For this the hosts above rejoice:-
We raise the happiness of heaven.
6 For this, (no longer sons of night,)
To thee our thankful hearts we give;
To thee who call'st us into light;
To thee we die, to thee we live.
My soul, through my Redeemer's care,
Saved from the second death I feel:
My eyes from tears of dark despair,
My feet from falling into hell.
2 Wherefore to him feet shall run;
My eyes on his perfections gaze;
My soul shall live for God alone,
And all within me shout his praise.
THEE Will I love, my strength, my tower;
Thee will I love, my joy, my crown;
Thee will I love with all my power,
In all thy works, and thee alone;
Thee will I love, till the pure fire,
Fills my whole soul with chaste desire.
2 Ah! why did I so late thee know?
Thee, lovelier than the sons of men:
Ah! why did I no sooner go
To thee, the only ease in pain?
Ashamed I sigh, and inly mourn,
That I so late to thee did turn.
3 In darkness willingly I stray'd:
I sought thee, yet from thee I roved:
Far wide my wand'ring thoughts were spread;
Thy creatures more than thee I loved;
And now, if more at length I see,
"Tis through thy light, and comes from thee.
4 I thank thee, uncreated Sun,
That thy bright beams on me have shined;
I thank thee, who hast overthrown
My foes, and heal'd my wounded mind;
I thank thee, whose enlivening voice
Bids my freed heart in thee rejoice.
5 Thee will I love, my joy, my crown;
Thee will I love, my Lord, my God;
Thee will I love beneath thy frown
Or smile, thy sceptre or thy rod:
What though my flesh and heart decay;
Thee shall I love in endless day.
Now begin the heavenly theme,
Sing aloud in Jesus' name;
Ye who now his kindness prove,
Triumph in redeeming love.
2 Ye who see the Father's grace,
Beaming in the Saviour's face,
As to Canaan on ye move,
Praise and bless the God of love.
3 Mourning souls, dry up your tears,
Banish all your guilty fears;
See your guilt and curse remove,
Cancell'd by redeeming love.
4 Welcome all by sin oppress'd,
Welcome all to Jesus' breast;
Nothing brought him from above,
Nothing but redeeming love.
5 He subdued the infernal powers;
His tremendous foes and ours,
From their cursed empire drove;
Mighty in redeeming love.
6 Hither, then, your music bring;
Strike aloud each joyful string:
Mortals, join the host above;
Join to praise redeeming love.
216. [S. B. 148.]
COME, thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing thy grace:
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise:
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above:
Praise the mount-O fix me on it!
Mount of God's unchanging love.
2 Hear I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither, by thy help, I'm come;
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to save my soul from danger,
Interposed his precious blood.
3 O! to grace how great a debtor,
Daily I'm constrain'd to be:
Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
Prone to leave the God I love-
Here's my heart, O take and seal it!
Seal it from thy courts above.
To GOD, my Saviour, and my King, Fain would my soul her tribute bring; Join me, ye saints, in songs of praise, For ye have known and felt his grace. 2 Wretched and helpless once I lay, Just breathing all my life away;
He saw me weltering in my blood,
And felt the pity of a God.
3 With speed he flew to my relief;
Bound up my wounds, and soothed my grief; Pour'd joys divine into my heart,
And bade each anxious fear depart.
4 These proofs of love, O blessed Lord!
Deep in my breast I will record:
The life which I from thee receive,
To thee, behold, I freely give.
5 My heart and tongue shall tune thy praise,
Through the remainder of my days;
And when I join the powers above,
My soul shall better sing thy love.
FORGIVENESS! 'tis a joyful sound
To malefactors doom'd to die;
Publish the bliss the world around:
Ye seraphs, shout it from the sky.
2 'Tis the rich gift of love divine:
'Tis full, out-measuring every crime:
Unclouded all its glories shine,
And feel no change, by changing time.
3 O'er sins unnumber'd as the sand,
And like the mountains for their size,
The seas of heavenly grace expand,
The seas of heavenly grace arise.
4 For this stupendous love of heaven,
What grateful honours shall we show!
Where much transgression is forgiven,
Let love in equal ardour glow.
5 By this inspired, let all our days
With various holiness be crown'd;
Let truth and goodness, prayer and praise In all abide, in all abound.
WHEN God reveal'd his gracious name,
And changed my mournful state,
My rapture seem'd a pleasing dream,
The grace appear'd so great.
2 The world beheld the glorious change,
And did thy hand confess:
My tongue broke out in unknown strains, And sung thy wondrous grace.
3 Great is the work, my neighbours cried, And own'd the power divine;
Great is the work, my heart replied,
And be the glory thine.
OUR Father, whose eternal sway
The bright angelic hosts obey,
O lend thy pitying ear!
When on thy awful name we call,
And at thy feet submissive fall,
O condescend to hear.
2 Far may thy glorious reign extend:
May rebels to thy sceptre bend,
And yield to sovereign love:
May we take pleasure to fulfil
The sacred dictates of thy will,
As angels do above.
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