Is sweeter than ten thousand days
Of pleasurable sin.
4 My willing soul would stay
In such a frame as this;
And sit and sing herself away
To everlasting bliss.
AWAKE, my heart! my soul, arise!
This is the day believers prize:
Improve this Sabbath then with care;
Another may not be thy share.
2 O solemn thought! Lord, give me power, Wisely to fill up every hour:
O for the wings of faith and love,
To bear my heart and soul above!
3 Jesus, assist; nor let me fail
To worship thee within the vail;
To glorify thy matchless grace,
To see the beauties of thy face.
4 Be with us in thy house to-day,
And tune our hearts to praise and pray:
Like dew command thy word to fall,
Refreshing, quickening, saving all.
5 Call forth my thoughts, and let them rove O'er the green pastures of thy love:
O let not sin prevent my rest,
Nor keep me from my Saviour's breast.
Lord, I love to worship there,
When within the veil I meet
Christ upon the mercy-seat.
2 Thou through him art reconciled;
I through him become thy child;
Abba, Father, give me grace
In thy courts to seek thy face.
While thy glorious praise is sung,
Touch my lips, unloose my tongue,
That my joyful soul
may bless
Christ the Lord, my righteousness.
While the prayers of saints ascend,
God of love! to mine attend;
Hear me, for thy Spirit pleads-
Hear, for Jesus intercedes.
5 While I hearken to thy law,
Fill my soul with humble awe;
Till thy gospel bring to me
Life and immortality.
6 While thy ministers proclaim
Peace and pardon in thy name;
Through their voice, by faith, may I
Hear thee speaking from on high.
7 From thy house when I return,
May my heart within me burn;
And at evening let me say,
I have walk'd with God to-day.
ANOTHER Six days' work is done;
Another Sabbath is begun;
Return, my soul, enjoy thy rest;
Improve the day thy God has bless'd.
2 Come, bless the Lord, whose love assigns
So sweet a rest to wearied minds;
Provides an ante-taste of heaven,
And gives this day the food of seven.
3 0 that our thoughts and thanks may rise, As grateful incense to the skies;
And draw from heaven that sweet repose,
Which none but he that feels it knows.
4 This heavenly calm within the breast
Is the dear pledge of glorious rest,
Which for the church of God remains;
The end of cares, the end of pains.
5 In holy duties, let the day,
In holy pleasures, pass away;
How sweet, a Sabbath thus to spend,
In hope of one that ne'er shall end!
ONE Sabbath more to us is given;
O help us, Lord, to keep this one;
Like to thy worshippers in heaven,
Who cast their crowns before thy throne.
2 O fill our souls with heavenly love,
And warm our hearts with sacred fire:
Descend from heaven, immortal Dove,
And with thy grace our souls inspire.
3 O take us on thy balmy wings,
And bear us far above the skies,
To join the notes that Gabriel sings,
And lose ourselves in sweet surprise.
LORD of the Sabbath! hear our vows,
On this thy day, in this thy house;
And own, as grateful sacrifice,
The songs which from our hearts arise.
2 Thy earthly Sabbaths, Lord, we love;
But there's a nobler rest above;
To that our labouring souls aspire,
With ardent pangs of strong desire.
3 No more fatigue, no more distress,
Nor sin, nor hell, shall reach the place:
No groans to mingle with the songs,
Which warble from immortal tongues.
4 No rude alarms of raging foes;
No cares to break the long repose;
No midnight shade, no clouded sun,
But sacred, high, eternal noon.
5 O long expected day, begin;
Dawn on these realms of woe and sin:
Fain would we leave this weary road,
And sleep in death, to rest with God.
FREQUENT the day of God returns,
To shed its quickening beams;
And yet how slow devotion burns!
How languid are its flames!
2 Accept our faint attempts to love;
Our frailties, Lord, forgive;
We would be like thy saints above,
And praise thee while we live.
3 Increase, O Lord, our faith and hope, And fit us to ascend,
Where the assembly ne'er breaks up,
The Sabbath ne'er shall end:
4 Where we shall breathe in heavenly air,
With heavenly lustre shine;
Before the throne of God appear,
And feast on love divine:
5 Where we, in high seraphic strains,
Shall all our powers employ;
Delighted range the ethereal plains,
And take our fill of joy.
Laying Foundation Stone of a Place of Worship.
THIS stone to thee in faith we lay;
We build the temple, Lord, to thee;
Thy eye be open, night and day,
To guard this house and sanctuary.
2 Here when thy people seek thy face,
And dying sinners pray to live,
Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place,
And when thou hearest, O forgive!
3 Here when thy messengers proclaim
The blessed gospel of thy Son:
Still by the power of his great name,
Be mighty signs and wonders done.
4 Hosanna to their heavenly King,
When children's voices raise that song;
Hosanna let their angels sing,
And heaven with earth the strain prolong.
5 But will indeed Jehovah deign
Here to abide, no transient guest?
Here will the world's Redeemer reign?
And here the Holy Spirit rest?
6 That glory never hence depart―
Yet choose not, Lord, this house alone;
Thy kingdom come to every heart,
In every bosom fix thy throne.
On Opening a Place of Worship.
GREAT God, thy watchful care we bless, Which guards our synagogues in peace;
* For the particular titles see the hymns.
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