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6 Mere human pow'r shall fast decay,
and youthful vigour cease;

But they who wait upon the Lord,
in strength shall still increase.

7 They with unweary'd feet shall tread
the path of life divine;

With growing ardour onward move,
with growing brightness shine.

8 On eagles' wings they mount, they soar,
their wings are faith and love,
Till, past the cloudy regions here,
they rise to heaven above.

38.

ISAIAH xli. 18, 19.

1 How great, how bless'd the change!

This ruin'd earth made new:
My thoughts with transport range
The scene of joy to view.

2 Reviving streams are seen,
Amidst the burning sands;
And grass of living green
Spreads o'er the desart lands.

3 Where pointed brambles grew,
Entwin'd with rugged thorn;
Gay flow'rs for ever new,
The painted fields adorn.

4 Where the bleak mountain stood,
All bare and disarray'd;

See the wide branching wood,

Diffuse its grateful shade.

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5 The tyrants of the plain,

Their savage chase give o'er;
No more they rend the slain,
They thirst for blood no more.

6 O! when, Almighty Lord,
Shall these glad scenes arise;
To verify thy word,

And bless our wond'ring eyes!

1

BEHOLD

39.

ISAIAH xlii. 1-13.

my servant! see him rise,

exalted in my might!

Him have I chosen, and in him

I place supreme delight.

2 On him, in rich effusion pour'd, my Spirit shall descend;

My truth and judgment he shall show, to earth's remotest end.

3 Gentle and still shall be his voice; no threats from him proceed; The smoking flax he shall not quench, nor break the bruised reed.

4 The feeble spark to flames he'll raise; the weak will not despise;

Judgment he shall bring forth to truth, and make the fallen rise.

5 The progress of his zeal and pow'r,
shall never know decline;

Till foreign lands, and distant isles,
receive the law divine.

Lo! former scenes, predicted once,
conspicuous rise to view;

And future scenes, predicted now,
shall be accomplish'd too.

7 Sing to the Lord in joyful strains!
let earth his praise resound;

Ye who upon the ocean dwell,

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and fill the isles around!

8 O city of the Lord! begin
the universal song;

And let the scatter'd villages,
the cheerful notes prolong.

9 Let Kedar's wilderness afar,
lift up its lonely voice;

And let the tenants of the rock,
with accents rude rejoice:

*10 Till, 'midst the streams of distant lands, the islands sound his praise;

And all combin'd, with one accord,
Jehovah's glories raise.

40.

ISAIAH xlii. 16.

1 PRAISE to the glorious Source of bliss,

who gives the blind their sight;

And on their dark and gloomy way,
sheds a celestial light.

2 In paths unknown he leads them on, to his divine abode;

And shows new miracles of grace, through all the heavenly road.

8 The ways all rugged and perplex'd, he renders smooth and straight; And strengthens ev'ry feeble knee, for reaching Zion's gate..

4 Through all the path I'll sing his name, till I the mount ascend,

Where toils and storms are known no more, and praise shall never end.

41.

ISAIAH xliv. 22-32.

LET heaven burst forth into a song,atta

Let earth reflect the joyful sound;
Ye mountains with the echo ring,
And shout ye forests all around.

Unnumber'd sins like sable clouds,
Veil'd every cheerful ray of joy;
And thunders murmur'd through the gloom,
While lightnings pointed to destroy.

3 But mercy spoke, the clouds dispers'd,
And heaven unveil'd its shining face;
The whole creation smil'd anew,

And shone in all the beams of grace.

42.

ISAIAH xlix. 13-17.

1 YE heavens, send forth your song of praise!

earth raise your voice below!

Let hills and mountains join the hymn, and joy through nature flow.

2 Behold how gracious is our God! hear the consoling strains

In which he cheers our drooping hearts, and mitigates our pains:

3 Cease ye, when days of darkness come,
in sad dismay to mourn,

As if the Lord could leave his saints
forsaken or forlorn.

4 Can the fond mother e'er forget
the infant whom she bore?

And can its plaintive cries be heard,
nor move compassion more?

5 She may forget; and nature fail
a parent's heart to move;
But Zion on my heart shall dwel
in everlasting love.

43.

ISAIAH liii.

How few receive with cordial faith,

the tidings which we bring,
How few have seen the arm reveal'd,
of heaven's eternal King?

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