Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, based on scans made available by the Internet Archive, https://archive.org/details/christianhymnboo00campiala THE CHRISTIAN HYMN BOOK: A COMPILATION OF PSALMS, HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. BY A. CAMPBELL AND OTHERS. REVISED AND ENLARGED BY A COMMITTEE. CINCINNATI: H. S. BOSWORTH, PUBLISHER. 1870. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, by R. M. Bishop, C. H. Gould, W. H. Lape, O. A. Burgess, and J. B. Bowman, _Trustees_, In the Clerkâs Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of Ohio. MIAMI PRINTING COMPANY, Printers, Stereotypers, and Binders, WEST EIGHTH ST., NEAR MAIN. INTRODUCTION. This Hymn Book is the result of an agreement between Alexander Campbellâthe former proprietor of the Christian Hymn Bookâand the Christian brotherhood at large, as represented in the American Christian Missionary Society. At the annual meeting of the Society, in 1864, an overture was made by Mr. Campbell, of the copy-right of the Christian Hymn Book, to be held by certain brethren, in trust, on two conditions: 1. That a committee be mutually agreed on by himself and the Society, to revise and enlarge the book, so as to meet the general wishes of the brotherhood of Disciples; 2. That the profits arising from the sale of the book be given to the A. C. M. S. This overture was accepted, and the Committee of Revision was immediately appointed. That Committee, having fulfilled their task, now present the fruit of their labors to the public. It will be seen that, while the former book was made the basis of this, the work of revision and enlargement has been made as thorough as possible. Still, comparatively few hymns have been expunged. After making as complete an exploration as our time would allow, of the realms of Christian Hymnology, we were more than ever convinced of the value of the labor, judgment, and taste, displayed in the compilation of the book we have so long used and cherished. We have met with no book of equal size, that possesses equal merit. The principal changes we have made, are: 1.âA new classification of subjectsâincreasing the facility of reference to hymns on the various subjects of song. 2.âAn unbroken series of numbers to the hymns, which, while it necessitates the abolition of the formal distinction between Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, enables us to avoid the confusion that constantly grew out of the three series of numbers, which the former classification required. 3.âThe numbering of the stanzas of every hymn, for easy reference, when any stanza is omitted in singing. 4.âAn arrangement of _meters_, under every heading. 5.âA greatly enlarged number and variety of hymns, suited to the diversified wants of personal, social, and public devotion. We take pleasure in acknowledging our indebtedness to numerous brethren, for counsel and assistance; especially to Elder William Baxter, whose collected material and original contributions have been cheerfully placed at our disposal. While we have admitted a few original hymns, prepared expressly for this work, the additions have been made mostly from the old authors, or from the new resources furnished by the living authors of our own and other lands. It is believed that the work is brought fully up to the resources and demands of the present time. Knowing that in Christian families, the Hymn Book is generally the most popular book of sacred poetry, and, not seldom, the sole resource of the family in that department, we have felt the importance of a large variety of the choicest lyrical productions that our language affords. We have done what our time and means would allow, toward this end. We hope that it may minister to the comfort, strength, and purity of the Church of God; throw over many a hearth-stone, and many a weary pilgrim-path, the sweet radiance of heavenly song; and give fresh encouragement to the cultivation of all pious sentiments and emotions, alike in the closet, the family, the prayer-meeting, and the public assembly. ISAAC ERRETT, W. K. PENDLETON, W. T. MOORE, T. M. ALLEN, A. S. HAYDEN. Cincinnati, O., August 7, 1865. THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 1 L. M. The works and the word of God. Psalm 19. The heavens declare thy glory, Lord! In every star thy wisdom shines; But when our eyes behold thy word, We read thy name in fairer lines. 2 The rolling sun, the changing light, And nights and days, thy power confess; But the blest volume thou hast writ, Reveals thy justice and thy grace. 3 Sun, moon, and stars, convey thy praise Round the whole earth, and never stand; So when thy truth began its race, It touched and glanced on every land. 4 Nor shall thy spreading gospel rest Till through the world thy truth has run; Till Christ has all the nations blest That see the light, or feel the sun. 5 Great Sun of Righteousness! arise; Bless the dark world with heavenly light: Thy gospel makes the simple wise, Thy laws are pure, thy judgments right. 6 Thy noblest wonders here we view, In souls renewed, and sins forgiven; Lord! cleanse my sins, my soul renew, And make thy word my guide to heaven. 2 L. M. Divine love displayed, etc. To thee my heart, Eternal King! Would now its thankful tribute bring, To thee its humble homage raise In songs of ardent, grateful praise. 2 All nature shows thy boundless love, In worlds below and worlds above; But in thy blessÃ©d word I trace The richer glories of thy grace. 