Lo! God is here! Him day and night
The lofty choirs of angels sing;
To Him enthron'd above all height,
Heaven's host their noblest praises bring:
Disdain not, Lord, our meaner song,
Who praise Thee with a stamm'ring tongue.
Almighty Father! may our praise
Thy courts with grateful incense fill;
Still may we stand before thy face,
Still hear and do thy sovereign will:
To Thee may all our thoughts arise,
A holy, ceaseless sacrifice.
HOW sweet to leave the world awhile,
And seek the presence of the Lord:
O Saviour, on thy people smile,
And come according to thy word.
From busy scenes we now retreat,
That we may here converse with Thee;
O Lord, behold us at thy feet,
Let this the gate of heaven be.
With joy we hasten to the place
Where we so oft our Lord have met;
And, while we humbly ask his grace,
Our burdens and our griefs forget.
Come, Lord, each drooping spirit cheer,
And shed thy heavenly peace abroad;
With sacred truths refresh each ear,
And raise our longing souls to God.
JESUS, where'er thy people meet,
There they behold thy mercy-seat;
Where'er they seek Thee, Thou art found,
And every place is hallow'd ground.
Dear Shepherd of thy chosen few,
Thy former mercies here renew;
Here to our waiting hearts proclaim
The glories of thy saving Name.
Here may we prove the power of prayer,
To strengthen faith, and sweeten care;
To teach our faint desires to rise,
And bring all heaven before our eyes.
Lord, we are weak, but Thou art near,
Nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear;
O rend the heavens, come quickly down,
And make each sinner's heart thine own!
GREAT is the Lord our God,
And let his praise be great:
He makes his churches his abode,
His most delightful seat.
These temples of his grace,
How beautiful they stand;
The honours of our native place,
And bulwarks of our land.
In every new distress
We'll to his house repair;
We'll think upon his wondrous grace,
And seek deliv'rance there.
The God we worship now
Will guide us till we die ;
Will be our God while here below,
And through eternity.
THOU God of power, and God of love,
Whose glory fills the realms above,
Whose praise the angels sing,
And veil their faces, while they cry,
Thrice Holy! to their God most High,
Thrice Holy to their King!
Thee, as our God, we too would claim,
And bless and praise our Saviour's Name,
Through whom such grace is given;
Who bore the curse to sinners due,
Who forms our ruin'd souls anew,
And makes us heirs of heaven.
The veil that hides thy glory rend,
And here in saving power descend,
And fix thy bless'd abode;
Here to each heart Thyself reveal,
And all assembled cause to feel
The presence of their God.
JESUS, we thy promise claim,
We are gather'd in thy Name;
In the midst do Thou appear,
Manifest thy presence here.
Sanctify us, Lord, and bless,
Breathe thy Spirit, give thy peace;
Come, and dwell within each heart,
Light, and life, and joy impart.
Make us all in Thee complete,
Make us all for glory meet;
Blameless in our Father's sight,
Partners with the saints in light.
COMMAND thy blessing from above,
O God, on all assembled here :
Behold us with a Father's love,
While we look up with filial fear.
Command thy blessing, Jesu, Lord;
May we thy true disciples be;
Speak to each heart the gracious word,
Say to the weakest, "Follow Me."
Command thy blessing in this hour,
Spirit of truth, and fill this place
With humbling and exalting power,
With quick'ning and confirming grace.
O Thou, our Maker, Saviour, Guide,
One true, eternal God confess'd!
Nought shall in life or death divide
The saints in thy communion bless'd.
THY presence, gracious God, afford,
Prepare us to receive thy word;
Now let thy voice engage our ear,
And faith be mix'd with what we hear:
Thus, Lord, thy waiting servants bless,
And crown thy Gospel with success.
Distracting thoughts and cares remove,
And fix our hearts and hopes above;
With food divine may we be fed,
And satisfied with living bread :
Thus, Lord, thy waiting servants bless,
And crown thy Gospel with success.
To us the sacred word apply
With sovereign power and energy;
And may we, in thy faith and fear,
Walk worthy of the truth we hear :
Thus, Lord, thy waiting servants bless,
And crown thy Gospel with success.
DISMISS us with thy blessing, Lord,
Help us to feed upon thy word;
All that has been amiss forgive,
And let thy truth within us live.
Though we are guilty, Thou art good;
O cleanse us, Lord, in Jesus' blood;
Give every burden'd soul release,
And bid us all depart in peace.
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