*

34

Epiphany.

"All the earth shall be filled with his majesty."

HAT

AIL to the Lord's Anointed,
Great David's greater Son!

Hail, in the time appointed,
His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
To set the captive free:
To take away transgression,
And rule in equity.

2 He comes with succour speedy
To those who suffer wrong,
To help the poor and needy,

And bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing,
Their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, condemn'd and dying,
Were precious in his sight.

3 He shall descend like showers
Upon the fruitful earth;
And love and joy, like flowers,
Spring in his path to birth:
Before him, on the mountains,
Shall peace, the herald, go;
And righteousness, in fountains,
From hill to valley flow.

4 To him shall prayer unceasing,
And daily vows ascend;
His kingdom still increasing,
A kingdom without end:

7s. 6s. DOUBLE.

*

35

The tide of time shall never
His covenant remove;

His name shall stand for ever;
That name to us is Love.

"Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God
Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou
King of Saints."

OW wondrous and great
Thy works, God of praise!
How just, King of saints,
And true are thy ways!
O who shall not fear thee,
And honour thy name?
Thou only art holy,

Thou only supreme.

2 To nations long dark

Thy light shall be shown;
Their worship and vows
Shall come to thy throne:
Thy truth and thy judgments
Shall spread all abroad,
Till earth's every people
Confess thee their God.

5s. 6s.

58.

36

"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory
of the Lord is risen upon thee."

10s.

RISE, crowned with light, imperial Salem,

rise;

Exalt thy towering head and lift thine eyes;
See heaven its sparkling portals wide display,
And break upon thee in a flood of day.

2 See a long race thy spacious courts adorn, See future sons, and daughters yet unborn, In crowding ranks on every side arise, Demanding life, impatient for the skies. 3 See barbarous nations at thy gates attend, Walk in thy light, and in thy temple bend: See thy bright altars thronged with prostrate kings,

While every land its joyous tribute brings. 4 The seas shall waste, the skies to smoke decay, Rocks fall to dust, and mountains melt away: But fix'd his word, his saving power remains Thy realm shall last, thy own Messiah reigns.

37

B

"We have seen his star in the East."

P.M.

RIGHTEST and best of the sons of the morning

Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine

aid;

Star of the East, the horizon adorning,

Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

2 Cold on his cradle the dew drops are shining, Low lies his head with the beasts of the

stall;

Angels adore him in slumber reclining,

Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all.

3 Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion, Odours of Edom, and offerings divine, Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean, Myrrh from the forest, and gold from the mine?

4 Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
Vainly with gifts would his favour secure;
Richer by far is the heart's adoration,

Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

5 Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine

aid;

;

Star of the East, the horizon adorning,

Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

38

"The mountains shall bring peace, and the little
hills righteousness unto the people."

C.M.

From the lxxii. Psalm.

O! hills and mountains shall bring forth
The happy fruits of peace,

L°

Which all the land shall own to be
The work of righteousness;

2 While David's Son our needy race
Shall rule with gentle sway;
And from their humble neck shall take
Oppressive yokes away.

3 In every heart thy awful fear
Shall then be rooted fast,

As long as sun and moon endure,
Or time itself shall last.

4 He shall descend like rain, that cheers
The meadow's second birth;

Or like warm showers, whose gentle drops
Refresh the thirsty earth.

5 In his blest days the just and good
Shall spring up all around;
The happy land shall everywhere
With endless peace abound.

6 His uncontroll'd dominion shall
From sea to sea extend;

Begin at proud Euphrates' stream,
At nature's limits end.

7 To him the savage nations round
Shall bow their servile heads;
His vanquished foe shall lick the dust,
Where he his conquest spreads.

8 The kings of Tarshish and the isles
Shall costly presents bring;
From spicy Sheba gifts shall come,
And wealthy Saba's king.

9. To him shall every king on earth
His humble homage pay;
And differing nations gladly join
To own his righteous sway.

10 For he shall set the needy free,
When they for succour cry;
Shall save the helpless and the poor,
And all their wants supply.

11 For him shall constant prayer be made, Through all his prosperous days: His just dominion shall afford

A lasting theme of praise.

12 The memory of his glorious name Through endless years shall run; His spotless fame shall shine as bright And lasting as the sun.