NATIONAL.

299

7s 8 l

Swell the anthem, raise the song,

Praises to our God belong;

Saints and angels join to sing

Praises to the heavenly King.

Blessings from His liberal hand

Flow around this happy land.

Kept by Him, no foes annoy;

Peace and freedom we enjoy.

2. Here, beneath a peaceful sway,

May we cheerfully obey;

Never feel oppression’s rod,

Ever own and worship God.

Hark! the voice of nature sings

Praises to the King of kings;

Let us join the choral song

And the grateful notes prolong.

Nathan Strong, 1799.

300

L. M.

O bless, Thou heavenly Potentate,

With wisdom, strength, the powers of state,

That wrong and violence may cease

And Church and home abide in peace.

2. Bless rich and poor, the great and small,

Both friend and foe; Lord, bless Thou all

The family on earth in love

And fit all for Thy home above.

3. Thus, with Thy blessing on each hand,

Will peace and plenty fill the land

And righteousness spring from the earth

And life below have higher worth.

4. All praise to Thee, O King of kings,

Whose grace to us such blessings brings;

Thee, with the Father, we adore,

And Holy Ghost, forevermore.

Anon.

301

7s 6 l

What our Father does is well:

Blessed truth His children tell!

Though He send, for plenty, want,

Though the harvest-store be scant,

Yet we rest upon His love,

Seeking better things above.

2. What our Father does is well:

Shall the wilful heart rebel

If a blessing He withhold

In the field or in the fold?

Is He not Himself to be

All our store eternally?

3. What our Father does is well:

Though He sadden hill and dell,

Upward yet our praises rise

For the strength His Word supplies.

He has called us sons of God;

Can we murmur at His rod?

4. What our Father does is well:

May the thought within us dwell;

Though nor milk nor honey flow

In our barren Canaan now,

God can save us in our need,

God can bless us, God can feed.

5. Therefore unto Him we raise

Hymns of glory, songs of praise.

To the Father and the Son

And the Spirit, Three in One,

Honor, might, and glory be

Now and through eternity.

B. Schmolck, 1720; H. W. Baker, tr., 1861.

302

C. M.

Lord, while for all mankind we pray,

Of every clime and coast,

Oh, hear us for our native land,

The land we love the most!

2. Oh, guard our shores 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.

John R. Wreford, 1837.

303

C. M.

Almighty Lord, before Thy throne

Thy mourning people bend;

’Tis on Thy grace in Christ alone

Our failing hopes depend.

2. Dark judgments from Thy heavy hand

Thy dreadful power display;

Yet mercy spares our guilty land,

And still we live to pray.

3. How changed, alas! are truths divine

For error, guilt, and shame!

What impious numbers, bold in sin,

Disgrace the Christian name!

4. O turn us, turn us, mighty Lord!

Convert us by Thy grace;

Then shall our hearts obey Thy Word

And see again Thy face.

5. Then, should oppressing foes invade,

We will not yield to fear,

Secure of all-sufficient aid,

When God in Christ is near.

Anne Steele, † 1778.

304

6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8 (H. M.)

To Thee, our God, we fly

For mercy and for grace;

Oh, hear our lowly cry

And hide not Thou Thy face!