The Lord's Day

905 Seeking a Blessing on the coming Sabbath.

1 SAFELY through another week God has brought us on our way;

Let us now a blessing seek, On the approaching Sabbath-day;

Day of all the week the best, Emblem of eternal rest.

2 Mercies multiplied each hour Through the week our praise demand;

Guarded by almighty power, Fed and guided by His hand:

Though ungrateful we have been, Only made returns of sin.

3 While we pray for pardoning grace, Through the dear Redeemer's name, Show Thy reconciled face, Shine away our sin and shame: From our worldly care set free, May we rest this night with Thee!

4 When the morn shall bid us rise, May we feel Thy presence near; May Thy glory meet our eyes When we in Thy house appear!

There afford us, Lord, a taste Of our everlasting feast.

5 May the gospel's joyful sound Conquer sinners, comfort saints, Make the fruits of grace abound, Bring relief for all complaints:

Thus may all our Sabbaths prove, Till we join the church above.

John Newton, 1779

906 Another Sabbath is begun

1 ANOTHER six days' work is done, Another Sabbath is begun;

Return, my soul, enjoy thy rest;

Improve the day thy God has blest.

2 Come, bless the Lord, whose love assigns So sweet a rest to wearied minds;

Provides an antepast of heaven, And gives this day the food of seven.

3 Oh that our thoughts and thanks may rise, As grateful incense to the skies; And draw from heaven that sweet repose Which none but ho that feels it knows.

4 This heavenly calm within the breast, Is the dear pledge of glorious rest, Which for the church of God remains; The end of cares, the end of pains.

5 In holy duties let the day, In holy pleasures pass away;

How sweet a Sabbath thus to spend, In hope of one that ne'er shall end!

Joseph Stennett, 1732, a.

907 Welcome, sweet day of Rest

1 WELCOME, sweet day of rest, That saw the Lord arise:

Welcome to this reviving breast, And these rejoicing eyes!

2 The King Himself comes near, And feasts His saints to-day;

Here we may sit and see Him here, And love, and praise, and pray.

3 One day amidst the place Where my dear God hath been, Is sweeter than ten thousand days Of pleasurable sin.

4 My willing soul would stay In such a frame as this, And sit and sing herself away To everlasting bliss.

Isaac Watts, 1709.

908 The Joyful Morn

1 THE festal morn, my God, has come, That calls me to Thy honour'd dome, Thy presence to adore; My feet the summons shall attend, With willing steps Thy courts ascend, And tread the hallow'd floor.

2 Hither from Judah's utmost end, The heaven-protected tribes ascend, Their offerings hither bring:

Here, eager to attest their joy, In hymns of praise their tongues employ. And hail th' immortal King.

3 Be peace by each implored on thee, O Sion, while with bended knee, To Jacob's God we pray;

How blest, who calls himself Thy friend!

Success his labour shall attend, And safety guard his way.

4 Seat of my friends and brethren, hail!

How can my tongue, O Sion, fall, To bless thy loved abode?

How cease the zeal that in me glows, Thy good to seek, whose walls enclose The mansions of my God!

James Merrick, 1765, a

909

Hosannah 1 THIS is the day the Lord hath made, He calls the hours His own;

Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad, And praise surround the throne.

2 To-day He rose and left the dead; And Satan's empire fell;

To-day the saints His triumphs spread, And all His wonders tell.

3 Hosannah to th' anointed King, To David's holy Son!

Help us, O Lord! descend and bring Salvation from Thy throne.

4 Blest be the Lord, who comes to men, With messages of grace; Who comes in God His Father's name, To save our sinful race.

5 Hosannah in the highest strains The church on earth can raise; The highest heavens, in which He reigns, Shall give Him nobler praise.

Isaac Watts, 1719.

910
Sweet Day, so calm, so bright 1 SWEET is the task, O Lord, Thy glorious acts to sing, To praise Thy name, and hear Thy word, And grateful offerings bring.

2 Sweet at the dawning hour, Thy boundless love to tell, And when the night-wind shuts the flower, Still on the theme to dwell.

3 Sweet, on this day of rest, To join in heart and voice With those who love and serve Thee best, And in Thy name rejoice.

4 To songs of praise and joy Be every Sabbath given, That such may be our blest employ Eternally in heaven.

Henry Francis Lyte, 1841

911
Jesus rose on the first Day of the Week 1 BLESS'D morning, whose young dawning rays Beheld our rising God; That saw Him triumph o'er the dust, And leave His dark abode!

2 In the cold prison of a tomb The dead Redeemer lay, Till the revolving skies had brought The third, th' appointed day.

3 Hell and the grave unite their force To hold our God in vain; The sleeping Conqueror arose, And burst their feeble chain.

4 To Thy great name, almighty Lord, These sacred hours we pay; And loud hosannas shall proclaim The triumph of the day.

5 Salvation and immortal praise To our victorious King;

Let heaven and earth, and rocks, and seas, With glad hosannas ring.

Isaac Watts, 1709.

912
The Eternal Sabbath anticipated 1 LORD of the Sabbath, hear our vows, On this Thy day, in this Thy house; And own, as grateful sacrifice, The songs which from the desert, rise.

2 Thine earthly Sabbaths, Lord, we love, But there's a nobler rest above; To that our labouring souls aspire, With ardent pangs of strong desire.

3 No more fatigue, no more distress, Nor sin nor hell shall reach the place; No groans to mingle with the songs Which warble from immortal tongues.

4 No rude alarms of raging foes; No cares to break the long repose; No midnight shade, no clouded sun; But sacred, high, eternal noon.

