» Vernon Higham Hymns MNO
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Vernon Higham Hymns M
“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.”
Psalm 103:1 (664.666.4 Malvern)
My soul will ever praise,
My heart an anthem raise,
To bless the Lord.
Glory shall fill the sky,
For God Himself is nigh,
He gladly hears my cry
With sweet accord.
Brief is my span of life,
Shadowed by sin and strife;
Death will not stay.
Like unto flowers of grass,
Sadly my fame will pass;
All that I am, alas,
Will fade away!
Blessings abound to me,
Thy kindness covers me,
O God of grace!
All my unworthiness,
Thou hast removed no less
Than distant East and West,
By Thine embrace.
Angels and men acclaim
Glorious Son who came
To make me whole!
My soul is washed, with those
Whom God the Father chose,
When Christ did interpose,
And saved my soul!
“And He said unto them, ‘Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?’” Mark 4:40 (C.M.)
Evan Evans (1795-1855)
Trans. William Vernon Higham
My voyage heads through wind and wave,
For better shores I crave,
All this with peaceful smile I’ll brave.
My Father’s at the helm.
Through perils in this mighty deep,
That caused my soul to weep,
My Lord’s enabling grace will keep.
My Father’s at the helm.
Although from wave to wave I’m thrown.
With sorrow meet skies frown.
Though tempest torn I will not drown.
My Father’s at the helm.
Though many tests await me still
In God’s mysterious will.
These trials sent, His plan fulfil.
My Father’s at the helm.
The sea in strong and proud array,
My anchor is my stay.
He’ll bring me safely home one day.
My Father’s at the helm.
Into His blest abode I’ll come
No more from Him to roam.
A welcome entrance to my Home.
My Father’s at the helm.
Vernon Higham Hymns O
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”
Ephesians 2:1 (L.M. Antwerp)
O blessèd day, O wondrous dawn,
When Thou O Holy Spirit came
And touched my heart, and I was born
To life with God, to end my shame.
No more to roam the realms of sin,
Blind to my state and Satan’s hold;
Called by my God to live with Him,
And leave the depths of death untold.
By grace I rise and turn to Thee,
And leave the idols of desire;
Through faith I come to Calvary
And see my Saviour there expire.
O tender love, extended there
Upon a cross, for sin He paid.
O wondrous wounds to One so fair:
For all my sin on Him was laid.
I lift my gaze to His dear face,
And stand forgiven in His sight;
He took away my sad disgrace
And looked upon me with delight.
O blessèd Jesus, grace does share;
As God, as man, His love He shows;
Robed in His beauty, now I wear
The righteousness He thus bestows.
Safe, safe am I in arms of grace,
A place prepared by love divine;
One day to see His lovely face
And hear Him tell me ‘thou art Mine’.
Psalm 133 (C.M.)
O bring us to that precious place,
Where brethren dwell with Thee.
A glorious glimpse of Thy dear face,
Who died on Calvary.
This harmony of sheer delight
Of kindred minds in love,
Is like the dew of Hermon’s heights,
A touch of heaven above.
O gracious Father bring us all
To love our Saviour dear,
And we shall never, never fall
Away, or ever fear.
This is a place of peace profound,
We hear Thy great command,
That everlasting life is found.
‘A glimpse of that sweet Land’.
Based on Isaiah 40. (D.C.M. Ellacombe)
O comfort of my longing heart
Look down from heaven on me.
Reveal to me I have a part
In Thine eternity.
Yet how shall I, the dust of earth,
To glorious heaven attain
Unless Thy mercy gives me birth?
For this my Lord was slain.
O Thou who dwellest in the heights,
Thy sovereign rule to fear
When all creation in Thy sight
As dust and sand appear.
Yet in Thy mercy and Thy grace
This dust may worship Thee;
We rise on high to see Thy face
Through costly Calvary.
Have we not known, have we not heard
Thy miracles of old?
Thy people who have loved Thy word
Such wondrous tales have told.
O look in pity yet once more
Upon Thy heritage,
And cause Thy people to adore
The God of every age.
We rise like eagles in full flight
When Thou art by our side.
We run, we walk with hearts so light,
Within Thy love abide.
For they who wait upon the Lord
Shall never be dismayed;
The word of God, Thy mighty sword,
In splendour now displayed.
“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.”
