f the saints; or, Earth and heaven.
1 Lord! what a wretched land is this
That yields us no supply!
No cheering fruits no wholesome trees,
Nor streams of living joy!
2 But pricking thorns thro' all the ground
And mortal poisons grow,
And all the rivers that are found
With dangerous waters flow.
3 Yet the clear path to thine abode
Lies thro' this horrid land;
Lord! we would keep the heavenly road,
And run at thy command.
4 [Our souls shall tread the desert thro'
With undiverted feet;
And faith and flaming zeal subdue
The terrors that we meet.]
5 [A thousand savage beasts of prey
Around the forest roam;
But Judah's lion guards the way,
And guides the strangers home.]
6 [Long nights and darkness dwell below,
With scarce a twinkling ray;
But the bright world to which we go
Is everlasting day.]
7 [By glimmering hopes and gloomy fears
We trace the sacred road,
Thro' dismal deeps and dangerous snares
We make our way to God.]
8 Our journey is a thorny maze,
But we march upward still;
Forget these troubles of the ways,
And reach at Zion's hill.
9 [See the kind angels at the gates,
Inviting us to come;
There Jesus the fore-runner waits
To welcome travellers home.]
10 There on a green and flowery mount
Our weary souls shall sit,
And with transporting joys recount
The labours of our feet.
11 [No vain discourse shall fill our tongue,
Nor trifles vex our ear,
Infinite grace shall be our song,
And God rejoice to hear.]
12 Eternal glories to the King
That brought us safely thro';
Our tongues shall never cease to sing,
And endless praise renew.
Hymn 2:54.
God's presence is light in darkness.
1 My God, the spring of all my joys,
The life of my delights,
The glory of my brightest days,
And comfort of my nights.
2 In darkest shades if he appear,
My dawning is begun;
He is my soul's sweet morning star
And he my rising sun.
3 The opening heavens around me shine
With beams of sacred bliss,
While Jesus shews his heart is mine,
And whispers, "I am his!"
4 My soul would leave this heavy clay
At that transporting word,
Run up with joy the shining way
T' embrace my dearest Lord.
5 Fearless of hell and ghastly death!
I'd break thro' every foe;
The wings of love, and arms of faith
Should bear me conqueror thro'.
Hymn 2:55.
Frail life and succeeding eternity.
1 Thee we adore, eternal Name,
And humbly own to thee,
How feeble is our mortal frame!
What dying worms are we!
|