The last judgment
The Lord, the Judge, before his throne
Bids the whole earth draw nigh,
The nations near the rising sun,
And near the western sky.
No more shall bold blasphemers say,
‘Judgment will ne’er begin;’
No more abuse his long delay
To impudence and sin.
Throned on a cloud our God shall come,
Bright flames prepare his way;
Thunder and darkness, fire and storm,
Lead on the dreadful day.
Heav’n from above his call shall hear,
Attending angels come,
And earth and hell shall know and fear
His justice and their doom.
‘But gather all my saints,’ he cries,
‘That made their peace with God
By the Redeemer’s sacrifice,
And sealed it with his blood.
‘Their faith and works, brought forth to light
Shall make the world confess,
My sentence of reward is right,
And heav’n adore my grace.’
The church is our delight and safety.
The Lord of glory is my light,
And my salvation too;
God is my strength, nor will I fear
What all my foes can do.
One privilege my heart desires;
O grant me an abode
Among the churches of thy saints,
The temples of my God!
There shall I offer my requests,
And see thy beauty still;
Shall hear thy messages of love,
And there inquire thy will.
When troubles rise, and storms appear,
There may his children hide;
God has a strong pavilion where
He makes my soul abide.
Now shall my head be lifted high
Above my foes around,
And songs of joy and victory
Within thy temple sound.
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Safety in God.
When, overwhelm’d with grief,
My heart within me dies,
Helpless, and far from all relief,
To heav’n I lift mine eyes.
O lead me to the rock
That’s high above my head,
And make the covert of thy wings
My shelter and my shade.
Within thy presence, Lord,
For ever I’ll abide;
Thou art the tower of my defence,
The refuge where I hide.
Thou givest me the lot
Of those that fear thy name;
If endless life be their reward,
I shall possess the same.