Ephesians 1:7 (86.886. Newcastle)
O Father, Son and Holy Dove,
The radiance of Thy face
Outshines the stars in heaven above
With costly smile of Calvary’s love,
The riches of Thy grace.
Amongst the sons of men on earth
To Thee belongs all fame;
For Thou hast granted lasting worth,
And touched our souls with wondrous birth:
All glory to Thy name!
In times of turmoil and dismay,
When Satan does release
His anger vile in evil sway,
Thy strength is all I need each day,
The beauty of Thy peace.
I worship Thee who reigns supreme,
I bathe in mercy mild;
My guilt removed, O glorious theme,
Far, far above my sweetest dream,
Now found in Bethlehem’s child.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”
Hebrews 12:1 (L.M. Eden)
O glorious God, so full of grace,
Wonderful joy is Thine embrace.
We worship Thee with pure delight,
Thou art our Father, wondrous sight.
We bless Thy name for mercy fair,
As we behold Thy heart of care;
For Thou hast planned a way supreme,
An act of mercy, glorious theme!
Behold the mercy of the Son!
With eager heart He came, to run
The race proclaimed by heaven above,
A path of grace, a crown of love.
O! Bitter pain, both sweet and good,
The piercing nails, the hardy wood.
Thou blest Redeemer, laurels fine
Hast won for me, a feat divine.
Eternal Spirit, Fount of fire,
With tender swiftness, truth, inspire
The heart of man, in sin of earth,
To lift him from the power of death.
O blessèd Sword and Shaft of light,
Dispel the darkness of our night;
And shed the glory of the Lord,
With song of sweet delight and chord.
Ethereal praises ring the skies,
Celestial hymns of heaven rise;
On earth, with bliss of praise below,
We join the anthem as we bow.
To God the Father, blessèd Christ,
The Holy Ghost, blest Union Thrice,
The Triune God, and God alone
Be praise and worship at the throne.
“According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”
Ephesians 1:4 (D.L.M. Merthyr Tydfil or Peterborough)
O glorious Majesty on high,
Eternal splendour is Thy dress,
Where seraphims for ever fly,
With songs of sweetest holiness.
Beyond the confines of our mind,
In realms outreaching human sight,
In perfect blessedness we find,
By faith, Thy glorious image bright.
The joy of truth shines in Thy face,
Of sovereign grace and mercy’s smile;
And in the bosom of Thy grace
Election cradled without guile.
Thy perfect will becomes our joy
When we have seen Thy heart of love;
Our eager lips we now employ
To sing the praise of God above.
Thy perfect plan for all Thine own
Is born in every chosen heart;
Forbid it then that we should roam,
Or ever seek from Thee to part.
To Thee predestined to conform,
And bear Thine image in our lives,
With glorious gown and shining crown,
And all this from Thy grace derives!
Who brings this grace unto the dead,
With quickening life and serious call?
It is the Saviour who has led
A host of souls since Adam’s fall.
With costly merit, pardon pure,
He has redeemed His chosen flock;
The faith He gives will now endure,
And stand for ever on this Rock.
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
2 Corinthians 4:7 (86.886. Rest)
O God supreme, we Thee adore,
Thy sovereign scope behold:
The powers of darkness did abhor,
But failed to meet Thy mighty store
Of strength and power untold.
The truth of God will never fade,
The source of light and peace:
At His command the worlds were made,
And glorious gospel to our aid
Thy mercy did release.
A humble soul of brokenness
Thou never wilt despise:
For mercy dwells and gentleness
Within Thy heart of tenderness;
Contrition Thou dost prize.
O God of grace, my heart did win
A treasure come from Thee:
My vessel frail, but Christ within;
Lord break my heart, forgive my sin,
And show Thyself in me.
The knowledge of the Lord of light
Is shed within my heart:
A mind illuminated bright
Beholds salvation with new sight;
Now sin and death depart.
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:17-19 (1010.10.10. Pantyfedwen)
O grant on earth the knowledge in my heart,
That springs in heaven and gives my soul a part
In His redemption, cleansing all my sin,
Enlightens me and brings me safe within.
O rich redemption, plentitude of grace,
That paid the penalty of my disgrace;
Only begotten Son of God has won
Through His eternal Spirit made us one.
