To Thee so returning,
My God and my King.

3 O happy the choirs

Who praise Thee above!
What joy tunes their lyres!
Their worship is love.
Yet, safe in Thy keeping,
And happy they be,
In this world of weeping,
Whose strength is in Thee.
4 Though rugged their way,
They drink, as they go,
Of springs that convey
New life as they flow:
The God they rely on,
Their strength shall renew,
Till each, brought to Zion,
His glory shall view.
5 Thou Hearer of prayer,
Still grant me a place
Where Christians repair
To the courts of Thy grace.
More blest beyond measure
One day so employed,
Than years of vain pleasure
By worldlings enjoyed.

6 The Lord is a Sun,

The Lord is a Shield;
What grace has begun,
With glory is sealed.
He hears the distressed,
He succours the just;
And they shall be blessed

Who make Him their trust.

C.M.

781 The Lord is my light and my sal

1

THE

vation.-Ps. 27, 1.

HE Lord of Glory is my light,
And my salvation too,

God is my strength, nor will I fear,
What all my foes can do.

2 One privilege my heart desires;
O grant me an abode;

Among the churches of Thy saints,
The temples of my God.

3 There shall I offer my requests,
And see Thy beauty still,

Shall hear Thy messages of love,
And there inquire Thy will.

4 When troubles rise and storms appear,
There may His children hide;
God has a strong pavilion, where
He makes my soul abide.

5 Now shall my head be lifted high
Above my foes around,
And songs of joy and victory
Within Thy temple sound.

L.M.

782 Every one of them in Zion appear

1

eth before God.-Ps. 84, 7.

HAPPY the men, in ancient days,

Whose hearts were set on Zion's ways;

Cheerful along the waste they trod, To join the assemblies of their God. 2 Still happier they whose souls aspire To heaven, with hope and strong desire: And, as their course they thither bend, On uncreated might depend.

3 From stage to stage, from strength to strength,

They go, till they arrive at length
At the Jerusalem above,

There to enjoy the God of love.

4 Immortal life, and joys unknown, Flow, in full rivers, from the throne; In His own light our God is seen, Without one veiling cloud between.

S.M.

783 Blessed are your eyes, for they see.

1

-Matt. 13, 16.

TOW beauteous are their feet

HOW Who stand on Zion's hill!

Who bring salvation on their tongues,
And words of peace reveal!

2 How charming is their voice!
How sweet the tidings are!
Zion! behold thy Saviour King;
He reigns and triumphs here.

3 How happy are our ears
That hear this joyful sound,
Which kings and prophets waited for,
And sought, but never found!
4 How blessed are our eyes

That see this heavenly light!
Prophets and kings desired it long,
But died without the sight.
5 The watchmen join their voice,
And tuneful notes employ;
Jerusalem breaks forth in songs,
And deserts learn the joy.

6 The Lord makes bare His arm
Through all the earth abroad:
Let every nation now behold
Its Saviour and its God.

1

8.7.4.

784 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget

not all His benefits.-Ps. 103, 2.

PRAISE, my soul, the King of heaven;

To His feet thy tribute bring: Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, Who like thee His praise should sing? Praise Him, praise Him,

Praise the everlasting King.

2 Praise Him for His grace and favour
To our fathers in distress;
Praise Him, still the same for ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Praise Him, praise Him,
Glorious in his faithfulness.

3 Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows;
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Praise Him, praise Him,

Widely as His mercy flows.

4 Angels, help us to adore Him; Ye behold Him face to face:

All His works, bow down before Him, Through the boundless realms of Praise Him, praise Him,

[space.

Praise with us the God of grace.

S.M.

785 An house of prayer for all people.

1

2

3

4

5

-Isa. 56, 7.

COME to the house of prayer,

thou afflicted, come;

The God of peace shall meet thee there, He makes that house His home.

Come to the house of praise,

Ye who are happy now;

In sweet accord your voices raise,
Your knees together bow.

Ye aged, hither come,

For ye have felt His love;

[dumb,

Soon shall your trembling tongues be Your lips forget to move.

Ye young, before His throne

Your cheerful anthems raise;

Nor let your hearts His praise disown, Who gives the power to praise.

Thou whose benignant eye

In mercy looks on all;

Who seest the tear of misery,

And hear'st the mourner's call;

6 Up to Thy dwelling-place

Bear our frail spirits on,

Till they outstrip time's tardy pace,
And heaven on earth be won.

11, 10.

786 I went into the sanctuary of God.

1

-Ps. 73, 17.

COME ye disconsolate,

languish,

where'er ye

Come, at God's altar fervently kneel; Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish, [not heal. Earth has no sorrow that Heaven can2 Here dwells the Father; Love's waters are streaming [teous and pure; Forth from the throne of God, plenCome to His temple for mercy redeem[cure.

ing;

Earth has no sorrow that He cannot 3 Here waits the Saviour, all gentle and

loving,

Ready to meet us, His grace to reveal:

On Him cast the burden, trustfully coming;

Earth has no sorrow that Christ cannot heal.

4 Here speaks the Comforter, Light of the straying,

Hope of the penitent, Advocate sure, Joy of the desolate! tenderly saying, Earth has no sorrow My grace cannot cure!"9

8.7.4.

787 The Lord is in His holy temple.—

1

GOD

Ps. 11, 4.

OD is in His holy temple,
Full of awe let all be here;
Worship Him in truth and spirit,
Reverence Him with godly fear;
Holy! Holy!

Lord of Hosts, our Lord appear.
2 God in Christ reveals His presence,
Throned upon the Mercy-seat;
Sinners, come, ye need not tremble!
Fear not thus your God to meet;
Lowly, lowly,

Bow adoring at His feet.

8 Hail Him here with songs of praises, Him with prayers of faith surround, Hearken to His glorious gospel,

While the preacher's lips expound;
Blessed, blessed,

They who know the joyful sound!
4 Though the heaven and heaven of
O Thou great Unsearchable! [heavens,
Are too mean to comprehend Thee,
Thou with man art pleased to dwell,
Hear us! Save us!

God with us-Immanuel.

78,

7881 will commune with Thee from

1

above the mercy-seat.-Ex. 25, 22.

TO Thy temple I repair,

Lord, I love to worship there;

When within the veil I meet

Christ before the Mercy-seat.