3 There what delightful truths are given; There Jesus shows the way to heaven; His name salutes my listening ear, Revives my heart and checks my fear. 4 There Jesus bids our sorrows cease, And gives the laboring conscience peace; Raises our grateful feelings high, And points to mansions in the sky. 5 For love like this, O, may our song Through endless years thy praise prolong; And distant climes thy name adore, Till time and nature are no more! 3 L. M. Nature and revelation. The starry firmament on high, And all the glories of the sky, Yet shine not to thy praise, O Lord, So brightly as thy written word. 2 The hopes that holy word supplies, Its truths divine and precepts wiseâ In each a heavenly beam I see, And every beam conducts to thee. 3 Almighty Lord! the sun shall fail, The moon forget her nightly tale, And deepest silence hush on high The radiant chorus of the skyâ 4 But fixed for everlasting years, Unmoved amid the wreck of spheres, Thy word shall shine in cloudless day When heaven and earth have passed away. 4 L. M. Strength and peace from the divine word. There is a stream whose gentle flow Supplies the city of our God; Life, love, and joy, still gliding through, And watering our divine abode. 2 That sacred stream, thy holy word, Supports our faith, our fear controls; Sweet peace thy promises afford, And give new strength to fainting souls. 5 L. M. The Scriptures our light and guide. When Israel through the desert passed, A fiery pillar went before, To guide them through the dreary waste, And lessen the fatigues they bore. 2 Such is thy glorious word, O God; âTis for our light and guidance given; It sheds a luster all abroad, And points the path to bliss and heaven. 3 It fills the soul with sweet delight, And quickens its inactive powers; It sets our wandering footsteps right, Displays thy love and kindles ours. 4 Its promises rejoice our hearts; Its doctrine is divinely true; Knowledge and pleasure it imparts; It comforts and instructs us too. 5 Ye favored lands, who have this word! Ye saints, who feel its saving power! Unite your tongues to praise the Lord, And his distinguished grace adore. 6 L. M. Their words to the end of the world. Psalm 19:4. Upon the gospelâs sacred page The gathered beams of ages shine; And, as it hastens, every age But makes its brightness more divine. 2 On mightier wing, in loftier flight, From year to year, does knowledge soar; And, as it soars, the gospel light Becomes effulgent more and more. 3 More glorious still, as centuries roll, New regions blest, new powers unfurled; Expanding with the expanding soul, Its radiance shall oâerflow the world; 4 Flow to restore, but not destroy; As when the cloudless lamp of day Pours out its flood of light and joy, And sweeps the lingering mist away. 7 L. M. Hold fast the form of sound words. 2 Tim. 1:13. Godâs law demands one living faith, Not a gaunt crowd of lifeless creeds; Its warrant is a firm âGod saith;â Its claim, not words, but living deeds. 2 Yet, Lord, forgive; thy simple law Grows tarnished in our earthly grasp; Pure in itself, without a flaw, It dims in our too-worldly clasp. 3 We handle it with unwashed hands; We stain it with unhallowed breath; We gloss it with device of manâs, And hide thine image underneath. 4 Forgive the sacrilege, and take From off our souls thâ unworthy stain; And show us, for thy Sonâs dear sake Thy pure and perfect law again. 8 L. P. M. The entrance of thy word giveth light. Psalm 119:130. I love the volume of thy word; What light and joy those leaves afford To souls benighted and distressed! Thy precepts guide my doubtful way, Thy fear forbids my feet to stray, Thy promise leads my heart to rest. 2 Thy threatenings wake my slumbering eyes, And warn me where my danger lies; But âtis thy blessed gospel, Lord, That makes my guilty conscience clean, Converts my soul, subdues my sin, And gives a free, but large reward. 3 Who knows the errors of his thoughts? My God, forgive my secret faults, And from presumptuous sins restrain; Accept my poor attempts of praise, That I have read thy book of grace, And book of nature, not in vain. 9 C. M. Thy word is a lamp. Psalm 119:105. How precious is the book divine, By inspiration given! Bright as a lamp its precepts shine, To guide our souls to heaven. 2 It sweetly cheers our drooping hearts In this dark vale of tears; Life, light, and joy, it still imparts, And quells our rising fears. 3 This lamp, through all the tedious night Of life, shall guide our way, Till we behold the clearer light Of an eternal day. 10 C. M. Thy testimonies are my delight. Psalm 119:24. Father of Mercies! in thy word What endless glory shines! For ever be thine name adored For these celestial lines! 2 Here may the wretched sons of want Exhaustless riches find; Riches above what earth can grant, And lasting as the mind. 3 Here the fair tree of knowledge grows, And yields a rich repast: Sublimer sweets than nature knows Invite the longing taste. 4 Here springs of consolation rise To cheer the fainting mind, And thirsty souls receive supplies, And sweet refreshment find. 5 Here the Redeemerâs welcome voice, Spreads heavenly peace around; And life and everlasting joys Attend the blissful sound. 6 O may these heavenly pages be My ever dear delight; And still new beauties may I see, And still increasing light. 7 Divine Instructor! gracious Lord, Be thou for ever near; Teach me to love thy sacred word, And view my Saviour there! 11 C. M. A light unto my path. Psalm 119:105. What glory gilds the sacred page, Majestic like the sun! It gives a light to every ageâ It gives but borrows none. 2 The hand that gave it, still supplies His gracious light and heat; His truths upon the nations riseâ They rise, but never set. 3 Let everlasting thanks be thine For such a bright display, As makes the world of darkness shine With beams of heavenly day. 4 My soul rejoices to pursue The paths of truth and love, Till glory breaks upon my view In brighter worlds above. 