Hymns for Christian Devotion Part 138

1 We come, O Lord, before thy throne, And, with united pleas, We meet and pray for those who roam Far off upon the seas.

2 O, may the Holy Spirit bow The sailor's heart to thee, Till tears of deep repentance flow Like rain-drops in the sea.

3 Then may a Saviour's dying love Pour peace into his breast, And waft him to the port above Of everlasting rest.

NATIONAL HYMNS.

836. 6s. & 4s. M. S. F. Smith.

National Hymn.

1 My country 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrim's pride, From every mountain side Let freedom ring.

2 My native country, thee-- Land of the n.o.ble, free-- Thy name--I love; I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills; My heart with rapture thrills Like that above.

3 Let music swell the breeze, And ring from all the trees Sweet freedom's song: Let mortal tongues awake; Let all that breathe, partake; Let rocks their silence break,-- The sound prolong.

4 Our fathers' G.o.d, to thee, Author of liberty, To thee we sing: Long may our land be bright With freedom's holy light; Protect us by thy might, Great G.o.d, our King.

837. C. M. Wreford.

Prayer for our Country.

1 Lord, while for all mankind we pray, Of every clime and coast, O, hear us for our native land,-- The land we love the most.

2 O guard our sh.o.r.es from every foe, With peace our borders bless, With prosperous times our cities crown, Our fields with plenteousness.

3 Unite us in the sacred love Of knowledge, truth, and thee; And let our hills and valleys shout The songs of liberty.

4 Here may religion pure and mild Smile on our Sabbath hours; And piety and virtue bless The home of us and ours.

5 Lord of the nations, thus to thee Our country we commend; Be thou her refuge and her trust, Her everlasting friend.

838. L. M. 6l. H. Ware, Jr.

The G.o.d of our Fathers.

1 Like Israel's hosts to exile driven, Across the flood the pilgrims fled; Their hands bore up the ark of Heaven, And Heaven their trusting footsteps led, Till on these savage sh.o.r.es they trod, And won the wilderness for G.o.d.

2 Then, where their weary ark found rest, Another Zion proudly grew; In more than Judah's glory dressed, With light that Israel never knew.

From sea to sea her empire spread, Her temple Heaven, and Christ her head.

3 Then let the grateful church, to-day Its ancient rite with gladness keep; And still our fathers' G.o.d display His kindness, though the fathers sleep.

O, bless, as thou hast blessed the past, While earth, and time, and heaven shall last.

839. C. M. Watts.

"Thou shall teach them to thy children."

1 Let children hear the mighty deeds Which G.o.d performed of old: Which in our younger years we saw, And which our fathers told.

2 He bids us make his glories known-- His works of power and grace; And we'll convey his wonders down To every rising race.

3 Our lips shall tell them to our sons, And they again to theirs; That generations yet unborn May teach them to their heirs.

4 Thus shall they learn, in G.o.d alone Their hope securely stands; That they may ne'er forget his works, But practise his commands.

840. L. M. Flint.

"We have a goodly heritage."

1 In pleasant lands have fallen the lines That bound our goodly heritage, And safe beneath our sheltering vines Our youth is blest, and soothed our age.

2 What thanks, O G.o.d, to thee are due, That thou didst plant our fathers here; And watch and guard them as they grew, A vineyard, to the planter dear.

3 The toils they bore, our ease have wrought; They sowed in tears--in joy we reap; The birthright they so dearly bought We'll guard, till we with them shall sleep.

4 Thy kindness to our fathers shown In weal and woe through all the past, Their grateful sons, O G.o.d, shall own While here their name and race shall last.

841. L. M. Presbyterian Coll.

G.o.d Acknowledged in National Blessings.