O let me know the vastness of Thy store,
That my desire may ever be for more,
And let Thy grasp now firmly grip my soul,
For my great Saviour sought and made me whole.
O let me feel Thy Christ within me dwell,
Applying faith that doeth all things well;
With all my heart, O let the heavens rend
And show me now my long expected end.
O flood my heart, and fill my life with praise,
To Thee above shall holy anthems raise;
O fill me now, my inner man renew,
To know and feel Thy heart’s refreshing dew.
Enough for me to know that I am Thine,
And yet the greater gift, that Thou art mine:
The living God belong to such as I,
By grace, I dare to utter such a cry!
O let me taste the love of God to live,
Shed in its fullness – only His to give;
O let His presence now my portion be,
To glimpse the depths of Thine infinity!
Almighty God, Thou art the heavenly source,
Of peace and love to which I find recourse.
Untiring in my Lord alone for Thee,
Unfailing in my love for Calvary.
Kept by Thy grace, commanded by Thy love,
No foe I fear, as anchored safe above,
Past hell’s dark empire, Thou hast paved a way
For me to come and ever with Thee stay.
“Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered to us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.” 2 Corinthians 3:3 (87.87.D. Arfon or Corinth)
Translated by Edmund Owen
O, have mercy, gracious Saviour,
Look upon this heart of sin,
Which has nothing more to offer
But the stubborn pride within.
On the wall the dreadful writing,
Words of judgment and despair;
In the balances found wanting,
Jesus, Saviour, hear my prayer.
O, give light and understanding,
Spirit of the living God;
In Thy grace Thy truth revealing,
Open Thou Thy precious Word.
Tell of virtues, grace and kindness
That from Calvary's hill do spring;
Speak of mercy and forgiveness
That my soul may ever sing.
Dip the pen, O Lord of glory,
In the blood of Jesus shed;
Write upon our hearts the story
Of atonement fully made.
Once inscribed upon the tablet
Of our hearts, let none erase;
There unmoved let it be fixèd,
Read for all eternal days.
“Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”
Exodus 40:34,35 (D.C.M. Kingsfold)
O hear the cry of saints below,
Although we are but few,
We long to see Thy mercy flow,
And know Thy grace is true.
Almighty God, Redeemer King,
Reveal Thy saving arm;
Display Thy majesty, and bring
A myriad souls from harm.
O grant our hungry souls a sight
Of glorious sovereign grace;
Yet clouds of mercy veil the light
Of Jesu’s smiling face.
O let Thy glory dress this tent,
Our hearts with rapture fill
With certain hope, when Thou art bent
Our longing hearts to thrill.
O leave us not in deep despair
With dreaded word of loss;
Thy glory gone, and none to bear
The tidings of Thy cross.
Revive Thy work, grant Thine embrace
To us by day and night,
A shaft of fire, a cloud of grace:
Display Thy word in might.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.”
Psalm 103:1 (D.C.M. Ellacombe)
O let my lips sing forth Thy praise,
Thy majesty adore;
And grant this heart of mine to raise
Sweet songs for evermore.
For Thou art King, head over all;
Creation in Thy palm;
Thy sovereign will, with might can call
The storm of time to calm.
In mists beyond our furthest thought,
Thy power is still supreme;
And by Thy Word alone, from nought
Springs forth a flowing stream.
Yet here am I upon this earth,
With mortal frame and weak;
My angry passions blinding me,
Lest I my Lord should seek.
I thank Thee for constraining grace
Which drew my soul to Thee,
And from the depths of sin’s disgrace,
At last I to Thee flee.
The blood of Jesus Christ alone
Removes my guilty stain;
I stand redeemed for Thou hast borne
The might of sin and pain.
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”
Ezekiel 36:26 (C.M. Salzburgh)
O living Lord of grace and truth,
We love Thy blessèd name:
For we have learned of Thine increase,
And of Thy wondrous fame.
For who has loved like God the Son,
And entered our estate?
Who for our good alone has won
A place, by God’s dictate.
It must have been an act divine
To be so wondrous kind;
For in this rich and costly wine,
A pardon pure I find.
O, gaze upon the broken frame,
And take the wine and bread;
For He has died with all our shame,
To be our living Head.
For there is nought that I can bring
To boast before His throne:
My fancied pride before this King
Stands foolish and alone.
