Blessed Bible ~ Hymn

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Blessed Bible

Blessèd Bible, Book of Gold,
Precious truths thy pages hold,
Truths to lead me day by day
All along my pilgrim way.

Refrain

Blessèd Bible, pure and true,
Guide me all my journey through;
Heav’nly light within me shine,
Help me make thy precepts mine!

Lamp of faith, my feet to lead,
Bread of Heav’n, my soul to feed;
Living waters pure and free,
Book of books thou art to me.

Refrain

Word of God, thy love impart,
Fire my zeal, and cleanse my heart;
Keep me earnest, keep me true,
Ev’ry day my strength renew.

Refrain

Words: Fanny Crosby, 1898.

Father of Mercies! God of Love! ~ Hymn

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Father of Mercies! God of Love!

Father of mercies! God of love!
Whose kind compassion still we prove,
Our praise accept, and bless us here,
As brought to this—another year.

We sing Thy goodness all divine,
Whose radiant beams around us shine,
’Tis through Thy goodness we appear
Preserved to this—another year.

Our souls, our all we here resign;
Make us, and keep us ever Thine;
And grant that in Thy love and fear
We may begin—another year.

Be this our sweet experience still,
To know and do Thy holy will;
Then shall our souls, with joy sincere,
Bless Thee for this—another year.

Still, Lord, through life Thy love display,
And then in death’s approaching day,
We’ll joyful part with all that’s here,
Nor wish on earth—another year.

Words: Samuel Medley, 1789.

O Holy Night

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O Holy Night

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

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Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our friend!
He knows our need—to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your king; before Him lowly bend!
Behold your king; before Him lowly bend!

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Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name!
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!

Words: Placide Cappeau, 1847

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People, Look East ~ Hymn

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 People, Look East

People, look east. The time is near
Of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.

 Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
One more seed is planted there:
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
That in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the rose, is on the way.

Birds, though you long have ceased to build,
Guard the nest that must be filled.
Even the hour when wings are frozen
God for fledging time has chosen.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the bird, is on the way.

 Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the star, is on the way.

 Angels, announce with shouts of mirth
Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.

Words: Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965), 1928

HT: Nikkipolani and Shoreacres

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

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O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

Refrain

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

Refrain

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Refrain

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Refrain

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

Refrain

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Refrain

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Refrain

Words: Unknown

The Advent of Our God ~ Hymn

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The Advent of Our God

The advent of our God
Our prayers must now employ,
And we must meet Him on His road
With hymns of holy joy.

The everlasting Son
Incarnate deigns to be;
Himself a servant’s form puts on
To set His people free.

Daughter of Zion, rise
To meet thy lowly king,
Nor let thy faithless heart despise
The peace He comes to bring.

As judge, on clouds of light,
He soon will come again,
And all His scattered saints unite
With Him in Heaven to reign.

Before the dawning day
Let sin’s dark deeds be gone;
The old man all be put away,
The new man all put on.

All glory to the Son
Who comes to set us free,
With Father, Spirit, ever One,
Through all eternity.

Words: Charles Coffin, 1736.

Thanks to God ~ Hymn

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Thanks to God

Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a memory,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,
Thanks for dark and stormy fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!

Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered,
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure,
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Thanks for grace that none can measure,
Thanks for love beyond compare!

Thanks for roses by the wayside,
Thanks for thorns their stems contain!
Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,
Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!
Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,
Thanks for heav’nly peace with Thee!
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,
Thanks through all eternity!

Words: August L. Storm, 1891.

He Giveth More Grace ~ Hymn

He Giveth More Grace

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

Words: Annie J. Flint, (1866-1932).

We Thank Thee, Our Father ~ Hymn

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We Thank Thee, Our Father

For the fruits of the earth,
And the sky and the sea,
For the bountiful harvests
So wondrously free,
For the gold of the autumn,
The sear and the brown,
For the bloom of the flower
When winter is flown,
For the work and the play,
For the night and the day,

Refrain

We thank Thee, our Father,
Yea, praise and extol;
We thank Thee, our Father,
Great God of us all.

For the touch of wee hands,
In the tender caress,
For the lips of the fairest,
And dearest we press,
For the strength of our fathers,
Whose vigor we share,
For the faith of our mothers,
For love that they bear—
For the friends of tried worth,
For the land of our birth,

Refrain

For the toil of our hands,
For the task that commands,
For the field that is white
Unto harvest demands,
For the hope of the triumph
Of peace o’er the sword,
For the Son of High Heaven,
Our Savior and Lord,
For the crown that He wore,
For the cross that He bore,

Refrain

Words: Daniel L. Poling, 1917.

Rejoice Today With One Accord ~ Hymn

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Rejoice Today With One Accord

Rejoice today with one accord,
Sing out with exultation;
Rejoice and praise our mighty Lord,
Whose arm hath brought salvation;
His works of love proclaim
The greatness of His name;
For He is God alone
Who hath His mercy shown;
Let all His saints adore Him!

When in distress to Him we cried,
He heard our sad complaining;
O trust in Him, whate’er betide,
His love is all sustaining;
Triumphant songs of praise
To Him our hearts shall raise;
Now every voice shall say,
O praise our God alway;
Let all His saints adore Him!

Rejoice today with one accord,
Sing out with exultation;
Rejoice and praise our mighty Lord,
Whose arm hath brought salvation;
His works of love proclaim
The greatness of His name;
For He is God alone
Who hath His mercy shown;
Let all His saints adore Him!

Words: Henry W. Baker, 1861.