2 Thy walls are strength, and at thy gates A guard of heavenly warriors waits; Nor shall thy deep foundation move, Fixed on his counsels and his love. 3 Thy foes in vain designs engage— Against thy throne in vain they rage, Like rising waves, with angry roar, That dash and die upon the shore. 4 God is our shield, and God our sun; Swift as the fleeting moments run, On us he sheds new beams of grace, And we reflect his brightest praise.
1 GREAT Father of mankind! We bless that wondrous grace, Which could for Gentiles find, Within thy courts, a place: How kind the care
Our God displays,
For us to raise A house of prayer!
2 Though once estranged afar, We now approach the throne, For Jesus brings us near,
And makes our cause his own; Strangers no more,
To thee we come; We find our home, And rest secure.
3 To thee our souls we join,
And love thy sacred name: No more our own, but thine, We triumph in thy claim; Our Father-King!
Thy covenant-grace Our souls embrace,
Thy titles sing.
4 Let all the nations throng To worship in thy house; And thou attend the song, And smile upon their vows,
Indulgent still, Till earth conspire To join the choir, On Zion's hill.
The House of Prayer and Praise. 1 LORD of hosts! to thee we raise, Here, a house of prayer and praise; Thou thy people's heart prepare, Here to meet for praise and prayer.
2 Let the living here be fed,
With thy word, the heavenly bread; Here, in hope of glory blest, May the dead be laid to rest.
3 Here, to thee a temple stand, While the sea shall girt the land; Here, reveal thy mercy sure, While the sun and moon endure. 4 Hallelujah!-earth and sky To the joyful sound reply: Hallelujah!—hence ascend Prayer and praise, till time shall end.
On opening a House of Worship. 1 HERE, in thy name, eternal God! We build this earthly house for thee; Oh! make it now thy fixed abode,
And keep it, Lord! from error free. 2 When here thy people seek thy face, And dying sinners pray to live; Hear thou, in heaven, thy dwelling-place, And when thou hearest, Lord! forgive. 3 Here, when thy messengers proclaim, The blessed gospel of thy Son; Still, by the power of his great name, Be mighty signs and wonders done. 4 When children's voices raise the song,Hosanna to their heavenly King;
Let heaven, with earth, the strain prolong"Hosanna!" let the angels sing.
5 But will, indeed, Jehovah deign,
Here to abide,-no transient guest? Here, will our great Redeemer reign, And here, the Holy Spirit rest?-
6 Thy glory never hence depart!
Yet choose not, Lord! this house alone; Thy kingdom come, in every heart,― In every bosom, fix thy throne.
Prayer on opening a Church Edifice.
1 WITHIN thy house, O Lord our God! In glorious majesty appear; Make this a place of thine abode,
And shed thy choicest blessings here. 2 When we thy mercy-seat surround, Thy Spirit, with thy word, impart; And let thy gospel's joyful sound, With power divine, reach every heart. 3 Here, let the blind their sight obtain, Here, give the broken spirit rest; Let Jesus here triumphant reign,- Enthroned in every yielding breast. 4 Here, let the voice of sacred joy And humble supplication rise, Till higher strains our tongues employ, In realms of bliss, beyond the skies.
Dedication of a Church.
1 GOD of the universe! to thee
This sacred fane we rear,
And now, with songs and bended knee, Invoke thy presence here.
2 Long may this echoing dome resound The praises of thy name,— These hallowed walls to all around The Triune God proclaim.
3 Here, let thy love-thy presence dwell,Thy glory here make known;
Thy people's home, Oh! come, and fill, And seal it as thine own.
4 When sad with care-by sin oppressed,- Here may the burdened soul, Beneath thy sheltering wing, find rest; Here, make the wounded whole.
5 And when the last long Sabbath-morn, Upon the just. shall rise,
May all, who own thee here, be borne To mansions in the skies.
The Heralds of Christ.
1 HOW beauteous are their feet,
Who stand on Zion's hill !
Who bring salvation on their tongues, And words of peace reveal!
2 How charming is their voice! How sweet the tidings are!- "Zion! behold thy Saviour-King, He reigns and triumphs here!"
3 How happy are our ears
That hear this joyful sound! Which kings and prophets waited for, And sought, but never found
4 How blessed are our eyes,
That see this heavenly light! Prophets and kings desired it long, But died without the sight.
5 The watchmen join their voice, And tuneful notes employ ; Jerusalem breaks forth in songs, And deserts learn the joy.
6 The Lord makes bare his arm, Through all the earth abroad; Let every nation now behold Their Saviour and their God.
1 "GO, preach my gospel!"-saith the Lord,— "Bid the whole earth my grace receive; He shall be saved who trusts my word;
He shall be damned who don't believe. 2 “I'll make your great commission known, And ye shall prove my gospel true, By all the works that I have done, By all the wonders ye shall do.
3 "Teach all the nations my commands,- I'm with you till the world shall end; All power is trusted in my hands, I can destroy, and I defend."
4 He spake and light shone round his head; On a bright cloud, to heaven he rode: They to the farthest nations spread The grace of their ascended God.
Ministers watch for Souls.
1 LET Zion's watchmen all awake, And take th' alarm they give; Now let them, from the mouth of God, Their awful charge receive.
2 T is not a cause of small import The pastor's care demands;
But what might fill an angel's heart;— It filled a Saviour's hands.
3 They watch for souls, for which the Lord Did heavenly bliss forego;-
For souls, that must for ever live, In raptures, or in wo.
4 All to the great tribunal haste,
Th' account to render there;
And shouldst thou strictly mark our faults, Lord! how should we appear?
5 May they that Jesus, whom they preach, Their own Redeemer see;
And watch thou daily o'er their souls, That they may watch for thee.
« ПредыдущаяПродолжить » |