2 How dread are thine eternal years, Oh, everlasting Lord!
By prostrate spirits day and night, Incessantly adored.
3 Oh, how I fear thee, living G.o.d!
With deepest, tenderest fears, And worship thee with trembling hope, And penitential tears.
4 Yet I may love thee, too, O Lord!
Almighty as thou art, For thou hast stooped to ask of me The love of this poor heart.
5 No earthly father loves like thee, No mother, half so mild, Bears and forbears as thou hast done With me, thy sinful child.
6 Father of Jesus! love"s reward!
What rapture will it be, Prostrate before thy throne to lie, And gaze and gaze on thee.
Frederick Wm. Faber, 1849.
81 Dundee. C.M.
_G.o.d"s Ways Not Understood._ (848)
G.o.d moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm.
2 Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs, And works his sovereign will.
3 Ye fearful saints! fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread, Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head.
4 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace; Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.
5 His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower.
6 Blind unbelief is sure to err, And scan his work in vain; G.o.d is his own interpreter, And he will make it plain.
William Cowper, 1772.
82 Dundee. C.M.
_Majesty. Ps. 18._
The Lord descended from above, And bowed the heavens most high; And underneath his feet he cast The darkness of the sky.
2 On cherub and on cherubim Full royally he rode; And on the wings of mighty winds Came flying all abroad.
3 He sat serene upon the floods, Their fury to restrain; And he, as sovereign Lord and King, Forevermore shall reign.
Thomas Sternhold, d. 1549.
83 Triumph. L.M.
_The Goodness of G.o.d._ (176)
Yes, G.o.d is good; in earth and sky, From ocean depths and spreading wood, Ten thousand voices seem to cry, "G.o.d made us all, and G.o.d is good."
2 The sun that keeps his trackless way, And downward pours his golden flood, Night"s sparkling hosts all seem to sky, In accents clear, that G.o.d is good.
3 Yes, G.o.d is good, all Nature says, By G.o.d"s own hand with speech endued; And man, in louder notes of praise, Should sing for joy that G.o.d is good.
4 For all thy gifts, we bless thee, Lord; But chiefly for our heavenly food, Thy pardoning grace, thy quickening word; These prompt our song that G.o.d is good.
John H. Gurney.
84 Triumph. L.M.
_The Eternity of G.o.d._ (179)
Ere mountains reared their forms sublime, Or heaven and earth in order stood, Before the birth of ancient time, From everlasting thou art G.o.d.
2 A thousand ages in their flight With thee are as a fleeting day; Past, present, future, to thy sight At once their various scenes display.
3 But our brief life"s a shadowy dream-- A pa.s.sing thought, that soon is o"er; That fades with morning"s earliest beam, And fills the musing mind no more.
4 To us, O Lord, the wisdom give, Each pa.s.sing moment so to spend, That we at length with thee may live Where life and bliss shall never end.
Isaac Watts.
85 Triumph. L.M.
_G.o.d Seen in nature._ (178)
There is a G.o.d--all nature speaks, Through earth, and air, and sea, and skies; See, from the clouds his glory breaks, When earliest beams of morning rise.
2 The rising sun, serenely bright, Throughout the world"s extended frame, Inscribes in characters of light His mighty Maker"s glorious name.
3 Ye curious minds, who roam abroad, And trace creation"s wonders o"er, Confess the footsteps of your G.o.d-- Bow down before him and adore.
Anne Steele
86 Triumph. L.M.
_The Lord G.o.d Omnipotent._ (14)
The Lord is King; child of the dust!
The Judge of all the earth is just; Holy and true are all his ways; Let every creature speak his praise.
2 The Lord is King! lift up thy voice, Oh, earth! and all ye heavens! rejoice; From world to world the joy shall ring-- The Lord omnipotent is King.