AN HYMN OF PRAISE. I WILL SING OF MERCY." COME, Oh! my soul, awake! awake and sing; Praise waits for thee, at humble distance waits; Conscious how far she falls beneath thy throne: Fain would she soar beyond the heav'nly gates, And make thy triumphs to archangels known. O, for the wings of holy joy and love, To bring thy approbation down to me. I sing of mercy....'tis a theme divine! It flows to me thro' streams of precious blood: Rich are thy blessings; but they brightest shine, As purchas'd by thy death, my Saviour-God. Late, thro' a painful path my journey lay; With trembling steps I travell'd thro' the shade, To thee, my God, my king, I flew for aid, Thine arm supported, while the tempest blew ; The thunder's o'er, and all's serenely calm! Hush'd to sweet peace, the floods no longer beat; This is the triumph of Immanuel's arm! I fall astonish'd at his gracious feet. My Father and my God, to thee I'll sing To thee, the God of providence and grace. O, for a thousand hearts to love thy name! Faithful and true is thy tremendous name, Eternal ages prove thee still the same; On thee, the ocean of unbounded love, My soul embarks her all, commits to thee Her cares, her fears, her wants, and longs to prove An everlasting refuge, Lord, in thee. On thy kind bosom I would fain recline, My Saviour-God. O, let thy presence cheer! Thy Spirit guide, and guard, and seal me thine : Lead and direct me while I sojourn here. Then in the realms of bright celestial day, And sing a sweeter, nobler song of praise. AN IRREGULAR ODE. GREAT king of saints! Thou mighty monarch of the heavens and earth, Whose awful fiat gave creation birth; Whose arm supports, whose eye surveys An universe, through all the maze Of ages past, of ages still to be....' The future and the past, are now to thee. Conception faints When viewing an omniscient deity. Ye sons of light, Angels who bow before the throne, Tune your soft harps and make him known; In lofty strains adore your God. And saints, the purchase of his blood, Ransom'd sinners, join the theme; God of nature, God of grace, We would give thee humble praise: Thou hast wash'd us in thy blood. Prince of peace, we bow to thee, Hail the love that made us thine! Hail our fathers' God and ours; Hail! mysterious deity. Thou great unsearchable, Whom heav'n and earth, whom seas and skies adore, But finite understandings can't explore ; Who dwell'st in brightness inaccessible ! Thy glories shine in beams so bright, Dazzling archangels' sight. My Father and my God! How empires vanish at a sight of thee: |