Or will th' impending dangers ward,
Or timely succours lend.
On us that providence has shone
With gentle, smiling rays;
O may our lips and lives make known
Thy goodness and thy praise!
GOD moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sov'reign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace:
Behind a frowning providence,
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding ev'ry hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow'r
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain :
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.
186. Providence and Grace.
ALMIGHTY Father, gracious Lord,
Kind Guardian of my days,
Thy mercies let my heart record
In songs of grateful praise.
In life's first dawn, my tender frame
Was thy indulgent care,
Long ere I could pronounce thy name,
Or breathe the infant prayer.
Around my path what dangers rose !
What snares spread all my road!
No pow'r could guard me from my foes
But my preserver, God.
Each rolling year new favours brought
From thy exhaustless store;
But ah! in vain my lab'ring thought
Would count thy mercies o'er.
While sweet reflection, thro' my days
Thy bounteous hand would trace,
Still dearer blessings claim thy praise,
The blessings of thy grace.
Yes, I adore thee, gracious Lord,
For favours more divine,
That I have known thy sacred word,
Where all thy glories shine.
Lord, when this mortal frame decays,.
And ev'ry weakness dies,
Complete the wonders of thy grace,
And raise me to the skies.
Then shall my joyful pow'rs unite
In more exalted lays,
And join the happy sons of light
In everlasting praise.
THE spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled beav'ns, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim':
Th' unwearied sun, from day to day,
Does his Creator's pow'r display,
And publishes to ev'ry land
The work of an Almighty hand.
Soon as the ev'ning shades prevail,
The moon takes up the wond'rous tale,
And nightly to the list'ning earth
Repeats the story of her birth:
Whilst all the stars that round her burn,
And all the planets in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,
And spread the truth from pole to pole.
What though in solemn silence all
Move round the dark terrestrial ball!
What though nor real voice nor sound
Amid their radiant orbs be found!
In reason's ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious voice,
For ever singing as they shine,
The hand that made us is divine,'
188. Providence.
THOUGH troubles assail,
And dangers affright,
Though friends should all fail,
And foes all unite,
Yet one thing secures us,
Whatever betide,
The scripture assures us,
The Lord will provide.
The birds without barn
Or store-house are fed;
From them let us learn
To trust for our bread:
His saints, what is fitting
Shall ne'er be deny'd,
So long as 'tis written
The Lord will provide.
No strength of our own,
Or goodness we claim,
Yet since we have known
The Saviour's great name,
In this our strong tow'r
For safety we hide,
The Lord is our pow'r,
The Lord will provide.
When life sinks apace,
And death is in view,
This word of his grace
Shall comfort us through:
Not fearing or doubting
With Christ on our side,
We hope to die shouting
The Lord will provide.
THE saints should never be dismay'd,
Nor sink in hopeless fear;
For when they least expect his aid,
The Saviour will appear.
This Abr'ham found: he rais'd the knife;
God saw, and said Forbear;'
Yon ram shall yield his meaner life;
Behold the victim there.
Once David seem'd Saul's certain prey;
But hark! the foe's at hand;
Saul turns his arms another way,
To save th' invaded land.
When Jonah sunk beneath the wave,
He thought to rise no more;
But God prepar'd a fish to save
And bear him to the shore.
Blest proofs of pow'r and grace divine,
That meet us in his word!
May ev'ry deep-felt care of mine
Be trusted with the Lord.
Wait for his seasonable aid,
And though it tarry, wait;
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