Lord, bring Thy sheep that wander yet,
And let the number be complete :
Then let Thy flock from earth remove,
And occupy the fold above.

Thomas Kelly. 1804-1836.

.

CCXVI.

PSALM XXIII.

The Lord my pasture shall prepare,
And feed me with a Shepherd's care;
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.

When in the sultry glebe I faint,
Or on the thirsty mountain pant,

To fertile vales and dewy meads
My weary, wandering steps He leads,
Where peaceful rivers, soft and slow,
Amid the verdant landscape flow.

Though in the paths of death I tread,
With gloomy horrors overspread,
My stedfast heart shall fear no ill,
For Thou, O Lord, art with me still;
Thy friendly crook shall give me aid,
And guide me through the dreadful shade.

Though in a bare and rugged way,
Through devious lonely wilds I stray,
Thy bounty shall my wants beguile;
The barren wilderness shall smile

With sudden greens and herbage crown'd,
And streams shall murmur all around.

Joseph Addison. 1728.

CCXVII.

PSALM XXIII.

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 I walk through the shades of death,
Thy presence is my stay :
A word of Thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.

Thy hand, in spite of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thine oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be mine abode,
And all my work be praise !

There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger or a guest,

But like a child at home.

Isaac Watts. 1719.

CCXVIII.

PSALM XXIII.

The Lord my Shepherd is,

I shall be well supplied;
Since He is mine, and I am His,
What can I want beside ?

He leads me to the place Where heavenly pasture grows, Where living waters gently pass, And full salvation flows.

If e'er I go astray,

He doth my soul reclaim,

And guides me in His own right way

For His most holy Name.

While He affords His aid,

I cannot yield to fear;

Though I should walk through death's dark shade, My Shepherd's with me there.

In spite of all my foes

Thou dost my table spread;

My cup with blessings overflows,
And joy exalts my head.

The bounties of Thy love
Shall crown my following days;
Nor from Thy house will I remove,
Nor cease to speak Thy praise.

Isaac Watts. 1719.

V.

AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES.

"And forgive us our trespasses; as we forgive them that trespass against us.”

CCXIX.

Approach, my soul, the mercy-seat
Where Jesus answers prayer;
There humbly fall before His feet,
For none can perish there.

Thy promise is my only plea,
With this I venture nigh;

Thou callest burden'd souls to Thee,

And such, O Lord, am I.

Bow'd down beneath a load of sin,
By Satan sorely prest,

By war without, and fears within,
I come to Thee for rest.

Be Thou my shield and hiding-place,

I

That, shelter'd near Thy side,

may my fierce accuser face,

And tell him, Thou hast died!

O wondrous love! to bleed and die,
To bear the cross and shame,
That guilty sinners, such as I,
Might plead Thy gracious Name!

John Newton. 1779.

CCXX.

Almighty God, Thy piercing eye

Strikes through the shades of night;
And our most secret actions lie
All open to Thy sight.

There's not a sin that we commit,
Nor wicked word we say,

But in Thy dreadful book 'tis writ
Against the judgment-day.

And must the crimes that I have done
Be read and publish'd there,

Be all expos'd before the sun,
While men and angels hear?

Lord! at Thy foot ashamed I lie,
Upward I dare not look;
Pardon my sins before I die,

And blot them from Thy book!

Remember all the dying pains

That my Redeemer felt,

And let His Blood wash out my stains,

And answer for my guilt!

Isaac Watts. 1720.

CCXXI.

Mercy alone can meet my case;
For mercy, Lord, I cry:

Jesus! Redeemer! show Thy face
In mercy, or I die.