His presence shall my wants supply,
And guard me with a watchful eye:
My noon-day walks he shall attend,
And all my midnight hours defend.
2 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.
3 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 thro' the dreadful shade.
4 Though in a bare and rugged way,
Through devious, lonely wilds I stray,
Thy bounty shall my pains beguile;
The barren wilderness shall smile,
With sudden greens and herbage crown'd,
And streams shall murmur all around.
HYMN 229. C. M. [165]
GOD moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
2 Deep in unfathomable mines,
Of never-failing skill,
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sovereign will.
3 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
4 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
5 His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour:
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
6 Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain :
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.
HYMN 230. L. M. [166]
AWAY, my unbelieving fear!
Fear shall in me no more have place; My Saviour doth not yet appear, He hides the brightness of his face: But shall I therefore let him go, And basely to the tempter yield? No, in the strength of Jesus, no : I never will give up my shield. 2 Although the vine its fruit deny, Although the olive yield no oil, The with'ring fig-tree droop and die, The fields elude the tiller's toil, The empty stall no herd afford, And perish all the bleating race, Yet I will triumph in the Lord, The God of my salvation praise. 3 Barren although my soul remain, And not one bud of grace appear, No fruit of all my toil and pain, But sin and only sin is here: Although my gifts and comforts lost, My blooming hopes cut off I see;
Yet will I in my Saviour trust,
And glory that he died for me.
4 In hope believing against hope,
Jesus, my Lord, my God, I claim,
Jesus, my strength, shall lift me up,
Salvation is in Jesus' name.
To me he soon shall bring it nigh,
My soul shall then outstrip the wind; On wings of love mount up on high, And leave the world and sin behind.
PEACE, troubled soul, thou need'st not fear!
Thy great Provider still is near:
Who fed thee last, will feed thee still;
Be calm, and sink into his will.
2 The Lord who built the earth and sky,
In mercy stoops to hear thy cry;
His promise all may freely claim,
"Ask and receive in Jesus' name."
3 His stores are open all, and free
To such as truly upright be;
Water and bread he'll give for food,
With all things else which he sees good.
4 Your sacred hairs which are so small,
By God himself are number'd all;
This truth he's publish'd all abroad,
That men may learn to trust the Lord.
HYMN 232. L. M.
THE ravens daily he doth feed,
And sends them food as they have need;
Although they nothing have in store,
Yet as they lack he gives them more.
2 Then do not seek with anxious care,
What ye shall eat, or drink, or wear,
Your heavenly Father will you feed,
He knows that all these things you need.
3 Without reserve give Christ your heart,
Let him his righteousness impart;
Then all things else he'll freely give,
With him you all things shall receive.
4 Thus shall the soul be truly blest,
That seeks in God his only rest;
May I that happy person be,
In time and in eternity.
HYMN 233. C. M. [167]
JESUS, great Shepherd of the sheep,
To thee for help we fly;
Thy little flock in safety keep,
For, oh! the wolf is nigh!
2 He comes, of hellish malice full,
To scatter, tear, and slay;
He seizes every straggling soul,
As his own lawful prey.
3 Us into thy protection take,
And gather with thy arm;
Unless the fold we first forsake,
The wolf can never harm.
4 We laugh to scorn his cruel power
While by our Shepherd's side;
The sheep he never can devour,
Unless he first divide.
5 O, do not suffer him to part
The souls that here agree:
But make us of one mind and heart,
And keep us one in thee!
6 Together let us sweetly live,
Together let us die;
And each a starry crown receive,
And reign above the sky.
HYMN 234. C. P. M. [168]
COME on, my partners in distress,
My comrades through the wilderness,
Who still your bodies feel:
Awhile forget your griefs and fears,
And look beyond this vale of tears,
To that celestial hill.
2 Beyond the bounds of time and space,
Look forward to that heavenly place,
The saints' secure abode;
On faith's strong eagle pinions rise,
And force your passage to the skies,
And scale the mount of God.
3 Who suffer with our Master here,
We shall before his face appear,
And by his side sit down;
To patient faith the prize is sure;
And all that to the end endure
The cross, shall wear the crown.
4 Thrice blessed, bliss inspiring hope!
It lifts the fainting spirits up;
It brings to life the dead:
Our conflicts here shall soon be past,
And you and I ascend at last,
Triumphant with our Head.
5 That great mysterious Deity;
We soon with open face shall see:
The beatific sight
Shall fill the heavenly courts with praise,
And wide diffuse the golden blaze
Of everlasting light.
HYMN 235. L. M. [169]
THOU Lamb of God, thou Prince of Peace, For thee my thirsty soul doth pine:
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