Thy love the powers of thought bestowed;
To Thee my thoughts would soar;
Thy mercy o'er my life has flowed;
That mercy I adore!
In each event of life, how clear
Thy ruling hand I see!
Each blessing to my soul more dear,
Because conferred by Thee.
In every joy that crowns my days,
In every pain I bear,
My heart shall find delight in praise,
Or seek relief in prayer.
When gladness wings my favored hour,
Thy love my thoughts shall fill;
Resigned, when storms of sorrow lower,
My soul shall meet Thy will.
My lifted eye, without a tear,
The gathering storm shall see;
My steadfast heart shall know no fear;
That heart shall rest on Thee!
I LOOK to Thee in every need,
And never look in vain ;
I feel Thy strong and tender love,
And all is well again :
The thought of Thee is mightier far
Than sin and pain and sorrow are.
Discouraged in the work of life,
Disheartened by its load,
Shamed by its failures or its fears,
I sink beside the road;-
But let me only think of Thee,
And then new heart springs up in me.
Thy calmness bends serene above,
My restlessness to still
Around me flows Thy quickening life,
To nerve my faltering will;
Thy presence fills my solitude;
Thy providence turns all to good.
Embosomed deep in Thy dear love,
Held in Thy law, I stand;
Thy hand in all things I behold,
And all things in Thy hand;
Thou leadest me by unsought ways,
And turn'st my mourning into praise.
ALL as God wills! who wisely heeds
To give or to withhold,
And knoweth more of all my needs
Than all my prayers have told.
Enough, that blessings undeserved
Have marked my erring track;
That, wheresoe'er my feet have swerved,
Thy chastening turned me back;
That more and more a providence
Of love is understood,
Making the springs of time and sense
Bright with eternal good;
That death seems but a covered way
Which opens into light,
Wherein no blinded child can stray
Beyond the Father's sight.
No longer forward or behind
I look, in hope or fear,
But grateful take the good I find,
God's blessing, now and here.
ETERNAL and immortal King!
Thy peerless splendors none can bear;
But darkness veils seraphic eyes,
When God with all His glory's there.
Yet Faith can pierce the awful gloom,
The great Invisible can see;
And with its tremblings mingle joy,
In fixed regard, great God! to Thee.
Then every tempting form of sin,
Shamed in Thy presence, disappears;
And all the glowing raptured soul
The likeness it contemplates wears.
O ever conscious to my heart!
Witness to its supreme desire:
Behold it presseth on to Thee,
For it hath caught the heavenly fire.
This one petition would it urge,
To bear Thee ever in its sight;
In life, in death, in worlds unknown,
Its only portion and delight!
SING to the Lord, who loud proclaims
His various and His saving names!
O, may they not be heard alone,
But by our sure experience known!
Through every age, His gracious ear
Is to His servants' prayer;
Nor can one humble soul complain
That it hath sought its God in vain.
What unbelieving heart shall dare
In whispers to suggest a fear,
While still He owns His ancient name,
The same His power, His love the same!
To Thee our souls in faith arise ;
To Thee we lift expectant eyes,
And boldly through the desert tread,
For God will guard where God shall lead.
THE Lord is my Shepherd, no want shall I
I feed in green pastures, safe folded I rest;
He leadeth my soul where the still waters flow,
Restores me when wandering, redeems when
opprest.
Through the valley and shadow of death though
I stray,
Since Thou art my guardian, no evil I fear; Thy rod shall defend me, Thy staff be my stay; No harm can befall with my Comforter near.
In the midst of affliction my table is spread; With blessings unmeasured my cup runneth
With perfume and oil Thou anointest my head;
O, what can I ask of Thy providence more!
Let goodness and mercy, my bountiful God,
Still follow my steps till I meet Thee above;
I seek, by the path which my forefathers trod,
Through the land of their sojourn, Thy king-
dom of love.
My Shepherd is the Living Lord,
I therefore nothing need;
In pastures fair, near pleasant streams,
He setteth me to feed.
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