9 Completed now the mighty work,
God his creation view'd:

And, pleas'd with all that he had made,
Pronounc'd it " very good."

Praise from Living Creatures.

1 BEGIN, my soul, th' exalted lay,
Let each enraptur'd thought obey,
And praise th' Almighty's name:
Let heaven and earth, and seas and skies,
In one melodious concert rise,

To swell th' inspiring theme.

2 Ye angels, catch the thrilling sound,
While all th' adoring thrones around
His boundless mercy sing;
Let ev'ry list'ning saint above
Wake all the tuneful soul of love,
And touch the sweetest string.

3 Whate'er this living world contains,
That wings the air, or treads the plains,
United praise bestow;

Ye tenants of the ocean wide,
Proclaim him through the mighty tide,
And in the deeps below.

4 Let man, by nobler passions sway'd,
The feeling heart, the judging head,
In heavenly praise employ;
Spread HIS tremendous Name around,

While heaven's broad arch rings back the sound,

The gen❜ral burst of joy.

HYMN 6. (II. 1.)

Psalm cxlviii.

Praise from the Elements and Worlds.

1 YE fields of light, celestial plains,
Where pure, serene effulgence reigns,
Ye scenes divinely fair,

Your Maker's wondrous pow'r proclaim,
Tell how he form'd your shining frame,
And breath'd the fluid air.

2 Join, all ye stars, the vocal choir;
Thou dazzling orb of liquid fire
The mighty chorus aid;

And, soon as ev'ning veils the plain,
Thou moon, prolong the hallow'd strain,
And praise him in the shade.

3 Thou heav'n of heav'ns, his vast abode,
Proclaim the glories of thy God;
Ye worlds, declare his might;
He spake the word, and ye were made;
Darkness and dismal chaos fled,
And nature sprung to light.

4 Let every element rejoice;

Ye thunders, burst with awful voice
To him who bids you roll;

His praise in softer notes declare,
Each whisp'ring breeze of yielding air,
And breathe it to the soul.

1 THE spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heav'ns, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim.

2 Th' unwearied sun, from day to day,
Does his Creator's power display,
And publishes to every land

The work of an Almighty hand.
3 Soon as the ev'ning shades prevail,
The moon takes up the wondrous tale;
And, nightly, to the list'ning earth,
Repeats the story of her birth;

4 Whilst 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 ball; What though no real voice nor sound Amidst their radiant orbs be found; 6 In reason's ear they all rejoice, And utter forth a glorious voice,

For ever singing as they shine,

"The hand that made us is divine."

III. PROVIDENCE.

HYMN 8.

1 ETERNAL source of every joy!

(L. M.)

Well may thy praise our lips employ, While in thy temple we appear, To hail thee, sov'reign of the year. 2 Wide as the wheels of nature roll, Thy hand supports and guides the whole: The sun is taught by thee to rise, And darkness when to veil the skies. 3 The flow'ry spring at thy command, Perfumes the air, and paints the land; The summer rays with vigour shine To raise the corn and cheer the vine.

4 Thy hand in autumn richly pours Through all our coasts redundant stores; And winters, soften'd by thy care,

No more the face of horror wear.

5 Seasons, and months, and weeks, and days,
Demand successive songs of praise;
And be the grateful homage paid,
With morning light and ev'ning shade.
6 Here in thy house let incense rise,
And circling sabbaths bless our eyes,
Till to those lofty heights we soar,
Where days and years revolve no more.

1 THE Lord my pasture shall prepare,
And feed me with a shepherd's care;
His presence shall my wants supply,
And guard me with a watchful eye;
My noon-day walks he shall attend,
And all my midnight hours defend.
2 When in the sultry glebe I faint,
Or on the thirsty mountain pant,

To fertile vales and dewy meads
My weary wand'ring steps he leads,
Where peaceful rivers, soft and slow,
Amid the verdant landscape flow.
3 Though in the paths of death I tread,
With gloomy horrors overspread;
My steadfast heart shall fear no ill,
For thou, O Lord, art with me still:
Thy friendly crook shall give me aid,
And guide me through the dreadful shade.
HYMN 10. (C. M.)
1 WHEN all thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,

Transported with the view, I'm lost
In wonder, love, and praise!

2 O how shall words with equal warmth
The gratitude declare,

That glows within my ravish'd heart!
But thou canst read it there.
3 Thy providence my life sustain'd,
And all my wants redrest,
When in the silent womb I lay,
And hung upon the breast.

4 To all my weak complaints and cries
Thy mercy lent an ear,

E'er yet my feeble thoughts had learnt
To form themselves in prayer.
5 Unnumber'd comforts to my soul
Thy tender care bestow'd,

Before my infant heart conceiv'd
From whom those comforts flow'd.

6 When in the slipp'ry paths of youth
With heedless steps I ran,

Thine arm, unseen, convey'd me safe,
And led me up to man.

7 Through hidden dangers, toils, and deaths, It gently clear'd my way,

And through the pleasing snares of vice, More to be fear'd than they.

8 When worn with sickness, oft hast thou With health renew'd my face;

And, when in sins and sorrows sunk,
Reviv'd my soul with grace.

9 Thy bounteous hand with worldly bliss
Has made my cup run o'er;

And in a kind and faithful friend
Has doubled all my store.

10 Ten thousand thousand precious gifts
My daily thanks employ;

Nor is the least a cheerful heart,
That tastes those gifts with joy.
11 Through every period of my life
Thy goodness I'll pursue;

And after death, in distant worlds,
The glorious theme renew.

12 When nature fails, and day and night
Divide thy works no more,

My ever grateful heart, O Lord,
Thy mercy shall adore.

13 Through all eternity, to thee,
A joyful song I'll raise;
But oh! eternity's too short
To utter all thy praise.

"My times are in thy hand."

1 SOVEREIGN Ruler of the skies,
Ever gracious, ever wise,

All our times are in thy hand,
All events at thy command.

2 He that form'd us in the womb,
He shall guide us to the tomb;
All our ways shall ever be
Order'd by his wise decree.

3 Times of sickness, times of health,
Blighting want, and cheerful wealth,
All our pleasures, all our pains,
Come, and end, as God ordains.
4 May we always own thy hand,
Still to thee surrender'd stand,
Know that thou art God alone,
We and ours are all thy own!
HYMN 12.

1 GOD moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;

(c. M.)