When in the sultry glebe I faint,
Or on the thirsty mountain pant,
To fertile vales, and dewy meads,
My weary, wand'ring steps He leads,
Where peaceful rivers, soft and slow,
Amid the verdant landscape flow.
Though in the paths of death I tread,
With gloomy horrors overspread,
My steadfast heart shall fear no ill,
For Thou, O Lord, art with me still;
Thy friendly crook shall give me aid,
And guide me through the dreadful shade.
THE Lord Himself, the mighty Lord,
Vouchsafes to be my guide;
The Shepherd, by whose constant care
My wants are all supplied.
He does my wand'ring soul reclaim,
And, to his endless praise,
Instruct with humble zeal to walk
In his most righteous ways.
I pass the gloomy vale of death,
From fear and danger free;
For there his aiding rod and staff
Defend and comfort me.
Since God does thus his wondrous love
Through all my life extend,
That life to Him I will devote,
And in his temple spend.
O THOU, to whose all-searching sight
The darkness shineth as the light;
Search, prove my heart, it pants for Thee,
Oh! burst these bonds, and set it free.
If in this darksome wild I stray,
Be Thou my light, be Thou my way;
No foes, no violence I fear,
No fraud, while Thou, my God, art near.
When rising floods my soul o'erflow,
When sinks my heart in waves of woe,
Jesus, thy timely aid impart,
To raise my head, and cheer my heart.
If rough and thorny be the way,
My strength proportion to my day;
Till toil, and grief, and pain, shall cease,
Where all is calm, and joy, and peace.
WHEN all thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I'm lost
In wonder, love, and praise.
Unnumber'd comforts to my soul
Thy tender care bestowed,
Before my infant heart conceived
From whom those comforts flowed.
When worn with sickness, oft hast Thou
With health renew'd my face;
And when in sins and sorrows sunk,
Reviv'd my soul with grace.
Through every period of my life.
Thy goodness I'll pursue;
And after death, in distant worlds,
The glorious theme renew.
JOIN all the glorious names
Of wisdom, love, and power,
That mortals ever knew,
That angels ever bore;
All are too mean to speak his worth,
Too mean to set the Saviour forth.
Great Prophet of our God!
Our tongues would bless thy Name;
By Thee the joyful news
Of our salvation came;
The joyful news of sins forgiven,
Of hell subdued, and peace with heaven.
Jesus, our great High Priest,
Offer'd his blood and died;
Our guilty conscience seeks
No sacrifice beside;
His sacred blood did once atone,
And now it pleads before the throne.
Thou great, almighty Lord,
Our Conqu'ror and our King!
Thy sceptre and thy sword,
Thy sov'reign grace we sing;
Thine is the power; to Thee we raise
The tribute of unceasing praise.
OUR Father sits on yonder throne,
Amidst the hosts above;
He reigns throughout the world alone,
He reigns the God of love.
He knew us when we knew Him not,
Was with us, though unseen;
His favours came to us unsought,
His love has wondrous been.
He keeps us now, securely keeps,
Whatever foe assails;
With vigilance that never sleeps,
With power that never fails.
He gives us hope that we shall be
Ere long with Him above;
That we shall there his glory see,
And celebrate his love.
Then let us while we dwell below
Obey our Father's voice;
To all his will with meekness bow,
And in his Name rejoice.
O GOD, how endless is thy love,
Thy gifts are every morning new;
And evening mercies from above
Gently distil, like early dew.
Thou spread'st the curtains of the night,
Great Guardian of our sleeping hours;
Thy sov'reign word restores the light,
And quickens all our drowsy powers.
Perpetual blessings from thy hand
Demand perpetual songs of praise;
Help us to yield to thy command,
And in thy service spend our days.
YES, God is good-in earth and sky,
From ocean-depths and spreading wood,
Ten thousand voices seem to cry,-
God made us all, and God is good.
The sun that keeps his trackless way,
And downward pours his golden flood,
Night's sparkling hosts all seem to say,
In accents clear, that God is good.
Yes, God is good, all Nature says,
By God's own hand with speech endued;
And man, in louder notes of praise,
Should sing for joy that God is good.
For all thy gifts we bless Thee, Lord,
But chiefly for our heavenly food;
Thy pard'ning grace, thy quick'ning word,
These prompt our song that God is good.
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