12 C. M. Thy law is my delight. Psalm 119:174. Lord, I have made thy word my choice, My lasting heritage; There shall my noblest powers rejoice, My warmest thoughts engage. 2 Iâll read the histories of thy love, And keep thy laws in sight; While through the promises I rove, With ever fresh delight. 3 âTis a broad land, of wealth unknown, Where springs of life arise, Seeds of immortal bliss are sown, And hidden glory lies. 4 The best relief that mourners have; It makes our sorrows blest; Our fairest hope beyond the grave, And our eternal rest. 13 C. M. Revelation welcomed. Hail, sacred truth! whose piercing rays Dispel the shades of night, Diffusing oâer a sinful world The healing beams of light. 2 Thy word, O Lord, with friendly aid, Restores our wandering feet, Converts the sorrows of the mind To joys divinely sweet. 3 O, send thy light and truth abroad, In all their radiant blaze; And bid the admiring world adore The glories of thy grace. 14 C. M. O, how I love thy law. Psalm 119:97. O how I love thy holy law! âTis daily my delight; And thence my meditations draw Divine advice by night. 2 I wake before the dawn of day, To meditate thy word; My soul with longing melts away, To bear thy gospel, Lord. 3 How doth thy word my heart engage, How well employ my tongue; And in my tiresome pilgrimage, Yields me a heavenly song. 4 When nature sinks, and spirits droop, Thy promises of grace Are pillars to support my hope, And there I write thy praise. 15 C. M. Wherewithal shall a young man, etc. Psalm 119:9. How shall the young secure their hearts, And guard their lives from sin? Thy word the choicest rules imparts To keep the conscience clean. 2 âTis like the sun, a heavenly light, That guides us all the day, And through the dangers of the night, A lamp to lead our way. 3 Thy precepts make us truly wise; We hate the sinnerâs road; We hate our own vain thoughts that rise, But love the law, O God. 4 Thy word is everlasting truth; How pure is every page! That holy book shall guide our youth And well support our age. 16 C. M. Word of the everlasting God. Lamp of our feet! whereby we trace Our path when wont to stray; Stream from the fount of heavenly grace! Brook by the travelerâs way! 2 Bread of our souls, whereon we feed! True manna from on high! Our guide and chart! wherein we read Of realms beyond the sky. 3 Pillar of fire through watches dark, And radiant cloud by day! When waves would whelm our tossing bark, Our anchor and our stay! 4 Word of the everlasting God! Will of his glorious Son! Without thee how could earth be trod, Or heaven itself be won? 17 C. M. Quicken me according to thy word. Psalm 119:25. O Lord, thy precepts I survey: I keep thy law in sight, Through all the business of the day, To form my actions right. 2 My heart in midnight silence cries, âHow sweet thy comforts be!â My thoughts in holy wonder rise, And bring their thanks to thee. 18 S. M. The law of the Lord is perfect. Psalm 19:7. O Lord, thy perfect word Directs our steps aright; Nor can all other books afford Such profit or delight. 2 Celestial light it sheds To cheer this vale below; To distant lands its glory spreads, And streams of mercy flow. 3 True wisdom it imparts; Commands our hope and fear: O may we hide it in our hearts, And feel its influence there! 19 S. M. The books of nature and Scripture. Behold! the lofty sky Declares its maker, God; And all his starry works, on high, Proclaim his power abroad. 2 The darkness and the light Still keep their course the same; While night to day, and day to night, Divinely teach his name. 3 In every different land, Their general voice is known; They show the wonders of his hand, And orders of his throne. 4 Ye Christian lands! rejoice; Here he reveals his word; We are not left to natureâs voice, To bid us know the Lord. 20 7s. My Bible. My Bible! book divine! Precious treasure! thou art mine: Mine to tell me whence I came; Mine to teach me what I am; 2 Mine to chide me when I rove; Mine to show a Saviourâs love; Mine thou art to guide and guard; Mine to punish or reward; 3 Mine to comfort in distress, Suffering in this wilderness; Mine to show, by living faith, Man can triumph over death; 4 Mine to tell of joys to come, And the rebel sinnerâs doom: O thou holy book divine! Precious treasure thou art mine! 21 8s, 7 & 4. Book of grace. Book of grace, and book of glory! Gift of God to age and youth; Wondrous in thy sacred story, Bright, bright with truth. 2 Book of love! in accents tender, Speaking unto such as we; May it lead us, Lord, to render All, all to thee. 3 Book of hope! the spirit sighing, Consolation finds in thee; As it hears the Saviour cryingâ âCome, come to me.â 4 Book of life! when we reposing, Bid farewell to friends we love Give us for the life then closing, Life, life above. 22 P. M. The word more precious than gold. Precious Bible! what a treasure Does the word of God afford! All I want for life or pleasure, Food and medâcine, shield and sword: Let the world account me poor, Having this I need no more. 2 Food to which the worldâs a stranger, Here my hungry soul enjoys; Of excess there is no dangerâ Though it fills, it never cloys: On a dying Christ I feed, He is meat and drink indeed! 3 When my faith is faint and sickly, Or when Satan wounds my mind; Cordials to revive me quickly, Healing medâcines here I find: To the promises I flee, Each affords a remedy. 