Out of the depths I cry to Thee

June 15

Out of the depths I cry to Thee,
Lord, hear me, I implore Thee!
Bend down Thy gracious ear to me,
Let my prayer come before Thee!
If Thou remember each misdeed,
If each should have its rightful meed,
Who may abide Thy presence?

Our pardon is Thy gift; Thy love
And grace alone avail us.
Our works could ne’er our guilt remove,
The strictest life must fail us.
That none may boast himself of aught,
But own in fear Thy grace hath wrought
What in him seemeth righteous.

And thus my hope is in the Lord,
And not in my own merit:
I rest upon His faithful word
To them of contrite spirit.
That He is merciful and just,-
Here is my comfort and my trust.
His help I wait with patience.

And though it tarry till the night,
And round till morning waken,
My heart shall ne’er mistrust Thy might,
Nor count itself forsaken.
Do thus, O ye of Israel’s seed,
Ye of the Spirit born indeed,
Wait for your God’s appearing.

Though great our sins and sore our woes,
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our utmost need it soundeth.
Our kind and faithful Shepherd, He,
Who shall at last set Israel free
From all their sin and sorrow.
     Martin Luther Tr. Catherine Winkworth

Come, ye that love the Lord

June 14

Come, ye that love the Lord,
And let your joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
While ye surround His throne.
Let those refuse to sing
Who never knew our God;
But children of the heavenly King
May speak their joys abroad.

The God Who rules on high,
Who all the earth surveys,
Who rides upon the stormy sky,
And calms the roaring seas:
This awful God is ours,
Our Father and our Love;
He will send down His heavenly powers
To carry us above.

There we shall see His face,
And never, never sin;
There, from the rivers of His grace,
Drink endless pleasures in.
Then let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
We’re marching through Emmanuel’s ground
To fairer worlds on high.
     Isaac Watts altered

Give to our God immortal praise

June 13

Give to our God immortal praise!
Mercy and truth are all His ways.
Wonders of grace to God belong;
Repeat His mercies in your song.

Give to the Lord of lords renown,
The King of kings with glory crown,
His mercies ever shall endure,
When lords and kings are known no more.

He sent His Son with power to save
From guilt and darkness and the grave,
Wonders of grace to God belong;
Repeat His mercies in your song.

Through this vain world He guides our feet,
And leads us to His heavenly seat,
His mercies ever shall endure,
When this vain world shall be no more.
     Isaac Watts

To God the only wise

June 12

To God the only wise,
Our Saviour and our King,
Let all the saints below the skies
Their humble praises bring.

’Tis His almighty love,
His counsel, and His care,
Preserves us safe from sin and death,
And ev’ry hurtful snare.

He will present our souls
Unblemished and complete
Before the glory of His face
With joys divinely great.

Then all His faithful sons
Shall meet around the throne,
Shall bless the conduct of His grace,
And make His wonders known.

To our Redeemer God,
Wisdom and power belongs,
Immortal crowns of majesty,
And everlasting songs.
     Isaac Watts

Oh, sometimes the shadows are deep

Oh, sometimes the shadows are deep,

And rough seems the path to the goal;
And sorrows, how often they sweep,
Like tempests, down over the soul!

Oh, sometimes how long seems the day,
And sometimes how heavy my feet;
But, toiling in life’s dusty way,
The Rock’s blessed shadow, how sweet!

Oh, near to the Rock let me keep,
Or blessings, or sorrows prevail;
Or climbing the mountain way steep,
Or walking the shadowy vale.

Chorus
Oh, then to the Rock let me fly,
To the Rock that is higher than I;
Oh, then to the Rock let me fly,
To the Rock that is higher than I.
     E. Johnson

O bless the Lord, my soul!

June 9

O bless the Lord, my soul!
Let all within me join
And aid my tongue to bless His Name,
Whose favors are divine.

O bless the Lord, my soul!
Nor let His mercies lie
Forgotten in unthankfulness,
And without praises die.

‘Tis He forgives thy sins;
‘Tis He relieves thy pain;
‘Tis He that heals thy sicknesses,
And gives thee strength again.

He crowns thy life with love,
When ransomed from the grave;
He that redeemed my soul from death
Hath sovereign power to save.

He fills the poor with good;
He gives the sufferers rest;
The Lord hath judgments for the proud,
And justice for the oppressed.

His wondrous works and ways
He made by Moses known,
But sent the world His truth and grace
By His beloved Son.
     Isaac Watts, altered

Lord, with glowing heart I’d praise Thee

June 8

Lord, with glowing heart I’d praise Thee
For the bliss Thy love bestows,
For the pardoning grace that saves me,
And the peace that from it flows.
Help, O God, my weak endeavor;
This dull soul to rapture raise;
Thou must light the flame, or never
Can my love be warmed to praise.

