2 O happy souls, that pray
Where God appoints to hear!
O happy men, that pay
Their constant service there!
They praise Thee still;
3 They go from strength to strength
Through this dark vale of tears,
Till each arrives at length,
Till each in heaven appears.
1 Peace be within this sacred place,
And joy a constant guest;
With holy gifts and heavenly grace
Be her attendants blest!
2 My soul shall pray for Zion still,
While life or breath remains;
There my best friends, my kindred dwell,
There God, my Saviour, reigns.
1 SWEET is the work, my God, my King,
To praise Thy Name, give thanks, and sing;
To show Thy Love by morning light,
And talk of all Thy truth at night.
2 Sweet is the day of sacred rest,
No mortal cares shall seize my breast.
My heart shall triumph in my Lord,
And bless His works, and bless His Word.
3 Thy works of grace, how bright they shine;
How deep Thy counsels, how divine!
And I shall share a glorious part,
When grace hath well refined my heart.
4 Then shall I see, and hear, and know,
All I desired or wished below;
And every power find sweet employ
In that eternal world of joy.
1 AWAY from every mortal care,
Away from earth, our souls retreat;
We leave this worthless world afar,
And wait and worship near Thy seat.
2 Lord, in the temples of Thy grace,
We bow before Thee and adore;
We view the glories of Thy face,
And learn the wonders of Thy power.
3 Whilst here our various wants we mourn,
United prayers ascend on high;
And faith expects a sure return
Of blessings in variety.
4 Father! my soul would here abide;
Or, if my feet must hence depart,
Still keep me, Father, near Thy side,
Still keep Thy dwelling in my heart.
From Watts. 1709.
1 To Thy temple I repair:
Lord, I love to worship there;
When, within the veil, I meet
Christ before the mercy seat.
2 I through Him am reconciled,
I through Him become Thy child:
Abba, Father! give me grace
In Thy courts to seek Thy face.
3 While Thy glorious praise is sung,
Touch my lips, unloose my tongue:
That my joyful soul may bless
Thee, the Lord my Righteousness.
4 While the prayers of saints ascend,
God of love, to mine attend;
for Thy Spirit pleads;
Hear, for Jesus intercedes.
5 While I hearken to Thy Law,
Fill my soul with humble awe;
Till Thy Gospel bring to me
Life and immortality.
6 While Thy ministers proclaim
Peace and pardon in Thy Name,
Through their voice, by faith may I
Hear Thee speaking from the sky.
7 From Thy house when I return,
May my heart within me burn;
And at evening let me say,
"I have walked with God to-day."
James Montgomery. 1825. a.
Liebster Jesu, wir sind hit
1 BLESSED Jesus, at Thy word
We gathered all to hear Thee;
Let our hearts and souls be stirred
Now to seek and love and fear Thee;
By Thy teachings sweet and holy,
Drawn from earth to love Thee solely.
2 All our knowledge, sense, and sight
Lie in deepest darkness shrouded,
Till Thy Spirit breaks our night
With the beams of truth unclouded.
Thou alone to God canst win us,
Thou must work all good within us.
3 Glorious Lord, Thyself impart!
Light of light, from God proceeding,
Open Thou our ears and heart,
Help us by Thy Spirit's pleading.
Hear the cry Thy people raises,
Hear, and bless our prayers and praises.
Miss Winkworth. 1858.
Tr. Tobias Clausnitzer. 1671.
Angulare Fundamentum.
1 CHRIST is our Corner-stone;
On Him alone we build;
With His true saints alone
The courts of heaven are filled:
Of present grace
And joys above.
20 then, with hymns of praise
These hallowed courts shall ring!
Our voices we will raise,
The Three in One to sing;
3 Here, gracious God, do Thou
For evermore draw nigh;
Accept each faithful vow,
And mark each suppliant sigh:
In copious shower,
4 Here may we gain from heaven
The grace which we implore,
And may that grace, once given,
Be with us evermore,
Until that day
When all the blest
To endless rest
Are called away.
5 Praise to the God of heaven,
Praise to His only Son;
And praise to Him be given
Who joins them both in One;
The Holy Dove,
Who makes us meet
For the blest seat
Of God above.
John Chandler. 1837.
1 LONG have I sat beneath the sound
Of Thy salvation, Lord;
But still how weak my faith is found,
And knowledge of Thy Word!
2 My Hope, my Portion, and my God,
How little art Thou known
By all the judgments of Thy rod,
And blessings of Thy throne!
3 How cold and feeble is my love!
How negligent my fear!
How low my hope of joys above!
How few affections there!
4 Great God, Thy sovereign power impart
To give Thy Word success;
Write Thy salvation in my heart,
And make me learn Thy grace.
5 Show my forgetful feet the way
That leads to joys on high;
There knowledge grows without decay,
And love shall never die.
1 FREQUENT the day of God returns,
To shed its quickening beams;
And yet how slow devotion burns,
How languid are its flames!
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