4 In the hour of dark temptation, Satan can not make me yield; For the word of consolation Is to me a mighty shield: While the scripture truths are sure, From his malice Iâm secure. 5 Vain his threats to overcome me, When I take the Spiritâs sword; Then, with ease, I drive him from me; Satan trembles at the word: âTis a sword for conquest made, Keen the edge, and strong the blade. 6 Shall I envy, then, the miser, Doating on his golden store? Sure I am, or should be, wiser; I am richââtis he is poor: Jesus gives me in his word, Food and medâcine, shield and sword. 23 12s & 11s. The family Bible. How painfully pleasing the fond recollection Of youthful connections and innocent joy, When blessed with parental advice and affection, Surrounded with merciesâwith peace from on high! I still view the chairs of my father and mother, The seats of their offspring as ranged on each hand; And that richest of books which excelled every other, The family Bible that lay on the stand: The old-fashioned Bible, the dear blessÃ©d Bible, The family Bible that lay on the stand. 2 That Bible, the volume of Godâs inspiration, At morn and at evening could yield us delight; And the prayer of our sire was a sweet invocation For mercy by day and for safety through night; Our hymn of thanksgiving with harmony swelling, All warm from the heart of the family band, Has raised us from earth to that rapturous dwelling Described in the Bible that lay on the stand: The old-fashioned Bible, the dear, blessÃ©d Bible, The family Bible that lay on the stand. 3 Ye scenes of tranquillity, long have we parted, My hopes almost gone, and my parents no more: In sorrow and sadness I live broken-hearted, And wander unknown on a far distant shore; Yet how can I doubt a dear Saviourâs protection, Forgetful of gifts from his bountiful hand! O let me with patience receive his correction, And think of the Bible that lay on the stand: The old-fashioned Bible, the dear, blessÃ©d Bible, The family Bible that lay on the stand. GOD: HIS BEING AND PERFECTIONS. 24 L. M. Great is the Lord. Praise ye the Lord! âtis good to raise Our hearts and voices in his praise: His nature and his works invite To make this duty our delight. 2 Great is the Lord! and great his might, And all his glories infinite: His wisdom vast, and knows no bound; A deep where all our thoughts are drowned. 3 He loves the meek, rewards the just, Humbles the wicked in the dust, Melts and subdues the stubborn soul, And makes the broken spirit whole. 4 His saints are precious in his sight; He views his children with delight; He sees their hope, he knows their fear, Approves and loves his image there. 25 L. M. Eternity of God. Ere mountains reared their forms sublime, Or heaven and earth in order stoodâ Before the birth of ancient time, From everlasting thou art God. 2 A thousand ages, in their flight, With thee are as a fleeting day; Past, present, future, to thy sight At once their various scenes display. 3 But our brief lifeâs a shadowy dream, A passing thought, that soon is oâer, That fades with morningâs earliest beam, And fills the musing mind no more. 4 To us, O Lord, the wisdom give Each passing moment so to spend, That we at length with thee may live, Where life and bliss shall never end. 26 L. M. âHow unsearchable are thy judgments.â Rom. 11:33. Lord, my weak thought in vain would climb To search the starry vault profound: In vain would wing her flight sublime, To find creationâs outmost bound. 2 But weaker yet that thought must prove To search thy great eternal planâ Thy sovereign counsels, born of love Long ages ere the world began. 3 When my dim reason would demand Why that, or this, thou dost ordain, By some vast deep I seem to stand, Whose secrets I must ask in vain. 4 When doubts disturb my troubled breast, And all is dark as night to me, Here, as on solid rock, I rest; That so it seemeth good to thee. 5 Be this my joy, that evermore Thou rulest all things at thy will: Thy sovereign wisdom I adore, And calmly, sweetly trust thee still. 27 L. M. Omnipresence of God. Father of spirits! natureâs God, Our inmost thoughts are known to thee: Thou, Lord, canst hear each idle word, And every private action see. 2 Could we, on morningâs swiftest wings, Pursue our flight through trackless air, Or dive beneath deep oceanâs springs, Thy presence still would meet us there. 3 In vain may guilt attempt to fly, Concealed beneath the pall of night: One glance from thy all-piercing eye, Can kindle darkness into light. 4 Search thou our hearts, and there destroy Each evil thought, each secret sin, And fit us for those realms of joy Where naught impure shall enter in. 28 L. M. The Lord reigneth. Psalm 96:10. Jehovah reigns; his throne is high; His robes are light and majesty; His glory shines with beams so bright No mortal can sustain the sight. 2 His terrors keep the world in awe; His justice guards his holy law; His love reveals a smiling face. His truth and promise seal the grace. 3 Through all his works his wisdom shines, And baffles Satanâs deep designs; His power is sovereign to fulfill The noblest counsels of his will. 4 And will this glorious Lord descend To be my father and my friend? Then let my songs with angels join; Heaven is secure, if God be mine. 29 L. M. Psalm 100. With one consent let all the earth To God their cheerful voices raise; Glad homage pay, with awful mirth, And sing before him songs of praise: 2 Convinced that he is God alone, From whom both we and all proceed; We, whom he chooses for his own, The flock that he vouchsafes to keep. 3 O, enter, then, his temple gate, Thence to his courts devoutly press; And still your grateful hymns repeat, And still his name with praises bless. 