Praise, my soul, the God that sought thee,
Wretched, wanderer, far astray;
Found thee lost, and kindly brought thee
From the paths of death away.
Praise, with love’s devoutest feeling,
Him Who saw thy guilt born fear,
And, the light of hope revealing,
Bade the bloodstained Cross appear.

Lord, this bosom’s ardent feeling
Vainly would my lips express;
Low before Thy footstool kneeling,
Deign Thy suppliant’s prayer to bless.
Let Thy grace, my soul’s chief treasure,
Love’s pure flame within me raise;
And, since words can never measure,
Let my life show forth Thy praise.
     Francis Scott Key

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

June 7

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord!  Who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth;
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord!  Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee!

Praise to the Lord!  O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
     Joachim Neander Tr Catherine Winkworth

Lord, teach us how to pray aright

June 6

Lord, teach us how to pray aright
With reverence and with fear;
Though dust and ashes in Thy sight,
We may, we must draw near.

Burdened with guilt, convinced of sin,
In weakness, want, and woe,
Fightings without and fears within,
Lord, whither shall we go?

God of all grace, we come to Thee
With broken, contrite hearts;
Give, what Thine eye delights to see,
Truth in the inward parts.

Give deep humility; the sense
Of godly sorrow give;
A strong desire, with confidence,
To hear Thy voice and live;

Faith in the only Sacrifice
That can for sin atone;
To cast our hopes, to fix our eyes,
On Christ, on Christ alone.

Give these, and then Thy will be done;
Thus strengthened with all might,
We, through Thy Spirit and Thy Son,
Shall pray, and pray aright.
     James Montgomery

God of pity, God of grace

June 5

God of pity, God of grace:
When we humbly seek Thy face,
Bend from heaven, Thy dwelling place:
Hear, forgive, and save.

When we in Thy temple meet,
Spread our wants before Thy feet,
Pleading at Thy mercy-seat:
Look from heaven and save.

Should we wander from Thy fold,
And our love to Thee grow cold,
With a pitying eye behold:
Lord, forgive and save.

And whate’er our cry may be,
When we lift our hearts to Thee,
From our burden set us free:
Hear, forgive, and save.
     Eliza Fanny Morris

O that the Lord would guide my ways

June 4

O that the Lord would guide my ways
To keep His statutes still!
O that my God would grant me grace
To know and do His will!

Order my footsteps by Thy Word,
And make my heart sincere;
Let sin have no dominion, Lord,
But keep my conscience clear.

Assist my soul, too apt to stray,
A stricter watch to keep;
And should I e’er forget Thy way,
Restore Thy wandering sheep.

Make me to walk in Thy commands;
‘Tis a delightful road;
Nor let my head, or heart, or hands
Offend against my God.
     Isaac Watts

Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us

June 3

Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
  O’er the world’s tempestuous sea;
Guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,
  For we have no help but Thee;
          Yet possessing
          Ev’ry blessing,
  If our God our Father be.

Saviour, breathe forgiveness o’er us;
  All our weakness Thou dost know;
Thou didst tread this earth before us,
  Thou didst feel its keenest woe;
          Lone and dreary,
          Faint and weary,
  Through the desert Thou didst go.

Spirit of our God, descending,
  Fill our hearts with heavenly joy,
Love all other love transcending,
  Pleasure that can never cloy;
          Thus provided,
          Pardoned, guided,
  Nothing can our peace destroy.
     James Edmeston, altered

Here behold me, as I cast me

June 2

Here behold me, as I cast me
‘Neath Thy throne, O glorious King!
Sorrows thronging, childlike longing,
Son of Man, to Thee I bring.
Let me find Thee!  Let me find Thee!
Me, a poor and worthless thing.

Look upon me, Lord, I pray Thee,
Let Thy Spirit dwell in mine;
Thou hast sought me, Thou hast bought me,
Only Thee to know I pine.
Let me find Thee!  Let me find Thee!
Take my heart, and own me Thine!

Naught I ask for, naught I strive for,
But Thy grace, so rich and free,
That Thou givest whom Thou lovest,
And who truly cleave to Thee.
Let me find Thee!  Let me find Thee!
He hath all things who hath Thee.

Earthly treasure, mirth and pleasure,
Glorious name, or golden hoard
Are but weary, void and dreary,
To the heart that longs for God.
Let me find Thee!  Let me find Thee!
I am Thine, O mighty Lord!
     Joachim Neander Tr. Catherine Winkworth altered

Teach me, my God and King

June 1

Teach me, my God and King,
In all things Thee to see,
And what I do in anything,
To do it as for Thee;

To scorn the senses’ sway,
While still to Thee I tend;
In all I do be Thou the Way,
In all be Thou the End!

All may of Thee partake;
Nothing so small can be,
But draws, when acted for Thy sake,
Greatness and worth from Thee.

If done to obey Thy laws,
E’en servile labors shine;
Hallowed is toil, if this the cause,
The meanest work divine.
     George Herbert, Revised by John Wesley