Hymns and Spiritual Songs Part 32

1 With holy fear and humble song, The dreadful G.o.d our souls adore; Reverence and awe becomes the tongue That speaks the terrors of his power.

2 Far in the deep where darkness dwells, The land of horror and despair, Justice has built a dismal h.e.l.l, And laid her stores of vengeance there.

3 [Eternal plagues and heavy chains, Tormenting racks and fiery coals, And darts t' inflict immortal pains, Dy'd in the blood of d.a.m.ned souls.]

4 [There Satan the first sinner lies, And roars, and bites his iron bands; In vain the rebel strives to rise, Crush'd with the weight of both thine hands.]

5 There guilty ghosts of Adam's race Shriek out, and howl beneath thy rod; Once they could scorn a Saviour's grace, But they incens'd a dreadful G.o.d.

6 Tremble, my soul, and kiss the Son; Sinners, obey the Saviour's call; Else your d.a.m.nation hastens on, And h.e.l.l gapes wide to wait your fall.

Hymn 2:45.

G.o.d's condescension to our wors.h.i.+p.

1 Thy favours Lord, surprise our souls; Will the Eternal dwell with us?

What canst thou find beneath the poles To tempt thy chariot downward thus?

2 Still might he fill his starry throne, And please his ears with Gabriel's songs; But th' heavenly Majesty comes down, And bows to hearken to our tongues.

3 Great G.o.d, what poor returns we pay For love so infinite as thine!

Words are but air, and tongues but clay, But thy compa.s.sion's all divine.

Hymn 2:46.

G.o.d's condescension to human affairs.

1 Up to the Lord that reigns on high, And views the nations from afar, Let everlasting praises fly, And tell how large his bounties are.

2 [He that can shake the worlds he made, Or with his word, or with his rod, His goodness how amazing great!

And what a condescending G.o.d!]

3 [G.o.d that must stoop to view the skies, And how to see what angels do, Down to our earth he casts his eyes, And bends his footsteps downward too.]

4 He over-rules all mortal things, And manages our mean affairs; On humble souls the King of kings Bestows his counsels and his cares.

5 Our sorrows and our tears we pour Into the bosom of our G.o.d, He hears us in the mournful hour, And helps us bear the heavy load.

6 In vain might lofty princes try Such condescension to perform; For worms were never rais'd so high Above their meanest fellow-worm.

7 O could our thankful hearts devise A tribute equal to thy grace, To the third heaven our songs should rise, And teach the golden harps thy praise.

Hymn 2:47.

Glory and grace in the person of Christ.

1 Now to the Lord a n.o.ble song!

Awake, my soul, awake, my tongue; Hosanna to th' eternal Name, And all his boundless love proclaim.

2 See where it s.h.i.+nes in Jesus' face, The brightest image of his grace; G.o.d, in the person of his Son, Has all his mightiest works outdone.

3 The s.p.a.cious earth and spreading flood Proclaim the wise, the powerful G.o.d; And thy rich glories from afar Sparkle in every rolling star.

4 But in his looks a glory stands, The n.o.blest labour of thine hands: The pleasing l.u.s.tre of his eyes Outs.h.i.+nes the wonders of the skies.

5 Grace, 'tis a sweet, a charming theme; My thoughts rejoice at Jesus' name: Ye angels, dwell upon the sound, Ye heavens, reflect it to the ground!

6 O, may I live to reach the place Where he unveils his lovely face, Where all his beauties you behold, And sing his Name to harps of gold!

Hymn 2:48.

Love to the creatures is dangerous.

1 How vain are all things here below!

How false, and yet how fair!

Each pleasure hath its poison too, And every sweet a snare.

2 The brightest things below the sky Give but a flattering light; We should suspect some danger nigh Where we possess delight.

3 Our dearest joys, and nearest friends, The partners of our blood, How they divide our wavering minds, And leave but half for G.o.d!

4 The fondness of a creature's love, How strong it strikes the sense!

Thither the warm affections move, Nor can we call them thence.

5 Dear Saviour, let thy beauties be My soul's eternal food; And grace command my heart away From all created good.

Hymn 2:49.

Moses dying in the embraces of G.o.d.

1 Death cannot make our souls afraid If G.o.d be with us there; We may walk thro' her darkest shade, And never yield to fear.

2 I could renounce my all below, If my Creator bid, And run, if I were call'd to go, And die as Moses did.

3 Might I but climb to Pisgah's top, And view the promis'd land, My flesh itself shall long to drop, And pray for the command.

4 Clasp'd in my heavenly Father's arms I would forget my breath, And lose my life among the charms Of so divine a death.

Hymn 2:50.

Comfort under sorrows and pains.

1 Now let the Lord my Saviour smile, And shew my name upon his heart, I would forget my pains awhile, And in the pleasure lose the smart.

But O it swells my sorrows high To see my blessed Jesus frown!

My spirits sink, my comforts die, And all the springs of life are down.

3 Yet why, my soul, why these complaints?

Still while he frowns his bowels move; Still on his heart he bears his saints, And feels their sorrows and his love.