4 For heâs the Lord supremely good, His mercy is for ever sure; His truth, which always firmly stood, To endless ages shall endure. 30 L. M. Of him are all things. Rom. 11:36. O source divine, and life of all, The fount of beingâs wondrous sea! Thy depth would every heart appall, That saw not love supreme in thee. 2 We shrink before thy vast abyss, Where worlds on worlds eternal brood; We know thee truly but in thisâ That thou bestowest all our good. 3 And so, âmid boundless time and space, O grant us still in thee to dwell, And through the ceaseless web to trace Thy presence working all things well! 31 L. M. In him we live and move. Acts 17:28. Unchangeable, all-perfect Lord! Essential lifeâs unbounded sea! What lives and moves, lives by thy word; It lives, and moves, and is, from thee! Whateâer in earth, or sea, or sky, Or shuns, or meets, the wandering thought, Escapes, or strikes, the searching eye, By thee was to existence brought. 2 High is thy power above all hight; Whateâer thy will decrees is done: Thy wisdom, holiness and might Can by no finite mind be known. What our dim eyes could never see, Is plain and naked in thy sight; What thickest darkness vails, to thee Shines clearly as the morning light. 3 Thine, Lord, is holiness, alone: Justice and truth before thee stand: Yet, nearer to thy sacred throne, Love ever dwells at thy right hand. And to thy love and ceaseless care, Father! this light, this breath, we owe; And all we have, and all we are, From thee, great source of life! doth flow. 32 L. M. The all-seeing God. Lord, thou hast searched and seen me throâ; Thine eye commands with piercing view My rising and my resting hours, My heart and flesh with all their powers. 2 My thoughts, before they are my own, Are to my God distinctly known; He knows the words I mean to speak, Ere from my opening lips they break. 3 Within thy circling power I stand; On every side I find thy hand: Awake, asleep, at home, abroad, I am surrounded still with God. 4 Amazing knowledge, vast and great! What large extent! what lofty hight! My soul, with all the powers I boast, Is in the boundless prospect lost. 33 L. M. Psalm 139. Lord, thou hast formed mine every part, Mine inmost thought is known to thee; Each word, each feeling of my heart, Thine ear doth hear, thine eye doth see. 2 Though I should seek the shades of night, And hide myself in guilty fear, To thee the darkness seems as light, The midnight as the noonday clear. 3 The heavens, the earth, the sea, the sky, All own thee ever present there; Whereâer I turn, thou still art nigh, Thy Spirit dwelling everywhere. 4 O may that Spirit, ever blest, Upon my soul in radiance shine, Till welcomed to eternal rest, I taste thy presence, Lord, divine! 34 L. M. 6 lines God praised in all his works. Thou art, O Lord, the boundless source, Whence all our thousand blessings flow; And nature, through her endless course, Proclaims thy love to all below; While all above join in the strain Of ceaseless praises to thy name. 2 The sun on golden chariot rides, And sends to earth his rays of light; While darkness from his brightness hides, And vanishes from human sight; This sunlight, when it comes to earth, Declares thy goodness gave it birth. 3 The moon and stars, that rule at night, And smile upon this world of wrong, Bear on each trembling chord of light The notes of this sweet, sacred song; âThou, Lord, didst make all things that move; All are the creatures of thy love.â 4 Then help my poor, unworthy heart To join aloud in natureâs praise; And may my song, in every part, Proclaim the wonders of thy ways; And when I reach the heavenly plains, Iâll sing thy love in nobler strains. 35 C. M. Lord, thou hast searched me, etc. Psalm 139:1. Lord, all I am is known to thee; In vain my soul would try To shun thy presence, or to flee The notice of thine eye. 2 Thy all-observing eye surveys My rising and my rest, My public walks, my private ways, The secrets of my breast. 3 My thoughts lie open to thee, Lord, Before theyâre formed within, And ere my lips pronounce the word, Thou knowest all I mean. 4 O let thine arms surround me still, And like a bulwark prove, To guard my soul from every ill, Secured by sovereign love. 36 C. M. Holy, holy, holy Lord. O God, we praise thee, and confess That thou the only Lord And everlasting Father art, By all the earth adored. 2 To thee all angels cry aloud, To thee the powers on high, Both cherubim and seraphim, Continually do cryâ 3 O holy, holy, holy Lord, When heavenly hosts obey; The world is with the glory filled Of thy majestic sway. 4 The apostlesâ glorious company, The prophets crowned with light, With all the martyrsâ noble host, Thy constant praise recite. 5 The holy Church, throughout the world, O Lord, confesses thee, That thou thâ eternal Father art Of boundless majesty. 37 C. M. His praise endureth for ever. Psalm 111:10. Songs of immortal praise belong To my Almighty God; He has my heart, and he my tongue, To spread his name abroad. 2 How great the works his hand has wrought; How glorious in our sight; And men in every age have sought His wonders with delight. 3 How most exact is natureâs frame, How wise the Eternal mind; His counsels never change the scheme That his first thoughts designed. 4 When he redeemed his chosen sons, He fixed his covenant sure; The orders that his lips pronounce To endless years endure. 