On The First Day of the Week...

The God of Abraham praise, who reigns enthroned above;
Ancient of everlasting days, and God of Love;
Jehovah, great I AM! by earth and Heav’n confessed;
I bow and bless the sacred Name forever blessed.
The God of Abraham praise, at Whose supreme command
From earth I rise—and seek the joys at His right hand;
I all on earth forsake, its wisdom, fame, and power;
And Him my only Portion make, my Shield and Tower.

Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands
for our offenses given;
but now at God’s right hand he stands
and brings us life from heaven;
wherefore let us joyful be,
and sing to God right thankfully
loud songs of alleluia!
Alleluia!
It was a strange and dreadful strife
when life and death contended;
the victory remained with life,
the reign of death was ended;
stripped of power, no more it reigns,
an empty form alone remains;

Glory to God, whose sovereign grace
Hath animated senseless stones;
Called us to stand before His face,
And raised us into Abraham’s sons!
The people that in darkness lay,
In sin and error’s deadly shade,
Have seen a glorious gospel day,
In Jesus’ lovely face displayed.
Thou only, Lord, the work hast done,
And bared Thine arm in all our sight;
Hast made the reprobates Thine own,
And claimed the outcasts as Thy right.
Thy single arm, almighty Lord,

Though cloudy skies, and northern blasts,
Retard the gentle spring awhile;
The sun will conqu’ror prove at last,
And nature wear a vernal smile.
The promise, which from age to age,
Has brought the changing seasons round;
Again shall calm the winter’s rage,
Perfume the air, and paint the ground.
The virtue of that first command,
I know still does, and will prevail;
That while the earth itself shall stand,
The spring and summer shall not fail.

^{In Thy Name, O Lord, Assembling
By Thomas Kelly}
In Thy Name, O Lord, assembling,
We, Thy people, now draw near;
Teach us to rejoice with trembling,
Speak, and let Thy servants hear—
Hear with meekness,
Hear Thy Word with godly fear.
While our days on earth are lengthened,
May we give them, Lord, to Thee;
Cheered by hope, and daily strengthened,
May we run, nor weary be,
Till Thy glory
Without clouds in Heav’n we see.

^{No Change of Time
By Nahum Tate & Nicholas Brady}
No change of time shall ever shock
My firm affection, Lord, to Thee;
For Thou hast always been a Rock,
A Fortress and Defense to me.
Thou my Deliverer art, my God;
My trust is in Thy mighty power:
Thou art my Shield from foes abroad;
At home, my Safeguard and my Tower.
To Thee I will address my prayer,
To whom all praise we justly owe;

^{Hark, My Soul, It Is the Lord!
By William Cowper}
Hark, my soul, it is the Lord!
’Tis thy Savior, hear His Word;
Jesus speaks, and speaks to thee,
“Say, poor, sinner, lovest thou Me?”
“I delivered thee when bound,
And, when bleeding, healed thy wound;
Sought thee wandering, set thee right,
Turned thy darkness into light.
“Can a woman’s tender care
Cease toward the child she bare?
Yes, she may forgetful be,
Yet will I remember thee.

^{God Made Me For Himself
by Henry W. Baker}
God made me for Himself, to serve Him here
With love’s pure service and in filial fear;
To show His praise, for Him to labor now;
Then see His glory where the angels bow.
All needful grace was mine, through His dear Son,
Whose life and death my full salvation won;
The grace that would have strengthened me, and taught;
Grace that would crown me when my work was wrought.