Forgive my faults in work and play,
And listen to my evening pray'r.
Thy favour gives me daily bread,
And friends, who all my wants supply
And safely now I rest my head,
Preserv'd and guarded by thine eye.
Look down, in pity, and forgive
Whate'er I've said or done amiss;
And help me, ev'ry day I live,
To serve thee better than on this.
Now, while I sleep be pleas'd to take
A helpless child beneath thy care;
And condescend, for Jesus' sake,
To listen to my evening prayer.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD.
FOUNTAIN of blessing, ever bless'd,
Enriching all, of all possess'd;
By whom the whole creation's fed,
Give me, each day, my daily bread.
To thee my very life I owe,
From thee do all my comforts flow;
And ev'ry blessing which I need
Must from thy bounteous hand proceed.
Great things are not what I desire,
Nor dainty meat, nor rich attire;
Content with little would I be-
That little, Lord, must come from thee.
THOU, who kindly dost provide For ev'ry creature's want! We bless Thee, God of nature wide, For all thy goodness lent; And, if it please Thee, heav'nly Guide, May never worse be sent; But, whether granted or denied,
Lord, bless us with content.-Amen.
LORD, how delightful 'tis to see
A whole assembly worship thee!
Behold! in unison they pray;
They hear of heav'n, and learn the way.
I have been there, and still would go;
'Tis like a little heav'n below-
Not all my pleasures and my play
Shall tempt me to forget this day.
O, write upon my mem'ry, Lord,
The texts and doctrines of thy word;
That I may break thy laws no more,
But love thee better than before.
With thoughts of Christ, and things divine,
Fill up this foolish heart of mine;
That, hoping pardon through his blood,
I may lie down and wake with God.
LORD, thou hast search'd and seen me through;
Thine eye commands, with piercing view,
My rising and my resting hours,
My soul, my flesh, and all their pow'rs.
My thoughts, before they are my own,
Are to my God distinctly known;
He knows the words I mean to speak,
Ere from my op'ning lips they break.
Within thy circling pow'r I stand;
On ev'ry side I find thy hand-
Awake, asleep, at home, abroad,
I am surrounded still by God.
Amazing knowledge, vast and great;
What large extent-what lofty height!
My soul, with all the pow'rs I boast.
Is in the boundless prospect lost.
O, may these thoughts possess my breast
Where'er I rove, where'er I rest;
Nor let my weaker passions dare
Consent to sin, for God is there.
How fine has the day been, how bright was the sun! How lovely and joyful the course he has run! Although in a mist his career was hegun,
And there follow'd some droppings of rain : But now the fair traveller's come to the West, His rays are all gold, and his beauties are best, He paints the sky gay, as he sinks to his rest, And foretells a bright rising again.
Just such is the Christian-his course he begins,
Like the sun in the mist, while he mourns for his sins,
And melts into tears-then he breaks out and shines,
And travels his heavenly way:
But when he comes nearer to finish his race,
Like a fine setting sun, he looks richer in grace,
And gives a sure hope, at the end of his space,
Of rising in brighter array.
THE GOD OF NATURE AND PROVIDENCE.
JOIN ev'ry tongue to praise the Lord,
All nature rests upon his word;
Mercy and truth his courts maintain,
And own his universal reign.
At his command, the morning ray
Smiles in the East, and leads the day;
He guides the sun's declining wheels
Beneath the verge of western hills.
Seasons and times obey his voice,
The ev'ning and the morn rejoice,
To see the earth made soft with show'rs,
Laden with fruit and drest in flow'rs.
'Tis from his wat'ry stores on high,
He gives the thirsty grounds supply;
He walks upon the clouds, and thence
Does his enriching drops dispense.
The pastures smile in green array,
There lambs and larger cattle play;
The larger cattle and the lamb,
In diff'rent language, speak thy name.
Thy works pronounce thy pow'r divine,
In all the earth thy glories shine;
Through ev'ry month thy gifts appear;
Great God! thy goodness crowns the year.
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