2 Guard us waking, guard us sleeping,
And, when we die,
May we in Thy mighty keeping
All peaceful lie:
When the last dread call shall wake us,
Do not Thou, our God, forsake us,
But to reign in glory take us
With Thee on high.
Thou art about my path and about my bed, and spiest out all my ways. Ps. cxxxix. 2.
1 Father! by Thy love and power
Comes again the evening hour:
Light has vanish'd, labours cease,
Weary creatures rest in peace.
Thou, whose genial dews distil
On the lowliest weed that grows,—
Father! guard our couch from ill,
Lull Thy creatures to repose:
We to Thee ourselves resign,
Let our latest thoughts be Thine.
2 Saviour, to Thy Father bear
This our feeble evening prayer;
Thou hast seen how oft to-day
We like sheep have gone astray;
Worldly thoughts and thoughts of pride,
Wishes to Thy cross untrue,
Secret faults, and undescried,
Meet Thy spirit-searching view:
Blessed Saviour! yet through Thee
Pray that these may pardon'd be.
3 Holy Spirit! Breath of Balm!
Fall on us in evening's calm:
Yet awhile, before we sleep,
We with Thee will vigils keep.
Lead us on our sins to muse,
Give us truest penitence;
Then the love of God infuse,
Breathing humble confidence.
Melt our spirits, mould our will,
Soften, strengthen, comfort still.
4 Blessed Trinity! be near
Through the hours of darkness drear;
Let Thy presence all the night
Make our darkness to be light:
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Watch o'er our defenceless head,—
Let Thy angels' guardian-host
Keep all evil from our bed,
Till the flood of morning rays
Wake us to a song of praise.
for all things are now ready. LUKE XIV. 17. 1 My God, and is Thy table spread ?
And doth Thy cup with love o'erflow? Thither be all Thy children led,
And let them all Thy sweetness know. 2 Hail, sacred feast which Jesus makes, Rich banquet of His flesh and blood! Thrice happy he who here partakes That healing stream, that heavenly food. 3 O let Thy table honour'd be,
And furnish'd well with joyful guests;
And may each soul salvation see,
That here its sacred pledges tastes!
4 Revive Thy dying Churches, Lord,
And bid our drooping graces live :
And more, that energy afford,
A. Saviour's blood alone can give.
Whoso eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, hath eternal life. JOHN vi. 54.
1 Bread of the world, in mercy broken;
Wine of the soul, in mercy shed;
By whom the words of life were spoken,
And in whose death our sins are dead;
2 Look on the heart by sorrow broken,
Look on the tears by sinners shed;
And be Thy feast to us the token
That by Thy grace our souls are fed.
My Flesh is meat indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed.
JOHN vi. 55.
1 O God, unseen yet ever near,
Thy presence may we feel;
And, thus inspired with holy fear,
Before Thine altar kneel.
2 Here may Thy faithful people know
The blessings of Thy love,
The streams that through the desert flow,
The manna from above.
3 We come, obedient to Thy word,
To feast on heavenly Food;
Our meat, the Body of the Lord;
Our drink, His precious Blood.
4 Thus may we all Thy words obey,
For we, O God, are Thine;
And go rejoicing on our way,
Renew'd with strength divine.
He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom. ISA. xl. 11.
1 Gracious Saviour, gentle Shepherd,
Little ones are dear to Thee;
Gather'd with Thine arms, and carried
In Thy bosom, may they be
Sweetly, fondly, safely tended;
From all want and danger free.
2 Tender Shepherd, never leave them
From Thy fold to go astray;
By Thy look of love directed,
May they walk the narrow way;
Thus direct them, and protect them,
Lest they fall an easy prey.
3 Cleanse their hearts from sinful folly
In the stream Thy love supplied;
Mingled streams of blood and water
Flowing from Thy wounded side:
And to heavenly pastures lead them,
Where Thine own still waters glide.
young preserve their
From all pollution free?
By making still their course of life
With Thy commands agree.
2 With hearty zeal for Thee I seek,
To Thee for succour pray;
O suffer not my careless steps
From Thy right paths to stray!
3 Safe in my heart, and closely hid,
Thy word, my treasure, lies;
To succour me with timely aid,
When sinful thoughts arise.
4 Secured by that, my grateful soul
Shall ever bless Thy Name:
O teach me then by Thy just laws
My future life to frame!
1 To God, in whom I trust,
I lift my heart and voice;
O let me not be put to shame,
Nor let my foes rejoice.
2 To me Thy truth impart,
And lead me in Thy way;
For Thou art He that brings me help,
On Thee I wait all day.
3 Thy mercies and Thy love,
O Lord, recall to mind;
And graciously continue stiil,
As Thou wert ever, kind.
4 Let all my youthful crimes
Be blotted out by Thee;
And, for Thy wondrous goodness' sake,
In mercy think on me.
5 His mercy and His truth
The righteous Lord displays,
In bringing wand'ring sinners home,
And teaching them His ways.
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