our glory and defence,
Strength and salvation gives;
Christians! thy Saviour ever reigns,
Thy God for ever lives.
GLORIOUS in thy saints appear,
Plant thy heavenly kingdom here;
Light and life to all impart,
Shine on each believing heart,
And in every grace complete,
Make us, Lord! for glory meet,
Till we stand before thy sight,
Partners with the saints in light.
FROM all that dwell below the skies,
Let the Creator's praise arise!
Let the Redeemer's name be sung,
Through every land, by every tongue.
Unceasing are thy mercies, Lord!
Unchanging truth attends thy word,
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore,
Till suns shall rise and set no more.
PITY thine erring world, O God!
Constrain the earth to come;
Send thy victorious word abroad,
And bring the strangers home:
We long to see thy churches full,
That all thy chosen race
May with one voice, and heart, and soul,
Sing thy redeeming grace.
LORD of nature! source of light!
In pity view thy world below:
Guide our erring footsteps right
Through these scenes of guilt and woe:
Grant thy spirit! by thy kindness
Let our follies be forgiven:
Heal our sins, dispel our blindness;
Let us find the path to heaven.
THOU! Who dost our powers sustain,
While we in thy courts remain;
Grant us separate still to share,
Thy paternal smile, and care.
Here again we fain would raise
Our united prayers and praise;
If that joy no more be known,
Let us meet around thy throne.
GRACIOUS Source of every blessing!
Guard our breasts from anxious fears;
Let us each thy care possessing,
Sink into the vale of years:
All our hopes on thee reclining,
Peace, companion of our way:
May our sun in smiles declining,
Rise in everlasting day.
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