His wisdom hath ordain'd
Their trials great and small;
He counts in his eternal mind
Their tears of woe which fall.
Let no unhallowed feet
Within these limits tread;
To filthy dogs 'twas never meet,
To cast the children's bread.
That thou dost nothing wrong,
Give me the same to see;
That I may raise a grateful song,
Jesus, my Lord, to thee.
"The waters were made sweet."-Ex. xv. 23, 25.
BITTER, indeed, the waters are,
Which in this desert flow; Though to the eye they promise fair, They taste of sin and woe.
Of pleasing draughts I used to dream;
But now, awake, I find,
That sin has poison'd every stream,
And left a curse behind.
But there's a wonder-working wood
The Word of God doth say,
Can make those bitter waters good,
And take the curse away.
The Cross, on which the Saviour died,
And conquer'd for his saints;
This is the wood, by faith applied,
Which sweetens all complaints.
Thousands have found the blest effect,
Nor longer mourn their lot;
While on His sorrows they reflect,
Their own are all forgot.
When they, by faith, behold the Cross,
Though many griefs they meet,
They draw a gain from every loss,
And find the bitter sweet.
WHEN we pass through yonder river,
When we reach the further shore,
There's an end of war for ever,
We shall see our foes no more;
All our conflicts then shall cease,
Followed by eternal peace.
After warfare, rest is pleasant:
Oh! how sweet the prospect is!
Though we toil and strive at present,
Let us not repine at this.
Toil, and pain, and conflict past,
All endear repose at last.
Oh, that hope! how bright, how glorious!
'Tis his people's blest reward;
In the Saviour's strength victorious,
They at length behold their Lord.
In his kingdom they shall rest,
In his love be fully blest.
"O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good." Ps. cvii. 1.
"THE Lord is good,"-this we can say, Who prove his goodness every day; "The Lord is good,"-of this we'll boast, That we are they who owe him most.
"The Lord is good."-we'll bless the hand,
That brought us from a desert land,
Where neither rest nor peace are found,
To live secure on gracious ground.
"The Lord is good,"-we'll bless the light,
Which chased away the clouds of night;
And made us, by the law of faith,
Free from the law of sin and death.
"The Lord is good,"-his timely aid,
Relieved my soul when most afraid,
Sinking I've called upon his name,
And straight my kind deliverer came.
"The Lord is good,"-this we can say,
Who prove his goodness every day;
"The Lord is good,"--of this we'll boast,
That we are they who owe him most.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul."--Ps. ciii. 1.
Brass, my soul, the name of Jesus,
He is God, and He alone;
All thy wants, and thy diseases,
Are to Him, the Saviour, kuown;
He forgives, and heals thee too,
All the praise to Him is due.
O, my soul, how satisfying
Are the joys that spring from truth! Everlasting strength supplying, God himself renews thy youth: Thou shalt mount on eagle's wings, Far above all earthly things.
As a father, kind and tender,
Pitying views his children here.
God so pities those who render
To his name a filial fear;
They are taught in Him to trust,
And He knows they are but dust.
Human life is short and wasting,
Happy they whom God forgives;
Mercy is from everlasting,
And to everlasting lives;
They who know his name shall be
Blessed through all eternity.
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