5 Great Shepherd! lead me on;
My soul disdains to fear;
Death's gloomy phantoms all are flown,
Now life's great Lord is near.
Faith in the Promise of Salvation.
1 Begin, our tongues, some heav'nly theme,
And speak some lofty thing;
The mighty works, or mighty name,
Of our eternal King!
2 Tell of his wondrous faithfulness,
Or sound his pow'r abroad;
Sing the bless'd promise of his grace,
And the performing God.
3 Proclaim salvation from the Lord,
To sinful, dying men ;
His hand has writ the sacred word,
With an unerring pen.
4 Engrav'd as in eternal brass,
The gracious promise shines;
Nor shall the hand of time erase
Those everlasting lines.
5' Then why these doubts and sad complaints?
If Christ and we are one,
This truth is prov'd by all the saints,
Who humbly love the Son.
6 By faith in this our souls have liv'd,
And part of heav'n possess'd;
We'll praise him then for grace receiv'd, And trust him for the rest.
70. c. M.
Praise to the God of Nature.
1 BEGIN, each soul, the lofty rain;
In solemn accents sing
A sacred hymn of grateful praise
To heav'n's Almighty King.
2 Ye curling fountains, as ye roll,
Your silver waves along,
Whisper to all your verdant shores
The subject of our song.
3 Retain it long, ye echoing rocks,
The sacred sound retain,
And from your hollow winding caves,
Return it oft again.
4 Bear it, ye winds, on all your wings,
To distant climes away,
And round the wide-extended world
The lofty theme convey.
5 Take the glad burden of his name,
Ye clouds, as you arise,
Whether to deck the golden morn
Or shade the ev'ning skies.
6 Whilst we, with sacred rapture fir'd,
The great Creator sing,
And utter consecrated lays
To heav'n's eternal King.
71. s. M.
Christ the Tree of Life.
1 BEHOLD the living tree,
Th' inspired prophet saw;
Whose fruit is to all nations free,
Unguarded by the law.
2 No flaming swords defend
The garden's sacred ground;
No dire denunciations rend
The ear, with piercing sound.
3 Come, and its fruit partake,
Its healing leaves apply;
Its virtues will re-animate
And raise your spirits high.
4 "Tis for the nations' use
To heal their ev'ry wound;
Its colours, and its balmy juice,
Make health and life abound.
5 'Tis Jesus Christ the Lord,
Prefigur'd by the tree;
The gospel is the healing word,
That sets the sinners free.
66 He gave them Bread from Heaven to eat."
1 BEHOLD, what joy, through Israel's host,
When first they manna view'd;
They labour'd who should gather most,
And thought it pleasant food.
2 But when they had it long enjoy'd,
From day to day the same,
Their hearts were by the plenty cloy'd,
Although from heav'n it came.
3 Thus gospel bread at first is priz'd,
And makes a people glad;
But afterwards too much despis'd,
When easy to be had.
4 But should the Lord, displeas'd, withhold
The bread, his mercy sends;
To have our houses fill'd with gold,
Would make but poor amends.
5 How tedious would the week appear,
How dull the sabbath prove;
Could we no longer meet to hear
The precious truths we love!
6 Nor could believing parents bear
To leave their heedless youth,
Expos'd to ev'ry fatal snare,
Without the light of truth.
The perfect Law of Liberty.
1 BEHOLD that wise, that perfect law,
Which noblest freedom gives:
may it all our souls refine,
And sanctify our lives!
2 Not with a transient glance survey'd,
And in an hour forgot,
But deep inscrib'd on ev'ry heart,
To reign o'er ev'ry thought.
3 Great Author of each perfect gift!
Thy gracious pow'r display,
That our ungrateful, wand'ring hearts May hearken and obey.
Salvation by Christ. Psal. cxviii.
1 BEHOLD the Corner-Stone,
Which God in Zion lays,
To build our heav'nly hopes upon,
And his eternal praise!
2 The Jewish scribe and priest
Reject it with disdain ;
Yet on this Rock shall Zion rest,
And envy rage
in vain.
3 The work, O Lord, is thine,
And wondrous in our eyes;
This day declares it all divine;
This day, did Jesus rise.
4 How glorions is the day,
By our Redeemer made!
Let us rejoice, and sing and pray,
Let all the church be glad."
5 Hosanna to the King
Of David's royal blood!
Bless him, ye saints, he comes to bring Salvation from your God.
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