O turn mine eyes upon the cross,
Remove this heart of stone;
That I may see what dreadful loss
Thy mercy faced alone.
O lovely Lord, with precious blood,
I cast my soul on Thee:
For I shall wash in Calvary’s flood –
Redeemed, my joyful plea.
“Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.”
Psalm 32:7 (88.6.D. Buddugoliaeth)
O Lord what work of grace is this,
That brought my soul from grief to bliss.
O blessèd, wondrous name!
It is the Lord, whose mighty hands
Outstretched to meet the law’s demands,
And brought me from my shame.
My silent tongue but hid my pain,
My stricken conscience roared in vain;
My moisture turned to drought.
Then mercy came and caused my soul
To come to Thee to make it whole,
Dispelling all my doubt.
In gentle ways, Thy tender grace
Now led my soul to seek Thy face;
Thy glory to behold.
My hiding place is found in Thee,
Thy merit is my only plea;
And this shall make me bold.
For there are times when Thou art found,
When floods of sorrows surge around
To drive me to despair.
The name of Christ, I will confess,
And in this hiding place will rest;
Secure in Jesus’ care.
“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God.”
Psalm 42:1 (D.C.M. St. Leonard’s)
O Lord, Thou seest my distress,
Loud waves have covered me:
The depths of ocean on me press,
And from false friends I flee.
Yet in my heart desires I find:
With breathless pant I cast
My lonely soul on God so kind;
Sad tears are my repast.
With soul cast down, men’s jibes did smart,
And filled my cup with pain.
I worshipped Thee with empty heart,
I yearned for Thee again.
Remembrance came, that God of yore
Displayed past care to me;
With reassurance that the store
Was boundless as the sea.
My weary soul upon Him gazed;
His love was none the less:
Before the truth I stood amazed,
His glorious faithfulness.
For now I saw with startled look
The Rock beneath my feet;
This firm foundation never shook,
Nor ever knew defeat.
I’ll praise my God with new delight,
My countenance and health;
My mourning change for gown of light,
Rejoice in Jesus’ wealth.
The name of Christ now fills my heart
With His security:
My blessèd Lord will not depart,
His promise covers me.
“And you hath He quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins”
Ephesians 2:1 (C.M. Godre’r Coed)
O Lord, Thy touch hath stirred my soul
And caused my heart to love;
My quickened mind hath been made whole
To seek those things above.
There is a path of thought so true
That brings me to Thy throne,
And there my heart may mercy sue
And claim Thy grace my own.
Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard
Those things that thou hast there:
For every promise of Thy Word
Awaits my soul to dare.
O why should I let sorrow reign,
When such a God is mine,
Who gives to me and gives again,
And tells me, ‘Mine is thine’?
The riches He hath stored for me
No measurement can tell;
For in the love of Calvary
All with my God is well.
Thy Holy Spirit now hath taught
My being to adore;
The blessings Jesus Christ hath wrought
Shall cause my soul to soar.
“When he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement.”
John 16:8 (86.84. St. Cuthbert)
O Sacred Breath and Holy One
Who whispers truth to me,
I thank Thee for Thy blessèd dawn,
At Calvary.
‘Twas by the power of clarity
My shame came to the light,
Showed depths of my depravity –
My sinful plight.
Amazing tenderness of grace
Exposing my estate,
With more in view than my disgrace –
No taunt of hate.
My wild alarm is turned away
When gently led by Thee;
My gaze is fixed on that pure ray
Of hope for me.
O perfect love that robed the cross
With grace of heaven’s birth;
An act in time to Satan’s loss,
Eternal worth.
O tender Spirit, by whose acts
Sweet pain was brought to me;
My happy spirit flies through tracts
Of bliss so free.
A light now shines within my heart
No terror dark dispels,
For Christ my Lord will not depart:
His Spirit dwells.
And I shall join that throng above
Who sing of Calvary,
Of God eternal and of Love –
O Blessèd Three!
“Our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”
2 Timothy 1:10 (65.65.66.65. Moab)
O Saviour of my soul
Let me adore Thee,
When life has left its toll,
And I am empty.
It is Thy hand of love
That lifts me far above:
O blessèd Holy Dove,
Who shows me glory!
Christ hath abolished death,
O conquest glorious,
Through life of living breath,
My King victorious.