5 O long-expected day, begin;

Dawn on these realms of woe and sin:

Fain would we leave this weary road, And sleep in death, to rest with God.

Philip Doddridge, 1755

913
Wake up, my Heart

1 AWAKE, our drowsy souls, Shake off each slothful band The wonders of this day Our noblest songs demand Auspicious morn! thy blissful rays Bright seraphs hail in songs of praise.

2 At thy approaching dawn, Reluctant death resign'd The glorious Prince of life, In dark domains confined: The angelic host around Him bends, And 'midst their shouts the God ascends.

3 All hail, triumphant Lord!

Heaven with hosannas rings;

While earth, in humbler strains, Thy praise responsive sings;

"Worthy art Thou, who once wast slain, Through endless years to live and reign."

4 Gird on, great God, Thy sword, Ascend Thy conquering car, While justice, truth, and love, Maintain the glorious war:

Victorious, Thou Thy foes shalt tread, And sin and hell in triumph lead.

5 Make bare Thy potent arm, And wing the unerring dart, With salutary pangs, To each rebellious heart:

Then dying souls for life shall sue, Numerous as drops of morning dew.

Elizabeth Scott, 1763

915

Divine Worship

1 IN Thy name, O Lord, assembling, We Thy people, now draw near;

Teach us to rejoice with trembling, Speak and let Thy servants hear;

Hear with meekness;

Hear Thy word with godly fear.

2 While our days on earth are lengthen'd, May we give them, Lord, to Thee:

Cheer'd by hope, and daily strengthen'd, May we run, nor weary be;

Till Thy glory, Without clouds in heaven we see.

3 There in worship, purer, sweeter, All Thy people shall adore;

Tasting of enjoyment greater Than they could conceive before;

Full enjoyment;

Full, unmix'd, and evermore.

Thomas Kelly, 1815

916 Going to Worship

1 TO Thy temple I repair;

Lord, I love to worship there;

When, within the veil, I meet Christ upon the mercy-seat.

2 Thou, through Him, art reconciled;

I, through Him, become Thy child;

Abba, Father! give me grace In Thy courts to seek Thy face!

3 While Thy glorious praise is sung, Touch my lips, unloose my tongue, That my joyful soul may bless Christ the Lord, my righteousness.

4 While the prayers of saints ascend, God of love! to mine attend;

Hear me, for Thy Spirit pleads;

Hear, for Jesus intercedes!

6 While I hearken to Thy law, Fill my soul with humble awe;

Till Thy gospel bring to me, Life and immortality:

6 While Thy ministers proclaim Peace and pardon in Thy name, Through their voice, by faith, may I Hear Thee speaking from on high.

7 From Thy house when I return, May my heart within me burn; And at evening let me say, "I have walk'd with God to-day."

James Montgomery, 1821

917

Sweet Rest

1 MY Lord, my love, was crucified, He all the pains did bear; But in the sweetness of His rest He makes His servants share.

2 How sweetly rest Thy saints above Which in Thy bosom lie! The church below doth rest in hope Of that felicity.

3 Welcome and dear unto my soul Are these sweet feasts of love; But what a Sabbath shall I keep When I shall rest above!

4 I bless Thy wise and wondrous love, Which binds us to be free; Which makes us leave our earthly snares, That we may come to Thee!

5I come, I wait, I hear, I pray!

Thy footsteps, Lord, I trace!

I sing to think this is the way Unto my Saviour's face!

John Mason, 1683.

918 Sabbath Evening Recollections

1 THE light of Sabbath eve Is fading fast away;

What pleasing record will it leave To crown the closing day?

2 Is it a Sabbath spent Fruitless, and vain, and void? Or have these precious moments lent Been sacredly employed?

3 How dreadful and how drear, In yon dark world of pain, Will Sabbath seasons lost appear, That cannot come again.

4 God of these Sabbath hours, Oh may we never dare To waste, in worldly thoughts of ours, These sacred days of prayer!

James Edmeston, 1821.

919 Abide with us, for it is toward Evening

1 HOLY Father! whom we praise With imperfect accents here Ancient of eternal days!

Lord of heaven and earth and air;

Stooping from amid the blaze Of the flaming seraphim, Hear and help us while we raise This our Sabbath evening hymn.

3 We nave trod Thy temple, Lord;

We have join'd the public praise;

We have heard Thy holy "Word;

We have sought Thy heavenly grace:

All Thy goodness we record, All our powers to Thee we bring;

Let Thy faithfulness afford Now the shadow of Thy wing.

3 We have seen Thy dying love, Jesus! once for sinners slain;

We would follow Thee above!

We like Thee would rise and reign.

Let revolving Sabbaths prove Seasons of delight in Thee;

Let Thy presence, Holy Dove, Fit us for eternity.

Thomas Binney, 1825

920 The End of the Sabbath.

1 ERE another Sabbath close, Ere again we seek repose, Lord, our song ascends to Thee, At Thy feet we bow the knee.

2 For the mercies of the day, For this rest upon our way, Thanks to Thee alone be given, Lord of earth, and King of heaven.

3 Cold our services have been, Mingled every prayer with sin: But Thou canst and wilt forgive; By Thy grace alone we live.

4 Whilst this thorny path we tread, May Thy love our footsteps lead; When our journey here is past, May we rest with Thee at last.

5 Let these earthly Sabbaths prove Foretastes of our joys above;

While their steps Thy pilgrims bend To the rest which knows no end.

B. W. Noel's Selection, 1833