38 C. M. O God, my heart is fixed. Psalm 57:7. O God! my heart is fully bent To magnify thy name; My tongue, with cheerful songs of praise, Shall celebrate thy fame. 2 Be thou, O God! exalted high Above the starry frame; And let the world, with one consent Confess thy glorious name. 39 C. M. The Infinite One. Great God! how infinite art thou, What worthless worms are we; Let the whole race of creatures bow, And pay their praise to thee. 2 Thy throne eternal ages stood, Ere seas or stars were made: Thou art the ever-living God, Were all the nations dead. 3 Our lives through various scenes are drawn, And vexed with trifling cares; While thine eternal thoughts move on Thine undisturbed affairs. 4 Great God! how infinite art thou, What worthless worms are we; Let the whole race of creatures bow, And pay their praise to Thee. 40 C. M. He trieth the reins. Psalm 7:9. Great God! thy penetrating eye Pervades my inmost powers; With awe profound my wondering soul Falls prostrate and adores. 2 To be encompassed round with God, The Holy and the Just, Armed with omnipotence to save, Or crush me to the dustâ 3 O how tremendous is the thought! Deep may it be impressed, And may thy Spirit firmly âgrave This truth within my breast. 4 Begirt with thee, my fearless soul The gloomy vale shall tread; And thou wilt bind thâ immortal crown Of glory on my head. 41 11s & 8s. The Lord is great. The Lord is great! ye hosts of heaven adore him, And ye who tread this earthly ball; In holy songs rejoice aloud before him, And shout his praise who made you all. 2 The Lord is great; his majesty how glorious! Resound his praise from shore to shore; Oâer sin, and death, and hell, now made victorious, He rules and reigns for evermore. 3 The Lord is great; his mercy how abounding! Ye angels, strike your golden chords; O praise our God, with voice and harp resounding, The King of kings and Lord of lords. 42 C. P. M. The love of God. My God! Thy boundless love I praise; How bright on high its glories blaze! How sweetly bloom below! It streams from thine eternal throne; Through heaven its joys for ever run, And oâer the earth they flow. 2 âTis love that paints the purple morn, And bids the clouds, in air upborne, Their genial drops distill; In every vernal beam it glows, And breathes in every gale that blows, And glides in every rill. 3 But in thy word I see it shine, With grace and glories more divine, Proclaiming sins forgiven; There, Faith, bright cherub, points the way To realms of everlasting day, And opens all her heaven. 4 Then let the love, that makes me blest, With cheerful praise inspire my breast, And ardent gratitude; And all my thoughts and passions tend To thee, my Father and my Friend, My soulâs eternal good. GOD IN CREATION. 43 L. M. The heavens declare the glory of God. Psalm 19:1. The spacious firmament on high, With all the blue ethereal sky, And spangled heavens, a shining frame, Their great Original proclaim. 2 Thâ unwearied sun, from day to day, Does his Creatorâs power display, And publishes to every land The work of an almighty hand. 3 Soon as the evening shades prevail, The moon takes up the wondrous tale, And nightly to the listening earth Repeats the story of her birth: 4 While 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, 5 What though in solemn silence all Move round this dark terrestrial ballâ What though no real voice nor sound Amid their radiant orbs be foundâ 6 In reasonâs ear they all rejoice, And utter forth a glorious voice; For ever singing as they shine, The hand that made us is divine! 44 L. M. He is clothed with majesty. Psalm 93:1. Jehovah reigns: he dwells in light, Arrayed with majesty and might; The world, created by his hands, Still on its firm foundation stands. 2 But ere this spacious world was made, Or had its first foundation laid, His throne eternal ages stood, Himself the ever-living God. 3 For ever shall his throne endure; His promise stands for ever sure; And everlasting holiness Becomes the dwellings of his grace. 45 L. M. All thy works praise thee. Psalm 145:10. Nature, with all her powers shall sing God the Creator, and the King; Nor air, nor earth, nor skies, nor seas Deny the tribute of their praise. 2 Begin to make his glories known, Ye seraphs, who sit near his throne; Tune high your harps, and spread the sound To the creationâs utmost bound. 3 Thus let our flaming zeal employ Our loftiest thoughts, and loudest songs; Nations, pronounce with warmest joy Hosanna, from ten thousand tongues. 4 Yet, mighty God, our feeble frame Attempts in vain to reach thy name; The strongest notes that angels raise Faint in the worship and the praise. 46 L. M. Thy saints shall bless thee. Psalm 145:10. Greatest of beings, source of life; Sovereign of air, and earth, and sea! All nature feels thy powâr, and all A silent homage pay to thee. 2 Waked by thy hand, the morning sun Pours forth to thee its earlier rays, And spreads thy glories as it climbs; While raptured worlds look up and praise. 3 The moon, to the deep shades of night, Speaks the mild luster of thy name; While all the stars, that cheer the scene, Thee, the great Lord of light, proclaim. 4 And groves and vales, and rocks and hills, And every flower, and every tree, Ten thousand creatures, warm with life, Have each a grateful song for thee. 5 But man was formed to rise to heaven; And, blest with reasonâs clearer light, He views his Maker through his works, And glows with rapture at the sight. 6 Nor can the thousand songs that rise, Whether from air, or earth, or sea, So well repeat Jehovahâs praise, Or raise such sacred harmony. 47 L. M. A hymn of praise. PART FIRST. Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice; From realm to realm the notes shall sound, And heavenâs exulting sons rejoice To bear the full hosanna round. 