Our Helper, God, in whom we trust,
In better worlds our soul shall boast.

7, 7, 7, 7

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FOR Thy mercy and Thy grace,
Constant through another year,
Hear our song of thankfulness;
Jesus, our Redeemer, hear.

2 Lo! our sins on Thee we cast,
Thee, our perfect sacrifice;
And, forgetting all the past,
Press unto our glorious prize.

3 Dark the future; let Thy light

Guide us, bright and morning star: Fierce our foes, and hard the fight; Arm us, Savior, for the war.

4 In our weakness and distress,

Rock of strength, be Thou our stay; In the pathless wilderness

Be our true and living way.

5 Who of us death's awful road
In the coming year shall tread?
With Thy rod and staff, O God,
Comfort Thou his dying bed.

6 Keep us faithful, keep us pure, Keep us evermore Thine own; Help, O help us to endure;

Fit us for the promised crown.

7 So within Thy palace gate

We shall praise, on golden strings, Thee the only Potentate,

Lord of lords, and King of kings.

L M.

169
THE new-born Child this early morn,
The dear Christ-child of virgin born,
Again brings from His heavenly home
A new year to all Christendom.

2 This causes joy to angels fair,
Who love to keep us in their care;
They sing that in this wondrous Child
God now with man is reconciled.

3 Since God is reconciled with men,
What harm can Satan do us then?
O'er Satan and the gates of hell
This Christ-child shall for us prevail.

4 He brings the year of jubilee!
Why doubt we yet despondently?
Cheer up! This is a joyous day,
The Christ-child drives all care away.

170

8, 7, 8, 7, 8, 8, 7

O LORD our Father, thanks to Thee
In this new year we render,

For Thou hast been from misery

And dangers our Defender;

Through all the year that now has fled
Hast giv'n us life and daily bread,
And peace within our borders.

2 Lord Jesus Christ, our thanks to Thee In this new year we render,

For Thou still rulest zealously

Thy fold, with mercy tender; Thou hast redeemed us with Thy blood, Thou art our only Trust and Good, In life and death our Savior.

3 Lord Holy Ghost, our thanks to Thee In this new year we render,

For by Thy grace it is that we

Enjoy Thy Word's pure splendor; Thus Thou hast kindled from above Within our hearts true faith and love, And other Christian virtues.

4 Our faithful God, we cry to Thee: Still bless us with Thy favor; Blot out all our iniquity,

And hide our sins forever;

Grant us a happy, good New Year,
And when the hour of death draws near,
A blest departure.

171

Amen.

9, 8, 9, 8, 8, 8

HELP us, O Lord! behold we enter

Upon another year today;

In Thee our hopes and thoughts now center,

Renew our courage for the way: New life, new strength, new happiness We ask of Thee, O hear and bless!

2 May every plan and undertaking

This year be all begun with Thee; When I am sleeping or am waking,

Still let me know Thou art with me; Abroad do Thou my footsteps guide, At home be ever at my side.

3 Be this a time of grace and pardon;
Thy rod I take with willing mind,
But suffer naught my heart to harden;
O let me now Thy mercy find;

In Thee alone, my God, I live,
Thou only canst my sins forgive.

4 And may this year to me be holy; Thy grace so fill my every thought That all my life be pure and lowly

And truthful as a Christian's ought; So make me, while yet dwelling here, Pious and blest from year to year.

5 And grant, Lord, when the year is over, That it for me in peace may close; In all things care for me, and cover

My head in time of fear and woes; So may I, when my years are gone, Appear with joy before Thy throne.

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O GOD, our Help in ages past,
Our Hope for years to come,
Our Shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal Home!

2 Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure.

? Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

4 A thousand ages, in Thy sight,
Are like an evening gone;

C. M.

Short as the watch that ends the night Before the rising sun.

5 Thy word commands our flesh to dust: "Return, ye sons of men;"

All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.

6 Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

7 Like flowery fields the nations stand,
Pleased with the morning light;
The flowers beneath the mower's hand
Lie withering ere 'tis night.

8 O God, our Help in ages past, Our Hope for years to come,

Be Thou our Guard while troubles last, And our eternal Home.

173

L. M.

THE old year now hath passed away, We thank Thee, Christ our Lord, today, That Thou hast kept us through the year, When danger and distress were near.

2 We pray Thee, O Eternal Son,

Who with the Father reign'st as one,
To guard and rule Thy Christendom
Through all the ages yet to come.

3 Take not Thy saving Word away,
Our souls' true comfort, staff, and stay;
Abide with us, and keep us free
From all false doctrines graciously.

4 O help us to forsake all sin,

A new and holier course begin;

From last year's sins, Lord, hide Thy face,

In this new year grant us Thy grace:

5 That as true Christians we may live, Or die in peace that Thou wilt give,