21. 7s M.
Engagedness in Devotion.
1 LORD, before thy presence come,
Bow we down with holy fear;
Call our erring footsteps home,
Let us feel that thou art near.
2 From thy high and holy place,
Where thou dost in glory reign,
Thou, in condescending grace,
Deign'st to hear the sons of men.
3 Wandering thoughts and languid powers
Come not where devotion kneels ;
Let the soul expand her stores,
Glowing with the joy she feels.
4 At the portals of thine house,
We resign our earth-born cares:
Nobler thoughts our souls engross,
Songs of praise and fervent prayers.
5 Hapless men, whose footsteps stray
From the temples of the Lord!
Teach them wisdom's heavenly way;
To their feet thy light afford.
6 Now begin the glorious song,
Theme of wonder, love, and joy;
Angels! the glad notes prolong;
Seraphs! 't is your blest employ.
Surrounding the Mercy-seat.
1 FAR from mortal cares retreating,
Sordid hopes and vain desires,
Here, our willing footsteps meeting,
Every heart to heaven aspires.
From the Fount of glory beaming,
Light celestial cheers our eyes;
Mercy from above proclaiming,
Peace and pardon from the skies.
2 Who may share this great salvation?
Every pure and humble mind;
Every kindred, tongue, and nation,
From the dross of guilt refined:
Blessings all around bestowing,
God withholds his care from none;
Grace and mercy ever flowing
From the fountain of his throne.
3 Every stain of guilt confessing,
Deed unrighteous, thought of sin,
Seize, O seize the proffered blessing,
Grace from God and peace within.
Lord! with favour still attend us,
Bless us with thy wondrous love;
Thou, our sun and shield, defend us :
All our hope is from above.
Invitation to the House of God.
1 COME to the house of Prayer,
O thou afflicted, come;
The God of peace shall meet thee there,
He makes that house his home.
2 Come to the house of Praise,
Ye who are happy now;
In sweet accord your voices raise,
In kindred homage bow.
3 Ye aged, hither come,
For ye have felt his love;
Soon shall your trembling tongues be dumb,
Your lips forget to move.
4 Ye young, before his throne,
Come, bow; your voices raise;
Let not your hearts his praise disown,
Who gives the power to praise?
5 Thou, whose benignant eye
In mercy looks on all;
Who see'st the tear of misery,
And hear'st the mourner's call;
6 Up to thy dwelling-place
Bear our frail spirits on,
Till they outstrip time's tardy pace,
And heaven on earth be won.
Simplicity of Christian Worship. Ps. xlviii.
1 GREAT is the Lord our God,
And let his praise be great;
He makes the church his blest abode,
His most delightful seat.
2 Let strangers walk around
The city where we dwell; Compass and view the holy ground And mark the building well;
3 The order of thine house,
The worship of thy court,
The cheerful songs, the solemn vows,
And all its grace report.
4 How decent and how wise!
How glorious to behold!
Beyond the pomp that charms the eyes,
Or rites adorned with gold.
5 The God we worship now,
Will guide us till we die,
Our guardian God while here below,
Ours through eternity.
The Presence of God in his House.
1 Lo, God is here! let us adore,
And humbly bow before his face :
Let all within us feel his power,
Let all within us seek his grace.
2 Lo, God is here! him day and night
United choirs of angels sing:
To him, enthroned above all height,
Heaven's host their noblest homage bring.
3 Being of beings! may our praise
Thy courts with grateful fragrance fill:
Still may we stand before thy face,
Still hear and do thy sovereign will.
4 Ruler of all, below, above!
Man's noblest work is serving thee;
Thy spirit o'er our hearts shall move,
And tune them all to harmony.
"There remaineth a rest to the people of God." Heb. iv. 9. 1 LORD of the sabbath! hear our vows, On this thy day, in this thy house; And own as grateful sacrifice,
The songs which from thy temples rise.
2 Thine earthly sabbaths, Lord! we love;
But there's a nobler rest above;
Thy servants to that rest aspire,
With ardent hope and strong desire.
3 No more fatigue, no more distress,
Nor sin, nor death, shall reach the place;
No sighs shall mingle with the songs,
That dwell upon immortal tongues.
4 No gloomy cares shall there annoy;
No conscious guilt disturb our joy;
No midnight shade, no clouded sun,
But sacred, high, eternal noon.
5 When shall that glorious day begin,
Beyond the reach of death or sin?
Whose sun shall never more decline,
But with unfading lustre shine!
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