5.

Oh may our frame which rising grew
Beneath thy forming hands,
Be ever studious to pursue
Whate'er thy will commands !

35.

S. M.

The Mercy of God to frail Man.

1.

GREAT GOD! we sing thy praise, Whose mercies are so great; Whose anger is so slow to rise, So ready to abate.

2.

High as the heavens are rais'd Above the ground we tread, So far the riches of thy grace Our highest thoughts exceed.

3.

Thy power subdues our sins;
And thy forgiving love,
Far as the east is from the west,
Doth all our guilt remove.

4.

Thy pity, gracious LORD!
To those who fear thy name,

Is such as tender parents feel;

Thou know'st our feeble frame.

5.

Our days are as the grass,

Or like the morning flower;

If one sharp blast sweep o'er the field,

It withers in an hour.

6.

But thy compassions, LORD! To endless years endure; And ages yet unborn, shall find Thy promis'd mercy sure.

36. P. M.

Never failing Goodness of God.

1.

AGAIN to GOD your cheerful anthems bring; With all your lips and hearts his goodness sing;

With sacred joy his wond'rous deeds proclaim;

Let every tongue be vocal with his name: The LORD is good, his mercy never ending, His blesssings in perpetual showers descend

ing.

2.

His goodness never fails; the dawn, the shade,

Still see new beauties through new scenes display'd;

Succeeding ages bless this sure abode, And children lean upon their fathers' GoD: Man, through the whole extent of his duration, Draws from this source the purest consolation.

3.

Burst into praise, my soul! all nature join; In praise her works harmoniously combine: While human years are measur'd by the sun, Yea, while eternity its course shall run, His goodness, in perpetual showers descending,

Exalt in songs and raptures never ending.

37. L. M.

The Goodness of God acknowledged in temporal and in spiritual Blessings.

1.

BLESS, O my soul! the living God;
Call home the thoughts which rove abroad;
Let all the powers within me join
In work and worship so divine.

2.

Bless, O my soul! the GoD of grace;
His favours claim thy highest praise;
Let not the wonders he has wrought,
Be lost in silence, and forgot.

3.

The vices of the mind he heals,

And soothes the pains which nature feels; Redeems our souls from sin, and saves Our wasting lives from threatning graves.

4.

Our youth decay'd his power repairs;
His mercy crowns our growing years;
And, while he present good supplies,
Bids perfect bliss in prospect rise.

5.

His power he show'd by Moses' hands,
And gave to Israel his commands;
But made his truth and mercy known
To all the nations by his Son.

6.

Let the whole earth his power confess;
Let the whole earth his goodness bless:
The Gentile with the Jew shall join
In work and worship so divine.

38. c. M.

The shortness of Life, and the Goodness of God.

1.

TIME what an empty vapour 'tis,
And days how swift they are!
Swift as the feather'd arrow flies,
Or like a shooting star.

2.

Yet, mighty GOD! though swift our days,
More swift thy bounties are;
Of smaller number, tardier pace,
The moments of the year.

3.

'Tis sovereign mercy finds us food,
And we are cloth'd with love;
While grace stands pointing out the road,
Which leads to joys above.

4.

Thy goodness runs an endless round;
(All glory to the LORD!)
Thy mercy knows no narrow bound;
And be thy name ador❜d.

5.

Thus we begin the lasting song;
And when our days are o'er,
Let age to age thy praise prolong,
Till time shall be no more.

39. P. M.

God the unceasing Source of Good.

1.

SING to the LORD, in cheerful songs,
The praise that to his name belongs,
Whose goodness still unceasing flows;
Repeat his name with grateful mind,
Who, ever good and ever kind,

No change, no variation, knows:
O thou, our GOD and Father too!
Our grateful homage is thy due.

2.

Sovereign alone of earth and sky!
On thee, for every hour's supply,

Thy various creatures all depend;
Man, whom thy light has given to know
The Source whence all his blessings flow,
Views in his GOD his kindest Friend:
O thou, our GOD and Father too!
Our grateful homage is thy due.

3.

Yet still our notes we'll higher raise,
To celebrate in ardent praise

Eternal life through Jesus given;
Thy gracious messenger he came,
(For ever blessed be thy name!)
And pointed out the way to heaven:
O thou, our GOD and Father too!
Eternal praises are thy due.