The Otterbein Hymnal Part 13

2 How dread are thine eternal years, Oh, everlasting Lord!

By prostrate spirits day and night, Incessantly adored.

3 Oh, how I fear thee, living G.o.d!

With deepest, tenderest fears, And worship thee with trembling hope, And penitential tears.

4 Yet I may love thee, too, O Lord!

Almighty as thou art, For thou hast stooped to ask of me The love of this poor heart.

5 No earthly father loves like thee, No mother, half so mild, Bears and forbears as thou hast done With me, thy sinful child.

6 Father of Jesus! love's reward!

What rapture will it be, Prostrate before thy throne to lie, And gaze and gaze on thee.

Frederick Wm. Faber, 1849.

81 Dundee. C.M.

_G.o.d's Ways Not Understood._ (848)

G.o.d moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm.

2 Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs, And works his sovereign will.

3 Ye fearful saints! fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread, Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head.

4 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace; Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.

5 His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower.

6 Blind unbelief is sure to err, And scan his work in vain; G.o.d is his own interpreter, And he will make it plain.

William Cowper, 1772.

82 Dundee. C.M.

_Majesty. Ps. 18._

The Lord descended from above, And bowed the heavens most high; And underneath his feet he cast The darkness of the sky.

2 On cherub and on cherubim Full royally he rode; And on the wings of mighty winds Came flying all abroad.

3 He sat serene upon the floods, Their fury to restrain; And he, as sovereign Lord and King, Forevermore shall reign.

Thomas Sternhold, d. 1549.

83 Triumph. L.M.

_The Goodness of G.o.d._ (176)

Yes, G.o.d is good; in earth and sky, From ocean depths and spreading wood, Ten thousand voices seem to cry, "G.o.d made us all, and G.o.d is good."

2 The sun that keeps his trackless way, And downward pours his golden flood, Night's sparkling hosts all seem to sky, In accents clear, that G.o.d is good.

3 Yes, G.o.d is good, all Nature says, By G.o.d's own hand with speech endued; And man, in louder notes of praise, Should sing for joy that G.o.d is good.

4 For all thy gifts, we bless thee, Lord; But chiefly for our heavenly food, Thy pardoning grace, thy quickening word; These prompt our song that G.o.d is good.

John H. Gurney.

84 Triumph. L.M.

_The Eternity of G.o.d._ (179)

Ere mountains reared their forms sublime, Or heaven and earth in order stood, Before the birth of ancient time, From everlasting thou art G.o.d.

2 A thousand ages in their flight With thee are as a fleeting day; Past, present, future, to thy sight At once their various scenes display.

3 But our brief life's a shadowy dream-- A pa.s.sing thought, that soon is o'er; That fades with morning's earliest beam, And fills the musing mind no more.

4 To us, O Lord, the wisdom give, Each pa.s.sing moment so to spend, That we at length with thee may live Where life and bliss shall never end.

Isaac Watts.

85 Triumph. L.M.

_G.o.d Seen in nature._ (178)

There is a G.o.d--all nature speaks, Through earth, and air, and sea, and skies; See, from the clouds his glory breaks, When earliest beams of morning rise.

2 The rising sun, serenely bright, Throughout the world's extended frame, Inscribes in characters of light His mighty Maker's glorious name.

3 Ye curious minds, who roam abroad, And trace creation's wonders o'er, Confess the footsteps of your G.o.d-- Bow down before him and adore.

Anne Steele

86 Triumph. L.M.

_The Lord G.o.d Omnipotent._ (14)

The Lord is King; child of the dust!

The Judge of all the earth is just; Holy and true are all his ways; Let every creature speak his praise.

2 The Lord is King! lift up thy voice, Oh, earth! and all ye heavens! rejoice; From world to world the joy shall ring-- The Lord omnipotent is King.