THIS is the day he Lord hath made;
He calls the hours his own :
Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad,
And praise surround the throne.
To-day arose our glorious Head,
And death's dread empire fell :
To-day the saints his triumphs spread,
And all his wonders tell.
Hosanna! the anointed King
Ascends his heavenly throne;
To God your grateful homage bring,
And his Messiah own.
Sent by his Father's love, he came
To save our sinful race;
Let all adore the Father's name,
And celebrate his grace ;-
Adore him in the highest strains
The church on earth can raise :
The highest heaven, in which he reigns,
Shall give him nobler praise.
GOD of the sabbath! hear our vows,
On this thy day, in this thine house;
And own, as grateful sacrifice,
The songs which from thy temple rise.
Thine earthly sabbaths, Lord, we love ; But there's a nobler rest above;
To that our longing souls aspire,
With cheerful hope and strong desire.
No more fatigue, no more distress,
Nor sin, nor death, shall reach the place:
No groans shall mingle with the songs
Which dwell upon immortal tongue.
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No rude alarms of angry foes;
No cares, to break the long repose;
No midnight shades, no clouded sun,
But sacred, high, eternal noon.
O long-expected day, begin;
Dawn on these realms of pain and sin: With joy we'll tread the appointed road, And sleep in death to rest with God.
Ar the portals of thy house,
Lord! we leave our mortal cares :
Nobler thoughts our souls engage,
Songs of praise and fervent prayers:
Pure and contrite hearts alone,
Find acceptance at thy throne.
Hapless men, whose footsteps stray
From the temple of the Lord!
Teach them Zion's heavenly way;
To their feet thy light afford:
Let the world united join
To extol thy love divine.
Public Worship of God.-Ps. lxv. 1.
PRAISE waits in Zion, Lord, for thee;
Thy saints adore thy holy name;
Thy creatures bend the obedient knee,
And humbly thy protection claim.
Thy hand hath rais'd us from the dust;
The breath of life thy spirit gave:
Where but in thee can mortals trust?
Who but our God hath power to save?
Eternal Source of truth and light!
To thee we look, on thee we call :
Lord! we are nothing in thy sight,
But thou to us art all in all.
Still may thy children, in thy word,
Their common trust and refuge see:
Oh bind us to each other, Lord!
By one great tie-the love of thee.
Here, at the portals of thy house,
We leave our mortal hopes and fears:
Accept our prayer, and bless our vows,
And dry our penitential tears.
So shall our sun of hope arise,
With brighter, and still brighter ray;
Till thou shalt bless our longing eyes
With beams of everlasting day.
The Blessings of Divine Worship.
GOD, in his earthly temples, lays
Foundations for his heavenly praise;
And loves to see that worship rise,
Which forms his offspring for the skies.
His mercy every house attends,
Whence pure devotion's flame ascends;
And ever lends a gracious ear,
Where churches join in praise and prayer.
Bless'd are the men whose hearts are set
To find the way to Zion's gate!
God is their strength, and through the road
They lean upon their Helper, God.
His blessing yields a large increase
Of wisdom, and of sacred peace;
While ripening holiness and love
Prepare their souls for joys above.
Cheerful they walk, with growing strength,
Till all shall meet in heaven at length,—
Till all before thy face appear,
And join in nobler worship there.
The Divine Blessing sought on Public Worship.
GREAT Father of thy people, hear!
Thy presence now display;
As thou hast given a house of prayer,
So give us hearts to pray.
Within these walls, let holy peace,
And love, and concord, dwell;
Here give the troubled conscience ease,
The wounded spirit heal.
The contrite heart, the melting eye,
The humble mind, bestow;
And shine upon us from on high,
To make our virtues grow.
May we in faith receive thy word,
In faith present our prayers;
And, in the spirit of our Lord,
Unbosom all our cares.
And may the gospel's joyful sound-
The herald of thy grace-
Awaken careless sinners round,
To come and seek thy face.
Supplication for Spiritual Light.
WHILE here, as wandering sheep, we stray,
Teach us, oh teach us, Lord, thy way!
Dispose our hearts, with sacred awe,
To love thy word, to keep thy law.
Great Source of light to all below!
Teach us thy holy will to know;
Teach us to read thy word aright,
And make it our supreme delight.
Since inward truth thy laws require,
That inward truth, O Lord, inspire;
In every heart let wisdom shine;
And give us purity divine.
Maker, Instructor, Judge of all !
Oh hear us, while on thee we call !
Preserve us in thy holy ways,
And teach us all to live thy praise.
Pardon and Peace from God.
FAR from mortal cares retreating,
Sordid hope, and fond desire,
Here, our willing footsteps meeting,
Let each heart to heaven aspire!
From the Fount of glory beaming,
Light celestial cheers our eyes;
Mercy from above proclaiming
Peace and pardon from the skies.
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