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, when on thee we call!
Preserve us in thy holy ways,
And teach our hearts to speak thy praise.
Prayer for Spiritual Blessings.
ETERNAL Source of life and light!
Supremely good and wise;
To thee we pay our grateful vows,
To thee lift up our eyes.
Our dark and erring minds illume
With truth's celestial rays;
Inspire our hearts with sacred love,
And tune our lips to praise.
Conduct us safely, by thy grace,
Through life's perplexing road;
And place us, when that journey's o'er,
In heaven, thy bless'd abode.
Supplication for the Divine Blessing on the Word.
GREAT GOD! thy gracious aid impart,
To give thy word success;
Write all its precepts on my heart,
And deep its truths impress.
Oh speed my progress in the way
That leads to joys on high,
Where knowledge grows without decay,
And love shall never die!
A Hymn for the Morning or Evening.
HOSANNA! with a cheerful sound,
To GOD's upholding hand;
Ten thousand snares our path surround,
And yet secure we stand.
How wondrous is that mighty power,
Which form'd us with a word!
And every day, and every hour,
We lean upon the LORD.
The evening rests our weary head,
And mercy guards the room;
We wake, and we admire the bed,
Which was not made our tomb.
The morning no assurance gives
That we shall end the day;
He who one hour in vigour lives,
The next may pass away.
GOD is our Sun, whose daily light
Our joy and safety brings;
Our feeble frame lies safe at night
Beneath his shady wings.
The Constant Presence and Providence of God a Source of Gratitude and Trust.
FATHER divine! before thy view.
All worlds, all creatures lie;
No distance can elude thy search,
No action 'scape thine eye:
Hear, gracious LORD! our mingled praises
Thou art our hope, our joy, our fear.
From thee our vital breath we drew;
Our childhood was thy care;
And vigorous youth and feeble age
Thy kind protection share:
Hear, gracious LORD! our mingled praises
Thou art our hope, our joy, our fear.
Whate'er we do, where'er we turn,
Thy ceaseless bounty flows;
Oppress'd with woe, when nature faints,
Thy arm is our repose:
Hear, gracious LORD! our mingled praises
Thou art our hope, our joy, our fear.
To thee we look, thou Power supreme!
Oh still our wants supply!
Safe in thy presence may we live,
And in thy favour die :
Hear, gracious LORD! our mingled praises
Thou art our hope, our joy, our fear.
Grateful Acknowledgment of God's constant
GREAT Source of unexhausted good!
Who giv'st us health, and friends, and food,
And peace, and calm content;
Like fragrant incense, to the skies,
Let songs of grateful praises rise,
For all thy blessings lent.
Through all the dangers of the day,
Thy providence attends our way,
To guard us and to guide;
Thy grace directs our wand'ring will,
And warns us lest seducing ill
Allure our souls aside.
Thy smiles, with a reviving light,
Cheer the long darksome hours of night,
And gild the thickest gloom;
Thy watchful love, around our bed,
Doth softly like a curtain spread,
And guard the peaceful room.
To thee our lives, our all we owe,
Our peace and sweetest joys below,
And brighter hopes above;
Then let our lives, and all that's ours,
Our souls, and all our active powers,
Be sacred to thy love.
Thus, gracious Father! thee we praise;
And while our feeble songs we raise
To bless thee and adore,
Some spark of heavenly fire impart,
And teach each humble, grateful heart,
To bless and love thee more.
God our Supporter and Preserver.
GREAT GOD! we sing that mighty hand,
By which supported, still we stand:
Our opening years thy mercy show;
Thy mercy crowns them as they flow.
In every place, through every hour,
Still are we guarded by thy power,
By thy incessant bounty fed,
By thy unerring counsel led.
With grateful hearts the past we own;
The future, all to us unknown,
To thee commit in humble prayer,
And banish every anxious care.
In scenes exalted or depress'd,
Be thou our joy, our hope, our rest;
Unchang'd, through all our changing days,
Thy love
may we with fervour praise!
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