2 When, starting from the shades of night, Obedient, Lord, to thy behest, The sun arrayed his limbs in light And earth her virgin beauty drest; 3 Thy praise transported nature sung In pealing chorus loud and far; The echoing vault with rapture rung, And shouted every morning star. 4 When bending from his native sky, The Lord of life in mercy came, And laid his bright effulgence by, To bear on earth a human name; 5 The song, by cherub voices raised, Rolled through the dark blue depths above, And Israelâs shepherds heard amazed The seraph notes of peace and love. PART SECOND. And shall not man the concert join, For whom this bright creation roseâ For whom the fires of morning shine And eveâs still lamps, that woo repose? 2 And shall not he the chorus swell, Whose form the incarnate Godhead wore, Whose guilt, whose fears, whose triumph tell How deep the wounds his Saviour bore? 3 Long as yon glittering arch shall bend, Long as yon orbs in glory roll, Long as the streams of life descend To cheer with hope the fainting soul, 4 Thy praise shall fill each grateful voice, Shall bid the song of rapture sound; And heavenâs exulting sons rejoice To bear the full hosanna round. 48 L. M. Praise of God peculiarly due from man. There seems a voice in every gale, A tongue in every opening flower, Which tells, O Lord! the wondrous tale Of thy indulgence, love, and power. 2 The birds that rise on soaring wing Appear to hymn their Makerâs praise, And all the mingling sounds of spring To thee a general paean raise. 3 And shall my voice, great God, alone Be mute âmidst natureâs loud acclaim? No; let my heart with answering tone Breathe forth in praise thy holy name. 4 And natureâs debt is small to mine; Thou badâst her being bounded be, Butâmatchless proof of love divineâ Thou gavâst immortal life to me. 49 L. M. 6 lines God the fountain of being, etc. Thou art, O God, the life and light Of all the wondrous world we see; Its glow by day, its smile by night, Are but reflections caught from thee; Whereâer we turn, thy glories shine, And all things fair and bright are thine. 2 When day, with farewell beam, delays Among the opening clouds of even, And we can almost think we gaze, Through opening vistas, into heavenâ Those hues that mark the sunâs decline, So soft, so radiant, Lord, are thine. 3 When night, with wings of starry gloom, Oâershadows all the earth and skies, Like some dark, beauteous bird, whose plume Is sparkling with unnumbered dyesâ That sacred gloom, those fires divine, So grand, so countless, Lord, are thine. 4 When youthful Spring around us breathes, Thy Spirit warms her fragrant sigh; And every flower that Summer wreathes Is born beneath thy kindling eye; Whereâer we turn, thy glories shine, And all things fair and bright are thine. 50 C. M. God seen in all his works. I sing thâ almighty power of God, That made the mountains rise, That spread the flowing seas abroad, And built the lofty skies. 2 I sing the wisdom that ordained The sun to rule the day; The moon shines full at his command, And all the stars obey. 3 I sing the goodness of the Lord, That filled the earth with food; He formed the creatures with his word, And then pronounced them good. 4 Lord! how thy wonders are displayed, Whereâer I turn my eye! If I survey the ground I tread, Or gaze upon the sky! 5 Thereâs not a plant or flower below But makes thy glories known; And clouds arise, and tempests blow, By order from thy throne. 6 Creatures that borrow life from thee Are subject to thy care; Thereâs not a place where we can flee But God is present there. 51 C. M. Bless the Lord, all his works. Psalm 103:22. Praise ye the Lord, immortal choir! In heavenly hights above, With harp, and voice, and soul of fire, Burning with perfect love. 2 Shine to his glory, worlds of light! Ye million suns of space; Ye moon and glittering stars of night, Running your mystic race. 3 Shout to Jehovah, surging main! In deep eternal roar; Let wave to wave resound the strain, And shore reply to shore. 4 Storm, lightning, thunder, hail and snow, Wild winds that keep his word, With the old mountains far below, Unite to bless the Lord. 5 And round the wide world let it roll, Whilst man shall lead it on; Join, every ransomed human soul, In glorious unison. 52 C. M. God seen in his works. Thereâs not a tint that paints the rose Or decks the lily fair, Or streaks the humblest flower that blows, But God has placed it there. 2 Thereâs not a star whose twinkling light Illumes the distant earth, And cheers the solemn gloom of night But goodness gave it birth. 3 Thereâs not a cloud whose dews distill Upon the parching clod, And clothe with verdure vale and hill, That is not sent by God. 4 Thereâs not a place in earthâs vast round, In ocean deep, or air, Where skill and wisdom are not found; For God is everywhere. 5 Around, beneath, below, above, Wherever space extends, There heaven displays its boundless love, And power with goodness blends. 53 C. M. Praise him in the firmament of his power. Psalm 150:1. Begin my soul the lofty strain, In solemn accents sing A sacred hymn of grateful praise To heavenâs almighty King. 2 Ye curling fountains, as ye roll Your silver waves along, Whisper to all your verdant shores The subject of my song. 3 Retain it long, ye echoing rocks The sacred sound retain, And from your hollow winding caves Return it oft again. 4 Bear it, ye winds, on all your wings, To distant climes away, And round the wide-extended world The lofty theme convey. 5 Take the glad burden of his name, Ye clouds, as you arise, Whether to deck the golden morn Or shade the evening skies. 