5 Zion enjoys her monarch's love, Secure against a threatening hour; Nor can her firm foundations move, Built on His truth, and armed with power.

8.7.

664 Glorious things are spoken of thee,

1 G

1

O city of God.-Ps. 87, 3.

LORIOUS things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!

He whose word cannot be broken,
Formed thee for His own abode:
On the Rock of Ages founded,

What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
Thou mayest smile at all thy foes.
2 See! the streams of living waters
Springing from eternal love,
Well supply thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove.
Round each habitation hovering,
See! the cloud and fire appear,
For a glory and a covering,

Showing that the Lord is near.

$ Blest inhabitants of Zion,

Washed in the Redeemer's blood!
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
Makes them Kings and Priests to God:
Tis His love His people raises
Over self to reign as kings:
And as priests His solemn praises
Each for a thank-offering brings.

4 Saviour, if of Zion's city

I through grace a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in Thy name:
Fading is the worldling's pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show!
Solid joys and lasting treasure,
None but Zion's children know.

C.M.

665 The Highest Himself shall establish

her.-Ps. 87.5.

UPON the holy mountains high

Are His foundations still

Though silent, sad, and desolate,
Is Zion's ruined hill;
God hath a lofty city, where
His standard is unfurled;

[hearts,

His one church, reared on faithful
That rise above the world!

2 Beyond earth's mists its turrets stand
In the clear light of heaven;
And there, Jehovah dwells in power,
There, is His spirit given:
Jehovah loves His children's homes,
But more His own abode;
All glorious is Thy destiny
O city of our God!

3 The Highest shall establish Thee
To glorify His name;

All nations soon shall flocking press,
In Thee a place to claim:

Within Thy safe and beauteous walls,
The songs shall never cease,
In Thee are all our springs of joy,
The fountains of our peace!

L.M.

666 Happy art thou, O Israel.—Deut.

1

33, 29.

10 ISRAEL, blest beyond compare!

Unrivalled all thy glories are;

Jehovah deigns to fill thy throne, And calls thine interest all His own. 2 He is thy Saviour, He thy Lord,

His shield is thine, and thine His sword; Review in ecstacy of thought,

The great redemption He has wrought 3 From Satan's yoke He sets thee free, Opens thy passage through the sea; He through the desert is thy Guide, And heaven for Canaan will provide. 4 Not Jacob's sons of old could boast Such favours to their chosen host; Their glories, which through ages shine, Are but dim shades and types of thine. 5 Celestial Spirit! teach our tongue Sublimer strains than Moses sung, Proportioned to the sweeter name Of God the Saviour, and the Lamb.

S.M.

667 The cloud covered it by day, and

1

.. fire by night.-Numb. 9, 16.

WHERE is the Hebrews' God,

Who kept them night and day? Where is the heavenly fire and cloud, Which showed Thy church their way? 2 No symbol visible

3

We of Thy presence find;

Yet all who would obey Thy will,
Shall know their Father's mind.
Father, Thou still dost lead
The children of Thy grace,
The chosen and believing seed,
Throughout this wilderness:
4 Our chart Thy written word,
Thy Spirit is our guide,

And Christ, the glory of our Lord,
Doth in our hearts reside.

C.M.

668 The joy of the Lord is your

1

B

strength.-Neh. 8, 10.

LEST are the souls that hear and
The Gospel's joyful sound; [know
Peace shall attend the path they go,
And light their steps surround.
2 Their joy shall bear their spirits up,
Through their Redeemer's name;
His righteousness exalts their hope;
Nor Satan dares condemn.

8 The Lord, our Glory and Defence,
Strength and salvation gives:
Israel, thy King for ever reigns,
Thy God for ever lives.

8.7.4.

669 Blessed is the people that know the

joyful sound.-Ps. 89, 15.

HOW blest the congregation
Who the gospel know and prize;

Joyful tidings of salvation

Brought by Jesus from the skies!

He is near them,

[cries.

Knows their wants, and hears their

2 In His name rejoicing ever,
Walking in His light and love,
And foretasting, in His favour,
Something here of bliss above;
Happy people!

[move? Who shall harm them? what shall 3 In His righteousness exalted,

On from strength to strength they go;
By ten thousand ills assaulted,
Yet preserved from every foe!
On to glory,

Safe they speed through all below.

4 God will keep His own anointed, Nought shall harm them, none conAll their trials are appointed,

[demn; All must work for good to them; All shall help them

To their heavenly diadem.

C.M.

670 who walketh in the midst of the

1

seven golden candlesticks.-Rev.2,1.

Who makes the stars to shine;

E bless the eternal Source of light,

And through this dark,beclouded world,
Diffuseth rays divine.

2 We bless the Church's sovereign King,
Whose golden lamps we are;
Fixed in the temple of His love
To shine with radiance fair.

8 Still be our purity preserved,
Still fed with oil the flame;
And in deep characters inscribed
Our heavenly Master's name.

4 Then, while between our ranks He And all our state surveys,

[walks,

His smiles shall with new lustre deck,
The people of His praise.

C.M.

671 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy

1L

upon Zion.-Ps. 102, 13.

ET Zion, and her sons rejoice:

Behold the promised hour; [voice

Her God hath heard her mourning
And comes to exalt His power.

2 Her dust and ruins that remain
Are precious in our eyes;
Those ruins shall be built again,
And all that dust shall rise.
3 The Lord will raise Jerusalem,
And stand in glory there:

Nations shall bow before His name,
And kings attend with fear.

4 He sits a sovereign on His throne,
With pity in His eyes;

He hears the dying prisoners' groan,
And sees their sighs arise.

5 This shall be known when we are dead, And left on long record,

That nations yet unborn may read,
And trust, and praise the Lord.

672

1

8.7.

Thy God thy glory.-Isa. 60, 19.

HEAR what God theLord hath spoken! my people, faint and few,

Comfortless, afflicted, broken,
Fair abodes I build for you:
Thorns of heart-felt tribulation
Shall no more perplex your ways;
You shall name your walls Salvation,
And your gates shall all be Praise.

2 There, like streams that feed the garden,
Pleasures without end shall flow;
For the Lord, your faith rewarding,
All His bounty shall bestow:
Still in undisturbed possession

Peace and righteousness shall reign;
Never shall you feel oppression,
Hear the voice of war again.

3 Ye, no more your suns descending,
Waning moons no more shall see;
But, your griefs for ever ending,
Find eternal noon in Me:

God shall rise, and, shining o'er you,
Change to day the gloom of night;
He, the Lord, shall be your Glory,
God your everlasting Light.