1. Lift up to God the voice of praise, Whose breath our
spired, Loud and more loud the anthem raise, With grateful
When verdure robes the fertile vale,
And blossoms deck the spray,
And fragrance breathes in every gale,
How sweet the vernal day!
Hark! how the feathered warblers sing!
"Tis nature's cheerful voice;
Soft music hails the lovely spring,
And woods and fields rejoice.
O God of nature and of grace,
Thy heavenly gifts impart;
Then shall my meditation trace
Spring, blooming in my heart.
Inspired to praise, I then shall join
Glad nature's cheerful song;
And love, and gratitude divine
Attune my joyful tongue.
O could our thoughts and wishes fly
Above these gloomy shades,
To that celestial world on high,
Which sorrow ne'er invades !
There, joys unseen by mortal eyes,
Or reason's feeble ray,
In every blooming prospect rise,
Exposed to no decay.
Lord, send a ray of light divine
To guide our upward aim!
With one reviving look of thine,
Our languid hearts inflame.
Oh then, on faith's sublimest wing,
Our ardent souls shall rise,
To scenes of joy, where pleasures spring,
Immortal in the skies.
My Shepherd will supply my need;
Jehovah is his name;
In pastures fresh he makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake his ways,
And leads me, for his mercy's sake,
In paths of truth and grace.
When passing through the vale of death,
Thy presence is my stay;
One word of thy supporting breath,
Drives all my fears away.
The mercies of the living God,
Attend me all my days;
O may thy house be my abode,
And all my work be praise.
Lo, what a glorious sight appears, To our believing eyes!
The former things have past away, And earth, and sea, and skies!
From heaven above, where God resides,
That holy, happy place,
The New Jerusalem comes down,
Adorned with shining grace.
The light of mercy long obscured,
Now dawns on earth again,
For God himself in grace declares
His dwelling is with men !
His own soft hand shall wipe the tears
From every weeping eye;
And pains, and groans, & griefs & fears,
And death, itself, shall die!
How long, dear Saviour, O how long,
Shall this bright hour delay?
Fly swifter round, ye wheels of time,
And bring the welcome day,
Redeeming Spirit, O behold
A world by sin destroyed!
Creating Spirit, as of old,
Move on the formless void!
Give thou the word! the healing sound
Shall quell the deadly strife,
And earth again, like Eden crowned,
Bring forth the tree of life.
If rang the morning stars for joy,
When nature rose to view,
What strains will angel harps employ,
When thou shalt all renew!
And if the sons of God rejoice
To hear a Saviour's name,
How will the ransomed raise their voice,
To whom that Saviour came !
Lo, every kindred, every tribe,
Assembling round the throne,
The new creation shall ascribe
To sovereign love alone.
O all ye nations, praise the Lord; His glorious deeds proclaim; The wonders of his grace record,
And laud his mighty name.
His love is great, his mercy sure,
And faithful is his word;
His truth forever shall endure ;
Forever praise the Lord!
Joy to the earth! the Prince of Peace
His banner has unfurled;
Let sin, and woe, and error cease,
And joy pervade the world!
Praise ye the Lord! for truth and grace
His word and life display;
Let every soul his love embrace,
And own its kindling sway.
Joy to the earth! let every tongue
His gracious name extol;
To him our hymns of praise belong,
For he is Lord of all.
Praise ye the Lord! be our employ
In triumph to rejoice;
Let every soul, in holy joy,
Lift up the grateful voice.
Peace on the earth, good will to men,
Embraced the gospel plan;
Let that high strain be heard again,
Which angel tones began.
Glory to God! his praise transcends
The noblest flight of thought;
Yet faith to love her pinion lends,
And finds the blessing sought.
Laud ye his name! his wondrous love Joy to the isles and lands afar,
In thankful joy record;
Let every heart his mercies prove,
The mercies of the Lord.
Messiah reigns above;
Let every eye behold the star,
The star of light and love.
Ye chosen seed of Israel's race,
A remnant weak and small,
Hail him who saves you by his grace,
And crown him Lord of all.
Ye Gentile sinners, ne'er forget
The wormwood and the gall;
Go, spread your trophies at his feet,
And crown him Lord of all.
Let every kindred, every tribe
On this terrestrial ball,
To him all majesty ascribe,
And crown him Lord of all.
And when with yonder sacred throng
We at his feet shall fall;
We'll join the everlasting song,
And crown him Lord of all.
Ye kindreds of the earth, rejoice
With ransomed hosts above;
In pure devotion tune each voice,
To sing that God is Love.
In wisdom, might and love, display'd
Within us and abroad,
The eye of mind may clearly read
The spirit of our God.
Each token of his gracious care
The heart of man should move,
In grateful praises to declare
His mercy and his love.
And when by faith and hope we see
The record of his will,
Our chiefest happiness should be
His counsel to fulfil.
O may our souls the quick'ning feel
Of mercy's heavenly Dove,
And in his fear forever dwell,
And know that God is Love.
O bless the Lord of Light, who came
From darkness to release;
Give glory to his honored name,
And crown him Prince of Peace.
Praise him whose reign of truth and grace
Shall evermore increase,
Until each soul of all our race,
Shall own him Prince of Peace.
When finished is his plan of love,
All sin and woe shall cease;
And every tongue, in heaven above,
Shall own him Prince of Peace.
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