Your pious pleasure while you sing,
Increasing with the praise.
2 Great is the Lord; his dreadful dart
Shall all his foes destroy;
But saints lie near the Savior's heart,
His treasure and his joy.
3 The vapors rise at his command,
Or hail, or lightning flies,
While dreadful storms o'er sea and land
Sweep thro the sounding skies.
4 All power that men have vainly claim'd,
Exists in God alone;
But tyrant kings in vain have aim'd
To fill his mighty throne.
5 Let heathens bow before a stock
And tell it their complaints,
Jehovah is our living Rock,
The refuge of his saints.
6 None of the stocks and stones they trust,
Can give them showers of rain;
In vain they worship glittering dust,
And pray to gold in vain.
7 Their gods have tongues that speechless prove, Such as their makers gave;
Their feet were never form'd to move,
Nor hands have power to save.
8 Blind are their eyes, their ears are deaf,
Nor hear when mortals pray;
Mortals, who wait for their relief,
Are blind and deaf as they.
9 Ye nations know the God of grace,
In heaven his temple stands;
But makes the church his resting place,
And there your praise demands.
PSALM 136. C. M.
An exhortation to praise God.
1 GIVE thanks to God, the King of kings, His mercies yet endure;
His arm alone does wond'rous things,
His truth is ever sure.
2 The great Creator's name be prais'd,
How glorious is his name!
The heavens a shining frame he rais'd,
How wond'rous is the frame!
3 The sun supplies the day with light,
And sends his rays afar;
The moon and stars adorn the night,
How glorious every star!
4 He smote the sons of Egypt dead,
How dreadful is his rod!
And thence with joy his people led,
How gracious is our God!
5 He did the swelling sea divide,
What power to God belongs!
Israel with singing cross'd the tide,
How joyful were their songs!
6 But Pharaoh's army there he drownd,' How soon the waves return'd!
How fierce his vengeance burn'd!
7 Proud monarchs fell beneath his hand, Victorious is his sword;
While Israel took the promis'd land,
And be his name ador'd.
He saw the nations dead in sin,
How did his pity melt!
Sad was the state the world was in,
How great the love he felt!
9 He sent to save us from our woe,
His goodness never fails;
From death, and hell, and every foe,
And yet his grace prevails.
10 Give thanks to God, the heavenly King,
His mercies yet endure;
Let the whole earth his praises sing,
His truth is ever sure.
PSALM 136. As the 148th.
Praise to God the Creator and Redeemer.
1 GIVE thanks to God our King,
Who did creation frame;
Let every creature sing,
The great Creator's name.
What God commands,
Must long endure,
And ever sure
Creation stands.
2. The Lord performs with ease
The mandates of his throne,
He built the flowing seas,
And spread the heavens alone.
'Twas at his call
Creation sprung;
On air he hung
This earthly ball.
3 His wisdom fram'd the sun,
The source of heat and light;
The planets round him run,
He mark'd their orbits right.
His power sustains
The lights he made;
But should they fade,
His truth remains.
4 Egypt, the Lord o'erthrew,
The messenger of power,
Her first-born children slew,
In one tremendous hour.
Let tyrants know,
That God on high
Can hear a sigh
From saints below.
5 He did the sea divide,
The trembling waters fled; While Israel cross'd the tide, By Moses safely led. There is a God,
If once he rise,
Who will despise
His lifted rod.
6 But Pharaoh's hosts were drown'd, *
O'erwhelm'd with mighty waves;
They fled-Jehovah frown'd,
And made the sea their graves.
Proud Egypt's boast,
Were seen no more,
Till on the shore
They strew'd the coast.
7. The land of Canaan shook
Beneath Jehovah's hand,
While his own people took
Possession of the land.
Both town and wall
Encompass'd round,
With trumpets' sound
Before them fall.
8 Jehovah saw our race
Destroy'd by sinful man,
And in his boundless grace,
Reveal'd the glorious plan.
The 'eternal mind
Had thus decreed,
"The woman's seed
Shall save mankind.".
9 He sent his only Son
To save our souls from loss,
Jesus the victory won,
He conquer'd on the cross.
He did restore,
And set us free,
When on the tree
Our sins he bore.
10 Give thanks to God our King,
To God the praise belongs;
Sinners, rejoice and sing,
In loud and cheerful songs.
His honor raise,
Redeem'd from death,
Let every breath
Be spent in praise.
PSALM 136. Abridged. L. M.
1 GIVE thanks to God the sovreign King,
His praise, ye saints and seraphs, sing;
Wonders of grace to God belong,
Repeat his mercies in your song.
2/Give to the Lord of lords renown,
The King of kings with glory crown;
Great is his grace, his mercy sure,
His kingdom ever must endure.
3 He built the world, he spread the sky,
And fixt the starry lights on high;
Wonders of grace to God belong,
Repeat his mercies in your song.
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