Psalm 102:3. 25-28. Third Part.
Man"s mortality and Christ"s eternity; or, Saints die, but Christ and the church live.
1 It is the Lord our Saviour"s hand Weakens our strength amidst the race; Disease and death at his command Arrest us, and cut short our days.
2 Spare us, O Lord, aloud we pray, Nor let our sun go down at noon: Thy years are one eternal day, And must thy children die so soon?
3 Yet in the midst of death and grief This thought our sorrow shall a.s.suage, "Our Father and our Saviour live; "Christ is the same thro" every age."
4 "Twas he this earth"s foundation laid; Heaven is the building of his hand: This earth grows old, these heavens shall fade, And all be chang"d at his command.
5 The starry curtains of the sky Like garments shall be laid aside; But still thy throne stands firm and high; Thy church for ever must abide.
6 Before thy face thy church shall live, And on thy throne thy children reign; This dying world shall they survive, And the dead saints be rais"d again.
Psalm 103:1. 1-7. First Part. L. M.
Blessing G.o.d for his goodness to soul and body.
1 Bless, O my soul, the living G.o.d, Call home thy thoughts that rove abroad; Let all the powers within me join In work and worship so divine.
2 Bless, O my soul, the G.o.d of grace; His favours claim thy highest praise; Why should the wonders he hath wrought Be lost in silence and forgot?
3 "Tis he, my soul, that sent his Son To die for crimes which thou hast done; He owns the ransom; and forgives The hourly follies of our lives.
4 The vices of the mind he heals, And cures the pains that nature feels; Redeems the soul from h.e.l.l, and saves Our wasting life from threat"ning graves.
5 Our youth decay"d his power repairs; His mercy crowns our growing years; He satisfies our mouth with good, And fills our hopes with heavenly food.
6 He sees th" oppressor and th" opprest, And often gives the sufferers rest; But will his justice more display In the last great rewarding day.
7 [His power he shew"d by Moses" hands, And gave to Israel his commands; But sent his truth and mercy down To all the nations by his Son.
8 Let the whole earth his power confess, Let the whole earth adore his grace; The Gentile with the Jew shall join In work and worship so divine.]
Psalm 103:2. 8-18. Second Part. L. M.
G.o.d"s gentle chastis.e.m.e.nt; or, His tender mercy to his people.
1. The Lord, how wondrous are his ways: How firm his truth how large his grace; He takes his mercy for his throne, And thence he makes his glories known.
2 Not half so high his power hath spread The starry heavens above our head, As his rich love exceeds our praise, Exceeds the highest hopes we raise.
3 Not half so far hath nature plac"d The rising morning from the west, As his forgiving grace removes The daily guilt of those he loves.
4 How slowly doth his wrath arise!
On swifter wings salvation flies; And if he lets his anger burn, How soon his frowns to pity turn!
5 Amidst his wrath compa.s.sion shines; His strokes are lighter than our sins; And while his rod corrects his saints, His ear indulges their complaints.
6 So fathers their young sons chastise, With gentle hand and melting eyes; The children weep beneath the smart, And move the pity of their heart.
PAUSE.
7 The mighty G.o.d, the wise, and just, Knows that our frame is feeble dust; And will no heavy loads impose Beyond the strength that he bestows.
8 He knows how soon our nature dies, Blasted by every wind that flies; Like gra.s.s we spring, and die as soon, Or morning flowers that fade at noon.
9 But his eternal love is sure To all the saints, and shall endure: From age to age his truth shall reign, Nor children"s children hope in vain.
Psalm 103:3. 1-7. First Part, S. M.
Praise for spiritual and temporal mercies.
1 O Bless the Lord, my soul; Let all within me join, And aid my tongue to bless his Name, Whose favours are divine.
2 O bless the Lord, my soul; Nor let his mercies lie Forgotten in unthankfulness, And without praises die.
3 "Tis he forgives thy sins, "Tis he relieves thy pain, "Tis he that heals thy sicknesses, And makes thee young again.
4 He crowns thy life with love, When ransom"d from the grave; He that redeem"d my soul from h.e.l.l Hath sovereign power to save.
5 He fills the poor with good; He gives the sufferers rest; The Lord hath judgments for the proud, And justice for th" opprest.
6 His wondrous works and ways He made by Moses known; But sent the world his truth and grace By his beloved Son.
Psalm 103:4. 8-18. Second Part. S. M.
Abounding compa.s.sion of G.o.d; or, Mercy in the midst of judgment.
1 My soul, repeat his praise Whose mercies are so great, Whose anger is so slow to rise, So ready to abate.
2 G.o.d will not always chide; And when his strokes are felt, His strokes are fewer than our crimes, And lighter than our guilt.
3 High as the heavens are rais"d Above the ground we tread, So far the riches of his grace Our highest thoughts exceed.
4 His power subdues our sins; And his forgiving love, Far as the east is from the west, Doth all our guilt remove.
5 The pity of the Lord To those that fear his Name, Is such as tender parents feel; He knows our feeble frame.
6 He knows we are but dust, Scatter"d with every breath; His anger, like a rising wind, Can send us swift to death.
7 Our days are as the gra.s.s, Or like the morning flower; If one sharp blast sweep o"er the field, It withers in an hour.
8 But thy compa.s.sions, Lord, To endless years endure; And children"s children ever find Thy words of promise sure.
Psalm 103:5. 19-22. Third Part. S. M.
G.o.d"s universal dominion; or, Angels praise the Lord.