For Thou hast brought to light
Immortal life so bright,
That I may claim the sight
Of heights so wondrous!
O blessèd soul that lies
Within redemption;
Reposes and relies
In safe salvation.
O happy my estate,
Where grace does not abate;
Then enter through that gate
Of full salvation.
Then to behold Thy face
Of peace and beauty,
Forever Thee embrace,
O Lord of mercy.
Then shall I know as known
And love my Lord’s renown,
Thy majesty to crown,
O King of glory.
Based on Romans 8 (D.C.M. Kingsfold)
O send Thy Spirit to Thy child
And whisper, ‘Thou art mine’;
O tell my soul in accents mild
Of surety divine.
My heart shall leap, with rapid pace;
To Thee my soul shall fly;
Reclining there, to seek Thy face,
And ‘Abba Father’, cry.
It is Thy Spirit who declares
Adoption to my heart;
A child of grace, who glory shares:
No, never more to part.
This deep assurance Thou dost give
That moves my heart with joy;
The love of God in me to live,
This, no one can destroy.
The witness of Thy Spirit shows
That I am surely Thine;
The sweet embrace when mercy flows
From heart and source divine.
Joint heirs with Christ, strange mystery
Of mystic union rare;
Thy chosen children look to Thee,
Thy matchless grace declare.
If God be for us who can dare
Dismay, or spoil this bliss?
There is no love that can compare
With such a love as His.
This love, now shed, so rich and free,
Enfolds me in His grace;
In this I boast, His love to me,
To live and see His face.
“But God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
Romans 5:8,9 (8.10.10.4 All Hallows or Ellasgarth)
O Son of Man, O Son of God,
Eternal grace Thy painful path had planned,
A heavy cross and agony of shame –
The way ordained.
O death of Christ, O blood divine,
O perfect life He lived, all for my gain,
Fulfilling all the law’s demands, and more,
He did attain.
O bitter cup, O costly task,
To meet the wrath of God’s own holiness!
The Saviour stood, and in my stead He died,
My soul to bless.
O love of God, O wondrous grace,
That such an angry death of anguish sore
Should pay my penalty and make me whole –
O boundless store!
O wondrous flood of grace and love,
Both mingled in the blood as He implored:
Can this be so, all this for me, my Lord?
Thou art adored.
Peace through the blood of Christ alone,
Peace with my God and peace within my soul,
Peace in that day when He will come at last,
My All in all.
“Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice: let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.”
Psalm 130:1.2 (88.88.88. Surrey or Pater Omnium)
O soul of mine, what do I find,
This sudden sorrow and despair?
What shades of sadness so unkind,
To mar my joy and fill with care?
Surely Thy grace sufficient is,
Embrace my soul with heaven’s kiss.
O heart of mine, call out for aid
From dismal depths and shadows deep:
Thy love extends and cannot fade,
Ever the same, with power to keep.
Surely I know from days of yore,
Thine ear is turned as I implore.
O Saviour mine, for evermore
Source of all comfort to my soul;
There is no limit to Thy store,
I’ll prove Thy name whate’er befall.
God of all might and power, uphold
My fainting spirit, make me bold.
O joy of mine, with gaze from Thee,
Now fills my life in every sphere;
Twin gifts of faith and love to be
For ever joined in union here.
Beautiful grace thou dost endow,
Heart, soul and will before Thee bow.
“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.”
Psalm 34:8 (D.C.M. Noel)
O stir my soul to gaze on Thee,
Thou glorious King of light;
And bring my heart to Calvary,
This strange and wondrous sight.
I long to know Thee as Thou art,
O lead me now this day,
In such a way I shall not part,
Nor ever from Thee stray.
What is the pain I now behold,
Profound, with bitter taste,
Though planned afar in realms untold,
Performed by men in haste?
Yet by some miracle of grace
A sweetness fills my breast,
For death in Thee brings life’s embrace,
Eternal, pardoning rest.
Wake up my hovering soul, to know
The dangers that surround,
The myriad foes, death’s final blow,
And hell for those not found.
Send mercy, Lord, both swift and sure,
And move this heart of stone
To touch Thy garment and the cure
That comes from Thee alone.
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.”
Psalm 51:17 (C.M. Dundee or French)
O tell me, Lord, what pleaseth Thee:
Is there an offering meet?
