AN HYMN OF PRAISE. -661 WILL SING OF MERCY." Come, oh! my soul, awake! awake and sing; Come tune thy harp to sweetest, softest lays : Record the wonders of thy God and king, And offer up a song of grateful praise. 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 bear her adorations up to thee! To bring thy approbation down to me. I sing of mercy....'tis a theme divine ! It fows 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 ; High blew the whirlwind, while the storm arose; Black clouds, tempestuous, overhung the day, And all was anguish, all was gloom and foes. With trembling steps I travell’d thro' the shade, And oft, affrighted by the lion's roar, And found my mighty refuge in thy power. Thine arm supported, while the tempest blew; Thy gracious eye pervaded all my grief ; Thou wisely guided, kindly brought me through, And flew on eagle's wings to my relief. 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 Eternal anthems of unbounded praise ; Myself, my all, an humble off'ring bring To thee, the God of providence and grace. O, for a thousand hearts to love thy name! A thousand tongues to sound thy glories high ; To spread abroad thine everlasting fame, And join the hallelujahs of the sky. Faithful and true is thy tremendous name, My glorious master, my almighty Lord ! Eternal ages prove thee still the same ; Eternal ages shall thy truth record. 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, My soul shall bless thee in sublimer lays; Shall see thy glories in their full display, And sing a sweeter, nobler song of praise. 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.... Conception faints Ye sons of light, soft harps and make him known; God of nature, God of grace, Three in one, and one in three, Thou great unsearchable, Who dwell'st in brightness inaccessible ! Thy glories shine in beams so bright, Dazzling archangels' sight. My Father and my God! |