But oh! eternity's too short
To utter all thy praise.
PRAYER is the soul's sincere desire,
Utter'd or unexpress'd,
The motion of a hidden fire,
That trembles in the breast.
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.
Prayer is the simplest form of speech,
That infant lips can try;
Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach
The majesty on high.
Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air,
His watch-word in the hour of death,
He enters heaven with prayer.
Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
Returning from his ways,
While Angels in their songs rejoice
And say, " behold! he prays."
In prayer, or earth, the saints are one,
In word, in deed, in mind,
When with the Father and the Son,
Sweet fellowship they find.
Nor is pray'r made on earth alone,
The Holy Spirit pleads,
And Jesus, on th' eternal throne,
For sinners intercedes.
O Thou! by whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way!
The path of prayer thyself hast trod
Lord, teach us how to pray
THRICE every day on bended knee
The mighty prophet fell,
In prayer, O Lord, to plead with thee,
And all thy praise to tell.
"Thine is the power, my God," he cried;
"The righteousness is thine;
On us, despair and shame abide,
Until thy mercies shine.
Like sheep on yonder mountain's brow,
Thy people far astray,
Have ceased their shepherd's voice to know,
And wander'd from his way.
Pleased with their painted idols still,
And heedless of thy love,
They dare resist a father's will,
Nor fear his curse to prove.
But in that boundless love, O Lord,
Thy mercy yet display;
Ah! breathe the spirit and the word,
Ah! teach them to obey.
Wide is the breach by ruffians trod,
The gaping wound is sore;
Then heal thy people, gracious God,
Oh! heal them, and restore!"
He prayed and thou didst hear his prayer;
Returning mercy shone
Upon the people of thy care,
For they were still thine own.
Then where the howling desert lay,
A voice was heard to cry-
Prepare, prepare the level way,
For God himself is nigh.
In mighty love, in matchless power,
He leads the nation on;
Jerusalem doth bless the hour,
Her victory is won.
Israel is taught thy peace to know,
Sweet peace without alloy;
And streams of soft contrition flow,
Mixed with her tears of joy.
Jehovah, thou who answerest prayer,
And know'st the sinner's plea,
'Tis our's a heavier chain to bear,-
Then draw us, Lord, to thee.
Satan and sin with strength combine,
To sink the prison'd soul;
But, Lord! omnipotence is thine,
Thou all their rage control.
Oh! set the captive spirit free,
Oh! cleave the galling chain; Thou art the source of liberty, And be it thine to reign.
How pleasant, how divinely fair,
O Lord of Hosts thy dwellings are!
With long desire my spirit faints
To meet th' assemblies of thy saints,
My flesh would rest in thine abode,
My panting heart cries out for God;
My God, my King, why should I be
So far from all my joys and thee.
Bless'd are the men whose hearts are set
To find their way to Zion's gate;
God is their strength, and through the road,
They lean upon thy help, O God.
Cheerful they walk with growing strength,
Till all shall meet in heaven at length;
Till all before thy face appear,
And join in nobler worship there.
LET deepest silence all around
Its peaceful shelter spread,
So shall that living word abound,
The word that wakes the dead.
How sweet to wait upon the Lord,
In stillness and in pray'r!
What though no preacher speak the word
A minister is there,
A minister of wond'rous skill
True graces to impart;
He teaches all the Father's will,
And preaches to the heart.
He dissipates the coward's fears,
And bids the coldest glow;
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