19 Sing to the Lord, and loud proclaim
His mighty and his loving name!
Oh, may he not be named alone,
But by our sure experience known!
Through every age his gracious ear
Is open to his servants' prayer;
Nor can one humble soul complain
That it hath sought its God in vain.
What unbelieving heart shall dare
In whispers to suggest a fear,
While still he owns his ancient name,
The same his power, his love the same?
To thee our souls in faith arise;
To thee we lift expectant eyes,
And boldly through the desert tread,
For God will guard where God shall lead.
Up to the throne of God is borne
The voice of praise at early morn;
And he accepts the punctual hymn,
Sung as the light of day grows dim.
Nor will he turn his ear aside,
From holy offerings at noon-tide;
Then here reposing, let us raise
A song of gratitude and praise.
Look up to heaven! th' obedient sun
Already half his race has run ;
He cannot halt nor go astray,
But our immortal spirits may.
Lord, since his rising in the east,
If we have faltered or transgressed,
Guide, from thy love's abundant source,
What yet remains of this day's course.
Help with thy grace, throughout life's day,
Our upward and our downward way;
And glorify for us the west,
When we shall sink to final rest.
Oh, come, loud anthems let us sing,
Loud thanks to our almighty King;
For we our voices high should raise,
When our salvation's Rock we praise.
The depths of earth are in his hand,
Her secret wealth at his command;
The strength of hills, that threat the skies,
Subjected to his empire lies.
The rolling ocean's vast abyss
By the same sovereign right is his;
"Tis moved by his almighty hand,
That formed and fixed the solid land.
Into his presence let us haste,
To thank him for his favors past;
To him address, in joyful songs
The praise that to his name belongs.
22 How sweetly flowed the gospel's sound
From lips of gentleness and grace,
When listening thousands gathered round,
And joy and reverence filled the place!
From heaven he came of heaven he spoke,
To heaven he led his followers' way;
Dark clouds of gloomy night he broke,
Unveiling an immortal day.
23 Lo, the lilies of the field!
How their leaves instruction yield!
Hark to nature's lesson given
By the blessed birds of heaven!
Every bush and tufted tree
Warbles trust and piety:
Children, banish doubt and sorrow,—
God provideth for the morrow.
One there lives, whose guardian eye
Guides our earthly destiny;
One there lives, who, Lord of all,
Keeps his children lest they fall:
Pass we, then, in love and praise,
Trusting in him, all our days,
Free from doubt and faithless sorrow,-
God provideth for the morrow.
24 Gracious God, our heavenly Father!
Meet and bless our school, we pray;
As in humble trust we gather,
Teachers, scholars, here to-day.
Every joy, and every blessing,
From thy bounteous hand we own;
May thy love, our souls possessing,
Draw us nearer to thy throne.
Weak, imperfect, tempted, erring,
From thy precepts, Lord, we stray;
Let thy spirit, from our wandering,
Bring us back to virtue's way.
Humble, penitent, confiding,
May we rest our hope in thee;
In thy favor, Lord, abiding,
In thy peace and purity.
25 Father, now to thee we raise
Grateful songs and hymns of praise;
Let thy blessing on us rest,
With thy smile may we be blest:
Thanks to thee, our Father kind,
For the truths of heart and mind,
For the love and watchful care,
That have blessed us through the year.
Father, be our guide in youth,
Lead us in the paths of truth;
May we thy true children be,
Honest, loving, brave, and free;
May we love to do thy will,
In the world our part fulfil;
And, as year by year goes by,
Grow in truth and purity.
26 All around us, fair with flowers,
Fields of beauty sleeping lie;
All around us clarion voices
Call to duty stern and high.
Thankfully we will rejoice in
All the beauty God has given;
But beware it does not win us
From the work ordained of heaven.
Following every voice of mercy
With a trusting, loving heart,
Let us in life's earnest labor
Still be sure to do our part.
Now, to-day, and not to-morrow,
Let us work with all our might,
Lest the wretched faint and perish
In the coming stormy night.
27 Father, hear the prayer we offer!
Not for ease that prayer shall be,
But for strength that we may ever
Live our lives courageously.
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