Hymn Of Glory
Sweet hymns and songs will I indite
To sing of Thee by day and night,
Of Thee, Who art my soul's delight.
How doth my soul within me yearn
Beneath Thy shadow to return,
Thy secret mysteries to learn.
And even while yet Thy glory fires
My words, and hymns of praise inspires,
Thy love it is my heart desires.
Therefore I will of Thee relate
All glorious things, and celebrate
In songs of love Thy name most great.
Thy glory shall my discourse be,
In images I picture Thee,
Although Thyself I cannot see.
In mystic utterances alone,
By prophet and by seer made known,
Hast Thou Thy radiant glory shown.
Thy might and greatness they portrayed,
According to the power displayed
In all the works Thy hand has made.
In images of Thee they told
Of Thy great wonders wrought of old,
Thy essence they could not behold.
In signs and visions seen of yore
They pictured Thee in ancient lore,
But Thou art One for evermore.
They saw in Thee both youth and age,
The man of war, the hoary sage,
But ever Israel's heritage.
O Thou Whose word is truth alway
Thy people seek Thy face this day,
Oh! be Thou near them when they pray.
May these, my songs and musings, be
Acceptable, O Lord, to Thee,
And do Thou hear them graciously.
Oh! let my praises, heavenward sped,
Be as a crown unto Thy head,
My prayer as incense offered.
Oh! may my words of blessing rise
To Thee, Who, throned above the skies,
Art just and mighty, great and wise.
And when Thy glory I declare,
Do Thou incline Thee to my prayer,
As though sweet spice my offering were.
My meditation day and night
May it be pleasant in Thy sight,
For Thou art all my soul's delight.
Hymn Of Unity For The Seven Days Of The Week[880]
I
Eternal King, the heavens and earth are Thine,
Thine are the seas and every living thing.
Thy hand upholds creation's vast design,
Eternal King!
The mighty waters with Thy glory ring,
Unnumbered lands to chant Thy praise combine,
And Kings of earth to Thee their worship bring.
Thy people Israel, for Thy love benign,
Blesses Thy name and joys Thy praise to sing.
Thou art the God of truth, the one, divine,
Eternal King!
II
I worship Thee for all Thy boundless store
Of righteousness and mercy shown to me,
And for Thy holy book of sacred lore
I worship Thee.
To Thee alone our fathers bent the knee,
And Thee alone do we this day adore,
Bearing our witness to Thy unity.
Thou art our God, Thy favor we implore,
Thou art our shepherd, and Thy flock are we.
Therefore I bless Thy name and evermore
I worship Thee.
III
I know it well: Thou art all-good, all-wise.
Thou slayest, but Thy touch death's power can quell;
Thou woundest, but Thy hand the balm supplies:
I know it well.
Nor sin nor grief can in Thy presence dwell,
Slumber and sleep come not unto Thine eyes,
Great God, eternal and unchangeable!
The soul of all mankind before Thee lies;
Thou searchest all their hearts, their thoughts canst tell;
Thou hearest graciously their prayerful cries:
I know it well.
IV
We will extol the Lord of lords, whose name
Is evermore and everywhere adored.
In songs and hymns our lips His praise shall frame,
We will extol the Lord!
He is the hope of Israel, His word
A lamp unto our feet, a guiding flame
To those who trust in Him with full accord.
He is through countless ages still the same,
The shield of our salvation and our sword,
And generations, each to each, proclaim:
We will extol the Lord!
V
Who shall narrate Thy wonders wrought of old?
The utterance of the lips Thou didst create,
But all Thy majesty and power untold
Who shall narrate?
Thy ways on earth in song we celebrate.
Though none may Thy similitude behold,
Yet know we by Thy works that Thou are great.
Thousands of angels, by Thy word controlled,
To do Thy bidding Thy commands await:
Yet of them all, Thy wonders manifold
Who shall narrate?
VI
Alone didst Thou, O Lord, the heaven's wide tent
Uprear, and bid the earth beneath be shown;
Thy word the oceans in their boundaries pent
Alone.
No aid or counsel hadst Thou save Thine own
When Thou with lights didst hang the firmament
And call the hosts celestial round Thy throne.
Thy works, in universal cadence blent,
Give praise to Thee, and make Thy glory known.
Thou madest all, great God beneficent,
Alone!
VII
Of old Thou didst the Sabbath bless and praise,
Because thereon Thou didst Thy work behold
Completed in the sun's new-kindled rays
Of old.
Bless Thou, this day, with mercies manifold
Thy people, that in love and awe obeys
Thy word, and chants Thy righteousness untold.
Lord, we desire to do Thy will always!
Make pure our hearts like thrice-refinèd gold,
And these, our prayers, accept as in the days
Of old.
Anon.