For in my heart I long to see
Thy smile of grace so sweet.
Search as I may in all my way
And all my work and toil,
I cannot find a worthy day
That sin has failed to soil.
This heart of mine with depths profound
Yields disappointment keen,
And every effort I have found
Has leaned to self and sin.
Then I beheld the purest One,
With heart of love and peace,
Who shed His blood, a victory won,
And floods of joy release.
My heart is broken at the sight
Of such humility;
I stand amazed and bathe in light
Of this new dignity.
Now I can see my life is vain,
Contrition breaks my heart;
For now I know and feel the pain
That sin and shame impart.
Yet in some strange and wondrous way
This breaking pleaseth Thee;
For Thou wilt not despise or slay
A holy sorrow’s plea.
I feel Thy smile upon my face,
And I rejoice to know
The blessèd bliss of Thine embrace
In lifting one so low.
“Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”
2 Corinthians 3:3 (87.87.D. Arfon or Corinth)
O have mercy, gracious Saviour;
Look upon this heart of sin,
Which has nothing more to offer
Than the stubborn pride within.
On the wall the dreadful writing,
Words of judgement and despair;
In the balances found wanting,
Jesus, Saviour, hear my prayer!
O, give light and understanding,
Spirit of the living God;
In thy grace thy truth revealing,
Open Thou Thy precious Word.
Tell of virtues, grace and kindness
That from Calvary’s hill do spring;
Speak of mercy and forgiveness
That my soul may ever sing.
Dip the pen, O Lord of glory,
In the blood of Jesus shed;
Write upon our hearts the story
Of atonement fully made.
Once inscribed upon the tablet
Of our hearts, let none erase;
There unmoved let it be fixèd,
Read for all eternal days.
Trans. Edmund Owen
“For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”
Colossians 2:9 (76. 76 .D.)
Oh for a faith’s perception
Which heavenly hosts adore.
To understand redemption,
This rich mysterious store.
Two natures in one person,
Inseparable lie.
This pure and blessed union
Distinct in harmony.
Our souls gaze on His glory,
This wondrous Son divine.
Entrust our lives entirely
And tell Him we are Thine.
His manhood sympathises
With our frail burdened frame.
Yet He is God that rises
Supreme o’er hell and shame.
Ann Griffiths (1776 – 1805)
Trans. William Vernon Higham
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
1 Timothy 6:6 (8.7.8.7.D.)
Oh to search the wondrous wisdom
Of the One and Living Lord,
To degrees that slay rebellion
With a sharp convicting sword.
Firm in faith believing fully
In God’s purest holiness,
That will judge all men as guilty,
Standing there with none to bless.
See the glorious God and mighty
Yet a God of perfect Love.
Fear enfolds me in the mem’ry,
Wounds my soul, I cannot move.
Yet within the place of mercy
There His peace will comfort me.
There upon His throne regarding
Peace in Christ, I need not flee.
God my Father and my Haven,
Strong and high for all to gaze.
Now a pathway free to heaven,
Now gives strength in flood and blaze.
In Him dwells my full contentment,
For His sake all foes I’ll face.
Without Him there’s no fulfilment
Only death and hell’s disgrace.
Ann Griffiths (1776 – 1805)
Trans. William Vernon Higham
“Times of refreshing … from the Presence of the Lord.”
Acts 3:19 (76.76 D Wilton Square)
Our hearts long for that presence,
Refreshing as of yore.
Our worship as sweet incense,
Adoring more and more.
There is a place in heaven
A throne of grace and peace,
Where God Himself will hearken
And hear our plaintive pleas.
O, for a glimpse of glory
That fills our souls with joy.
The radiance of Thy beauty
Our songs of praise employ.
Thy holiness revealing
Demands of God’s own will.
We tremble at Thy searching
Confessing all our ill.
Forgive our foolish wandering
And come to us we pray.
Display Thy love revealing
The Gospel in our day.
The blood of Christ our Saviour
Declares to all mankind,
And bring us into favour
At last Thy grace to find.
O sweep through all the nation
Remove our unbelief,
Declare Thy great salvation
And bring Thy church relief.
Restore Thy church in waiting,
For that sweet breeze of grace,
Restore Thine own, and finding,
The sight of Thy dear face.
“And because ye are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
Galatians 4:6 (C.M. Dublin)