God Moves in a Mysterious Way
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 sovereign 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 every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain.
O for a Closer Walk with God
O for a closer walk with God, a calm and heavenly frame,
A light to shine upon the road that leads me to the Lamb!
Where is the blessedness I knew, when first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul refreshing view of Jesus and His Word?
What peaceful hours I once enjoyed! How sweet their memory still!
But they have left an aching void the world can never fill.
Return, O holy Dove, return, sweet messenger of rest!
I hate the sins that made Thee mourn and drove Thee from my breast.
The dearest idol I have known, whate’er that idol be
Help me to tear it from Thy throne, and worship only Thee.
So shall my walk be close with God, calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road that leads me to the Lamb.
Heal Us, Emmanuel, Hear Our Prayer (originally Heal Us, Emmanuel, Here We Are)
Heal us, Emmanuel, hear our prayer; we wait to feel Thy touch;
Deep wounded souls to Thee repair, and Savior, we are such.
Our faith is feeble, we confess; we faintly trust Thy Word;
But wilt Thou pity us the less? Be that far from Thee, Lord!
Remember him who once applied with trembling for relief:
“Lord, I believe,” with tears he cried, “O help my unbelief!”
She, too, who touched Thee in the press and healing virtue stole,
Was answered, “Daughter, go in peace; Thy faith has made thee whole.”
Concealed amid the gathering throng, she would have shunned Thy view,
And if her faith was firm and strong, had strong misgivings too.
Like her, with hopes and fears we come to touch Thee if we may;
O send us not despairing home; send none unhealed away.
What Various Hindrances We Meet (The “mercy seat” represents a place where sinners sense the presence of God and can pray with the awareness that God hears. For Christians, this “place” is wherever two or three gather in the name of Jesus for prayer)
What various hindrances we meet in coming to a mercy seat;
Yet who that knows the worth of prayer, but wishes to be often there.
Prayer makes the darkened cloud withdraw, prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw,
Gives exercise to faith and love, brings every blessing from above.
Restraining prayer, we cease to fight; prayer makes the Christian’s armor bright;
And Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.
While Moses stood with arms spread wide, success was found on Israel’s side,
But when through weariness they failed, that moment Amalek prevailed.
Have you no words? Ah, think again, words flow apace when you complain,
And fill your fellow creature’s ear with the sad tale of all your care.
Were half the breath thus vainly spent, to Heav’n in supplication sent,
Your cheerful song would oft’ner be, “Hear what the Lord has done for me.”
Jesus, Where’er Thy People Meet
Jesus, where’er Thy people meet, there they behold Thy mercy seat;
Where’er they seek Thee Thou art found, and every place is hallowed ground.
For Thou, within no walls confined, inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring Thee, where they come, and, going, take Thee to their home.
Dear Shepherd of Thy chosen few, Thy former mercies here renew;
Here, to our waiting hearts, proclaim the sweetness of Thy saving Name.
Here may we prove the power of prayer to strengthen faith and sweeten care;
To teach our faint desires to rise, and bring all Heav’n before our eyes.
Behold at Thy commanding word, we stretch the curtain and the cord*;
Come Thou, and fill this wider space, and bless us with a large increase.
Lord, we are few, but Thou art near; nor short Thine arm, nor deaf Thine ear;
O rend the heavens, come quickly down, and make a thousand hearts Thine own!
* “we stretch the curtain and the cord” = “we enlarge the worship/prayer space” (Isaiah 54:2)
By Whom Was David Taught
By whom was David taught to aim the deadly blow,
When he Goliath fought, and laid the Gittite low?
Nor sword nor spear the stripling took,
But chose a pebble from the brook.
’Twas Israel’s God and King who sent him to the fight;
Who gave him strength to fling, and skill to aim aright.
Ye feeble saints, your strength endures,
Because young David’s God is yours.
Who ordered Gideon forth, to storm th’invaders’ camp
With arms of little worth, a pitcher and a lamp?
The trumpets made His coming known
And all the host was overthrown.
Oh! I have seen the day, when with a single word,
God helping me to say, “My trust is in the Lord,
”My soul hath quelled a thousand foes
Fearless of all that could oppose.
But unbelief, self will, self righteousness, and pride,
How often do they steal my weapon from my side!
Yet David’s Lord, and Gideon’s Friend,
Will help His servant to the end.
A Glory Gilds the Sacred Page
A glory gilds the sacred page, majestic like the sun;
It gives a light to every age; it gives, but borrows none.
The Spirit breathes upon the Word and brings the truth to sight;
Precepts and promises afford a sanctifying light.
The hand that gave it still supplies the gracious light and heat;
His truths upon the nations rise; they rise, but never set.
Let everlasting thanks be Thine for such a bright display.
As makes a world of darkness shine with beams of heavenly day.
My soul rejoices to pursue the steps of Him I love,
Till glory breaks upon my view in brighter worlds above.
God of My Life, to Thee I Call
God of my life, to Thee I call; afflicted, at Thy feet I fall;
When the great water floods prevail, leave not my trembling heart to fail!
Friend of the friendless and the saint, where should I lodge my deep complaint?
Where but with Thee, whose open door invites the helpless and the poor!
Did ever mourner plead with Thee, and Thou refuse that mourner’s plea?
Does not the Word still fixed remain that none shall seek Thy face in vain?
That were a grief I could not bear, didst Thou not hear and answer prayer;
But a prayer hearing, answering God supports me under every load.
Fair is the lot that’s cast for me! I have an Advocate with Thee;
They whom the world caresses most, have no such privilege to boast.
Poor though I am, despised, forgot, yet God, my God, forgets me not;
And he is safe, and must succeed, for whom the Lord vouchsafes to plead.
Links to Newton and Cowper Websites:
http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/cnm (The Cowper and Newton Museum)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olney_Hymns
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Newton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cowper
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/newton/olneyhymns.html
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