For his mercies far extend,
And his bounty knows no end.
Through the various realms of earth
Praise him, all of human birth;
Honour pay to heaven's high Lord,
And his wondrous deeds record.
Be the Lord your constant theme,
Who of gods is God supreme;
He to whom all lords beside
Bow the knee, and veil their pride :
He whose wisdom throned on high
Built the mansions of the sky,
And the orbs that gild the pole
Bade through boundless æther roll:
He who o'er this earthly ball
Looks with equal eye on all,
And to every thing that lives
Rich supplies of blessings gives :
To the great eternal King
Raise your voice, and joyful sing;
For his mercies far extend,
And his bounty knows no end.
Praise to the universal King.
NATIONS, with all your various tongues To God your maker raise your songs;
Loud sound his name, that nature's ear
His praise through all her bounds may
Exult, each tribe; exult, each land; Heaven's mighty Lord with equal hand The balance holds: the world's domain Shall own to latest times his reign.
Thy sovereign's name, O earth, revere;
And let thy sons with holy fear
To him in low prostration bend,
And, duteous, his decrees attend.
To God, of life the' eternal spring,
Invisible, all-potent king,
One chorus let all creatures raise,
One hymn of universal praise.
54. S. M. WATTS.
Exhortation to praise and fear God.
COME, Sound his praise abroad,
And hymns of glory sing;
Jehovah is the sovereign God,
The universal king.
He form'd the deeps unknown; He gave the seas their bound; The watery worlds are all his own, And all the solid ground.
Come, worship at his throne;
Come, bow before the Lord:
We are his works, and not our own;
He form'd us by his word.
To-day attend his voice,
Nor dare provoke his rod;
Come, like the people of his choice,
And own your gracious God.
SING to the Lord Jehovah's name,
And in his strength rejoice;
When his salvation is our theme,
Exalted be our voice.
With thanks approach his awful sight,
And psalms of honour sing;
The Lord's a God of boundless might,
The whole creation's king.
Let princes hear, let angels know, How mean their natures seem, Those gods on high, and gods below, When once compared with him.
Earth, with its caverns dark and deep, Lies in his spacious hand:
He fix'd the seas what bounds to keep, And where the hills must stand.
Come, and with humble souls adore;
Come, kneel before his face;
O may the creatures of his power
Be children of his grace!
56. L. M. BLACKLOCK.
God the proper object of praise.
YE sons of men, in sacred lays
Attempt your great Creator's praise :
But oh! what tongue can speak his fame?
What mortal verse can reach the theme?
Enthroned amidst the radiant spheres,
He glory like a garment wears;
His boundless wisdom, power, and
grace,
Command our awe, invite our praise.
To God all nature owes its birth;
He form'd this ponderous globe of earth,
He raised the glorious arch on high,
And measured out the azure sky.
In all our Maker's vast designs
Omnipotence with wisdom shines;
His works through all this wondrous frame
Bear the great impress of his name.
Raised on devotion's lofty wing,
Our souls his high perfections sing;
O let his praise employ our tongues,
And listening worlds approve the songs.
ALL hail to him who sits on high!
To him your cheerful voices raise;
To him, the Ruler of the sky,
Be glory, honour, love, and praise.
Ye wise, ye good, in age, in youth,
The song of joy O never cease!
His words are all the words of truth,
And all his paths the paths of peace.
When all the fair creation lay
Involved in universal night,
He spake the word, and all was day;
He spake the word, and all was light.
'Twas he, Jehovah, King and God,
Gave us to breathe this vital air;
We are the children of his nod,
His last best work, his dearest care.
All hail, Jehovah, King and God!
Ye nations all, adore his name:
With awe approach his high abode,
With thanks, with joy, and loud acclaim.
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