1 STERN winter throws his icy chains,
Encircling nature round;
How bleak, how comfortless the plains,
Late with gay verdure crown'd!
2 The sun withdraws his cheering beams,
And light and warmth depart;
And winter, cold and lifeless, seems
An emblem of my heart.
3 Rise, Sun of Righteousness, and bring
Thine own reviving ray;
Turn the soul's winter into spring,
Make darkness cheerful day.
4 Great source of light, and warmth, and
Our drooping joys restore;
And guide us to those seats above,
Where winter frowns no more.
5 Oh! happy state, divine abode,
Region of endless bliss;
Thy beams enlighten it, O God!
The Lamb its glory is.
Prayer for a clean heart.
1 OH for a heart to praise my God, A heart from sin set free;
A heart that's sprinkled with the blood
So freely shed for me.
2 A heart resigned, submissive, meek, My dear Redeemer's throne, Where only Christ is heard to speak, Where Jesus reigns alone.
3 A humble, lowly, contrite heart,
Believing, true, and clean,
Which neither life nor death can part,
From him that dwells within.
4 A heart in every thought renew'd,
And filled with love divine,
Perfect, and right, and pure, and good,
A copy, Lord, of thine.
5 Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart;
Come quickly from above;
Write thy new name upon my heart,
Thy new best name of love.
277 C. M.
A call to praise God.
1 LIFT up to God the voice of praise,
Whose breath our souls inspir'd;
Loud and more loud the anthem raise,
With grateful ardour fir'd.
2 Lift up to God the voice of praise,
Whose goodness, passing thought,
Loads every minute as it flies,
With benefits unsought!
3 Lift up to God the voice of praise,
From whom salvation flows,
Who sent his Son our souls to save
From everlasting woes.
4 Lift up to God the voice of praise, For hope's transporting ray, Which lights thro' darkest shades of death, To realms of endless day. 278 L. M.
For fitness to approach God.
1 COME, Holy Spirit, calm our minds,
And fit us to approach our God;
Remove each vain, each worldly thought,
And lead us to thy blest abode.
2 Impress upon our wand'ring hearts
The love that Christ to sinners bore;
Help us to look on him we pierc'd,
And our redeeming God adore.
3 A brighter faith and hope impart,
And let us now thy glory see;
O soothe and cheer the burden'd heart,
And bid our spirits rest in thee.
279 L. M.
The loving-kindness of God.
1 AWAKE, my soul, in joyful lays,
And sing thy great Redeemer's praise;
He justly claims a song from me,
His loving-kindness, O how free!
2 He saw me ruined in the fall,
Yet loved me notwithstanding all;
He sav'd me from my lost estate,
His loving-kindness, O how great!
Tho' num'rous hosts of mighty foes,
Tho' earth and hell my way oppose,
He safely leads my soul along,
His loving-kindness, O how strong!
4 When trouble like a gloomy cloud,
Has gather'd thick, and thunder'd loud;
He near my soul has always stood,
His loving-kindness, O how good!
5 Lord, let me mount and soar away,
To the bright world of endless day,
To sing with rapture and surprise,
Thy loving-kindness in the skies.
280 C. M.
Christ the Way, Truth, and Life.
1 THOU art the Way! by thee alone
From sin and death we flee;
And he who would the Father seek,
Must seek him, Lord, by thee.
2 Thou art the Truth! thy word alone
True wisdom can impart;
Thou only canst instruct the mind,
And purify the heart.
3 Thou art the Life! the empty tomb
Proclaims thy conqu'ring arm;
And those who put their trust in thee,
Nor death, nor hell shall harm.
4 Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life!
To us that wisdom give;
By thee to seek the Father's face,
In thee alone to live.
Praise to the Redeemer.
1 On for a thousand tongues to sing
My dear Redeemer's praise:
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace.
2 Jesus, the name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease; 'Tis music in the sinner's ears,
'Tis life, and health, and peace.
3 He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
And sets the pris'ner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.
4 He speaks, and, listening to his voice,
New life the dead receive;
The mournful broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.
5 Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Saviour come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy.
1 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds, In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrows, hea's his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
2 It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And, to the weary, rest.
3 Dear name! the rock on which I build,
My shield and hiding-place;
My never-failing treasury, fill'd
With boundless stores of grace.
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