6 So may the words my lips express,
The thoughts that throng the mind,
O Lord, my Strength and Righteousness!
With Thee acceptance find.

C.M.

331 The entrance of Thy words giveth

1

light.-Ps. 119, 130.

TOW shall the young secure their

Hearts

And guard their lives from sin?

Thy word the choicest rules imparts
To keep the conscience clean.

2 When once it enters to the mind,
It spreads such light abroad,
The meanest souls instruction find,
And raise their thoughts to God.
3 Tis like the sun, a heavenly light
That guides us all the day:

And, through the dangers of the night,
A lamp to lead our way.

4 The starry heavens Thy rule obey,
The earth maintains her place;
And these Thy servants, night and day,
Thy skill and power express.

5 But still Thy laws and gospel, Lord,
Have lessons more divine;

Not earth stands firmer than Thy word, Nor stars so nobly shine.

6 Thy word is everlasting truth; How pure is every page!

1

That holy book shall guide our youth, And well support our age.

L.M.

332 Wondrons things out of Thy law.

--Ps. 119, 18.

THE starry firmament on high,
And all the glories of the sky,
Yet shine not to Thy praise, O Lord,
So brightly as Thy written Word:
The hopes that holy word supplies,
Its truth divine, and precepts wise,
In each a heavenly beam I see,
And every beam conducts to Thee,

2 When taught by painful proof to know That all is vanity below;

The sinner roams from comfort far,
And looks in vain for sun or star;

Soft gleaming then, those lights divine
Through all the cheerless darkness
And sweetly to his ravished eye, [shine,
Disclose the Dayspring from on high.
3 Almighty Lord! the sun shall fail,
The moon forget her nightly tale,
And deepest silence hush on high,
The radiant chorus of the sky;
But, fixed for everlasting years,
Unmoved amid the wreck of spheres,
Thy Word shall shine in cloudless day,
When heaven and earth have passed

away.

C.M.

333 The commandment is a lamp, and

the law is light.-Prov. 6, 23.

1 LAMP of our feet, whereby we trace

Our path when wont to stray;

Stream from the fount of heavenlygrace,
Brook by the traveller's way:

2 Bread of our souls, whereon we feed,
True manna from on high;

Our guide and chart, wherein we read
Of realms beyond the sky.

3 Pillar of fire, through watches dark,
And radiant cloud by day;

[bark,

When waves would whelm our tossing
Our anchor and our stay.

4 Word of the Everlasting God,

Will of His glorious Son;

Without thee how could earth be trod,
Or heaven itself be won?

5 Lord, grant us all aright to learn
The wisdom it imparts;

And to its heavenly teaching turn,
With simple child-like hearts.

C.M.

334 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet.-

1 H°

Ps. 119, 105.

OW precious is the book divine,
By inspiration given!

Bright as a lamp its doctrines shine,
To guide our souls to heaven.

2 It sweetly cheers our drooping hearts
In this dark vale of tears;
Life, light, and joy, it still imparts,
And quells our rising fears.

3 This lamp, through all the tedious night Of life, shall guide our way,

Till we behold the clearer light
Of an eternal day.

C.M.

335 Better unto me than thousands of

1

gold and silver.-Ps. 119, 72.

FATHER of mercies! in Thy word

What endless glory shines!

For ever be Thy name adored,

For these celestial lines.

2 Here may the wretched sons of want
Exhaustless riches find;

Riches above what earth can grant,
And lasting as the mind.

3 Here the Redeemer's welcome voice
Spreads heavenly peace around!
And life and everlasting joys

Attend the blissful sound.

4 O may these heavenly pages be
My ever dear delight!

And still new beauties may I see,
And still increasing light.

5 Divine Instructor, gracious Lord!
Be Thou for ever near:

Teach me to love Thy sacred word,
And view my Saviour there.

L.M.

336 The power of God unto salvation.

-Rom. 1, 16.

1 LET everlasting glories crown

Thy head, my Saviour and my Lord; Thy hands have brought salvation down,

And writ Thy blessings in Thy word.

2 In vain the trembling conscience seeks
Some solid ground to rest upon;
With long despair the spirit breaks,
Till we apply to Christ alone.

8 How well Thy blessed truths agree! How wise and holy Thy commands! Thy promises, how firm they be! How firm our hope and comfort stands ! 4 Should all the forms that men devise Assault my faith with treacherous art, I'd call them vanity and lies,

And bind the gospel to my heart.

L.M.

337 The gospel of the grace of God.—

1

THIS

Acts 20, 24.

HIS is the word of truth and love, Sent to the nations from above; Jehovah here resolves to show What His almighty grace can do. 2 This remedy did Wisdom find To heal diseases of the mind; This sovereign balm whose virtues can Restore the ruined creature, man. 3 The gospel bids the dead revive, Sinners obey the voice and live;

Dry bones are raised, and clothed afresh,

And hearts of stone are turned to flesh. 4 Where Satan reigned in shades of night,

The gospel sheds a heavenly light; Our fusts its wondrous power controls, And calms the rage of angry souls. 5 Lions and beasts of savage name Put on the nature of the lamb; Whilst the wide world esteem it strange, Gaze and admire, and hate the change. 6 May but this grace my soul renew. Let sinners gaze, and hate me too; The word that saves me does engage A sure defence from all their rage.

C.M.

338 Grace and truth came by Jesus

Christ.-John 1, 17.

1 THE Lord, descending from above, Invites His children near:

While Power, and Truth, and boundDisplay their glories here. [less Love

2 Here, in Thy gospel's wondrous frame,
Fresh wisdom we pursue;
Adoring angels learn Thy name
Beyond whate'er they knew.

3 Thy name is writ in fairest lines;
Thy wonders here we trace:
Wisdom through all the mystery shines,
And shines in Jesus' face

4 The law its best obedience owes
To our Incarnate God;

And Thine avenging justice shows
Its honour in His blood.

5 But still the lustre of Thy grace
Our warmer thoughts employs,

Gilds the whole scene with brighter rays,

And more exalts our joys.

C.M.

339 More to be desired are they than

1

LA

gold.-Ps. 19, 10.

ADEN with guilt, and full of fears,
I fly to Thee, my Lord;

And not a glimpse of hope appears,
But in Thy written word.

2 The volume of my Father's grace
Does all my grief assuage;
Here I behold my Saviour's face
Almost in every page.

3 This is the field where hidden lies
The pearl of price unknown;
That merchant is divinely wise
Who makes the pearl his own.
4 Here consecrated water flows
To quench my thirst of sin;
Here the fair tree of knowledge grows,
Nor danger dwells therein.

5 This is the judge that ends the strife,
Where wit and reason fail;

My guide to everlasting life
Through all this gloomy vale.
6 O may Thy counsels, mighty God,
My roving feet command;
Nor I forsake the happy road
That leads to Thy right hand.