62 Wonderful Words. P.M.
Words of Life.
Sing them over again to me,
Wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see,
Wonderful words of life,
Words of life and beauty,
Teach me faith and duty.
CHO.--Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life,
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.
2 Christ the blessed One gives to all
Wonderful words of life;
Sinner, list to the loving call,
Wonderful words of life;
All so freely given,
Wooing us to heaven.
3 Sweetly echo the gospel call,
Wonderful words of life;
Offer pardon and peace to all,
Wonderful words of life;
Jesus, only Savior,
Sanctify forever.
P.P. Bliss.
63 Give Me the Bible. P.M.
The Bible Desired.
Give me the Bible, star of gladness gleaming,
To cheer the wand'rer lone and tempest-tossed;
No storm can hide that radiance peaceful beaming,
Since Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
CHO.--Give me the Bible! holy message shining,
Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way.
Precept and promise, law and love combining,
Till night shall vanish in eternal day.
2 Give me the Bible, when my heart is broken,
When sin and grief have filled my soul with fear;
Give me the precious words by Jesus spoken,
Hold up faith's lamp to show my Savior near.
3 Give me the Bible, all my steps enlighten,
Teach me the danger of these realms below;
That lamp of safety, o'er the gloom shall brighten,
That light alone the path of peace can show.
4 Give me the Bible, lamp of life immortal,
Hold up that splendor by the open grave;
Show me the light from heaven's shining portal,
Show me the glory gilding Jordan's wave.
Priscilla J. Owens.
64 Shirland. S.M.
(170) Psalm 119.
Behold! the morning sun
Begins his glorious way;
His beams thro' all the nations run,
And life and light convey.
2 But, where the gospel comes,
It spreads diviner light;
It calls dead sinners from the tombs
And gives the blind their sight.
3 How perfect is thy word!
And all thy judgments just;
Forever sure thy promise, Lord!
And men securely trust.
4 My gracious God! how plain
Are thy directions given!
Oh! may I never read in vain,
But find the path to heaven.
Isaac Watts, 1719.
65 Dallas. 7s.
Book Divine.
Holy 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 Savior's 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 sinner's doom;
O thou holy book divine,
Precious treasure, thou art mine.
John Burton, 1805.
66 Evan. C.M.
(155) Psalm 119.
Lord! I have made thy word my choice,
My lasting heritage;
There shall my noblest powers rejoice,
My warmest thoughts engage.
2 I'll read the histories of thy love,
And keep thy laws in sight,
While through the promises I rove,
With ever fresh delight.
3 'Tis 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.
Isaac Watts, 1719.
67 Evan. C.M.
(1018) The Latter Day.
Lord! send thy word, and let it fly,
Armed with thy Spirit's power;
Ten thousands shall confess its sway,
And bless the saving hour.
2 Beneath the influence of its grace,
The barren wastes shall rise,
With sudden flowers and fruits arrayed,--
A blooming paradise.
3 Peace, with her olives crowned, shall stretch
Her wings from shore to shore;
No trump shall rouse the rage of war,
Nor murderous cannon roar.
4 Lord! for these days we wait;--these days
Are in thy word foretold;
Fly swifter, sun and stars! and bring
This promised age of gold.
5 Amen!--with joy divine, let earth's
Unnumbered myriads cry;
Amen!--with joy divine, let heaven's
Unnumbered choirs reply.
Thomas Gibbons, 1769.
68 Evan. C.M.
(150) The Incomparable Richness of God's Word.
Father of mercies, in thy word
What endless glory shines!
Forever be thy 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 free repast;
Sublimer sweets than nature knows
Invite the longing taste.
4 Here the Redeemer's welcome voice
Spreads heavenly peace around;
And life and everlasting joys
Attend the blissful sound.
5 Oh, may these heavenly pages be
My ever dear delight;
And still new beauties may I see
And still increasing light.
Anne Steele, 1760.
69 Devizes. C.M.
(149) The Bible Our Light.
How precious is the book divine,
By inspiration given!
Bright as a lamp its doctrines shine,
To guide our souls to heaven.
2 Its light, descending from above,
Our gloomy world to cheer,
Displays a Savior's boundless love,
And brings his glories near.
3 It sweetly cheers our drooping hearts,
In this dark vale of tears;
Life, light, and joy it still imparts,
And quells our rising fears.
4 This lamp, through all the tedious night
Of life, shall guide our way,
Till we behold the clearer light
Of an eternal day.
John Fawcett, 1782.
70 Devizes. C.M.
(158) Psalm 119.
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 'Tis 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 me truly wise;
I hate the sinners' road;
I hate my own vain thoughts that rise
But love thy law, my God!
4 Thy word is everlasting truth;
How pure is every page!
That holy book shall guide our youth,
And well support our age.
Isaac Watts, 1719.
71 Devizes. C.M.
(154) Perfection of the Law and Testimony.
Thy law is perfect, Lord of light;
Thy testimonies sure;
The statutes of thy realm are right,
And thy commandments pure.
2 Let these, O God, my soul convert,
And make thy servant wise;
Let those be gladness to my ears--
The dayspring to mine eyes.
3 By these may I be warned betimes;
Who knows the guile within?
Lord, save me from presumptuous crimes;
Cleanse me from secret sin.
4 So may the words my lips express--
The thoughts that throng my mind--
O Lord, my strength and righteousness,
With thee acceptance find.
C. Wesley.
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