6 Whilst we, with sacred rapture fired, The great Creator sing, And utter consecrated lays To heavenâs eternal King. 54 C. M. D. The hymn of the seasons. The heavenly spheres to thee, O God, Attune their evening hymn; All-wise, all-holy, thou art praised In song of seraphim. Unnumbered systems, suns, and worlds, Unite to worship thee, While thy majestic greatness fills Space, time, eternity. 2 Nature, a temple worthy thee, Beams with thy light and love; Whose flowers so sweetly bloom below, Whose stars rejoice above; Whose altars are the mountain cliffs That rise along the shore; Whose anthems, the sublime accord Of storm and ocean roar. 3 Her song of gratitude is sung By springâs awakening hours; Her summer offers at thy shrine Its earliest, loveliest flowers; Her autumn brings its golden fruits, In glorious luxury given; While winterâs silver hights reflect Thy brightness back to heaven. 55 C. H. M. The ineffable glory of God. Since oâer thy footstool here below Such radiant gems are strewn, O, what magnificence must glow, Great God, about thy throne! So brilliant here these drops of lightâ There the full ocean rolls, how bright! 2 If nightâs blue curtain of the skyâ With thousand stars inwrought, Hung like a royal canopy With glittering diamonds fraughtâ Be, Lord, thy templeâs outer vail, What splendor at the shrine must dwell! 3 The dazzling sun at noonday hourâ Forth from his flaming vase Flinging oâer earth the golden shower Till vale and mountain blazeâ But shows, Lord, one beam of thine; What, then, the day where thou dost shine! 4 O, how shall these dim eyes endure That noon of living rays! Or how our spirits, so impure, Upon thy glory gaze! Anoint, Lord, anoint our sight, And fit us for that world of light. 56 S. M. The Lord Jehovah reigns. The Lord Jehovah reigns, Let all the nations fear; Let sinners tremble at his throne, And saints be humble there. 2 Jesus, the Saviour, reigns; Let earth adore its Lord; Bright cherubs his attendants wait, Swift to fulfill his word. 3 In Zion stands his throne; His honors are divine; His church shall make his wonders known, For there his glories shine. 4 How holy is his name! How fearful is his praise! Justice, and truth, and judgment join In all the works of grace. 57 S. P. M. Jehovah reigns. The Lord Jehovah reigns, And royal state maintains, His head with awful glories crowned; Arrayed in robes of light, Begirt with sovereign might, And rays of majesty around. 2 Upheld by thy commands, The world securely stands, And skies and stars obey thy word: Thy throne was fixed on high Before the starry sky: Eternal is thy kingdom, Lord! 3 Thy promises are true; Thy grace is ever new; There fixed, thy church shall neâer remove: Thy saints, with holy fear, Shall in thy courts appear, And sing thine everlasting love. 58 7s. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Psalm 150. Praise the Lord, his glories show, Saints within his courts below, Angels round his throne above, All that see and share his love! 2 Earth to heaven, and heaven to earth, Tell his wonders, sing his worth; Age to age, and shore to shore, Praise him, praise him, evermore! 3 Praise the Lord, his mercies trace; Praise his providence and graceâ All that he for man hath done, All he sends us through his Son. 4 Strings and voices, hands and hearts, In the concert bear your parts: All that breathe, your Lord adore; Praise him, praise him, evermore! 59 7s, double. Source of being, source of light. Source of being, source of light, With unfading beauties bright; Thee, when morning greets the skies, Blushing sweet with humid eyes; Thee, when soft declining day Sinks, in purple waves away; Thee, O Parent, will I sing, To thy feet my tribute bring! 2 Yonder azure vault on high, Yonder blue, low, liquid sky; Earth, on its firm basis placed, And with circling waves embraced; All-creating power confess, All their mighty Maker bless; Shaking nature with thy nod, Earth and heaven confess their God, 3 Father, King, whose heavenly face Shines serene upon our race; Mindful of thy guardian care, Slow to punish, prone to spare; We thy majesty adore, We thy well-known aid implore; Not in vain thy aid we call, Nothing want, for thou art all! 60 7s. All the earth doth worship thee. God eternal, Lord of all! Lowly at thy feet we fall: All the earth doth worship thee, We amid the throng would be. 2 All the holy angels cry, Hail, thrice holy, God Most High, Glorified Apostles raise, Night and day, continual praise. 61 7s, 6 lines. God is love. 1 John 4:8. Earth, with her ten thousand flowers, Air, with all its beams and showers, Oceanâs infinite expanse, Heavenâs resplendent countenance; All around, and all above, Hath this recordâGod is love. 2 Sounds among the vales and hills, In the woods and by the rills, Of the breeze and of the bird, By the gentle murmur stirred; All these songs, beneath, above, Have one burdenâGod is love. 3 All the hopes and fears that start From the fountain of the heart; All the quiet bliss that lies In our human sympathies; These are voices from above, Sweetly whisperingâGod is love. GOD: IN PROVIDENCE. 62 L. M. Grace and glory. The Almighty reigns exalted high Oâer all the earth, oâer all the sky; Though clouds and darkness vail his feet, His dwelling is the mercy-seat. 2 O ye that love his holy name, Hate every work of sin and shame; He guards the souls of all his friends, And from the snares of hell defends. 3 Immortal light and joys unknown Are for the saints in darkness sown; Those glorious seeds shall spring and rise, And the bright harvest bless our eyes. 4 Rejoice, ye righteous, and record
{'title': 'The Christian Hymn Book by Alexander Campbell', 'source': 'Project Gutenberg', 'lang': 'en'}