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Hymns for the Youngest.

HYMN LXXII.

PART I.

[Gentle Jesus, meek and mild]

Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,
Look upon a little child;
Pity my simplicity,
Suffer me to come to Thee.
Fain I would to Thee be brought;
Dearest God, forbid it not;
Give me, dearest God, a place
In the kingdom of Thy grace.
442

Put Thy hands upon my head;
Let me in Thine arms be stay'd;
Let me lean upon Thy breast;
Lull me, lull me, Lord, to rest.
Hold me fast in Thine embrace,
Let me see Thy smiling face;
Give me, Lord, Thy blessing give;
Pray for me, and I shall live:
I shall live the simple life,
Free from sin's uneasy strife;
Sweetly ignorant of ill,
Innocent and happy still.
O that I may never know
What the wicked people do!
Sin is contrary to Thee,
Sin is the forbidden tree.
Keep me from the great offence,
Guard my helpless innocence;
Hide me, from all evil hide,
Self, and stubbornness, and pride.

HYMN LXXIII.

PART II.

[Lamb of God, I look to Thee]

Lamb of God, I look to Thee,
Thou shalt my example be:
Thou art gentle, meek, and mild,
Thou wast once a little child.
Fain I would be as Thou art;
Give me Thy obedient heart;
Thou art pitiful and kind,
Let me have Thy loving mind.
443

Meek and lowly may I be;
Thou art all humility:
Let me to my betters bow,
Subject to Thy parents Thou.
Let me, above all, fulfil
God my heavenly Father's will;
Never His good Spirit grieve,
Only to His glory live.
Thou didst live to God alone,
Thou didst never seek Thine own,
Thou Thyself didst never please,
God was all Thy happiness.
Loving Jesus, gentle Lamb!
In Thy gracious hands I am;
Make me, Saviour, what Thou art;
Live Thyself within my heart.
I shall then show forth Thy praise,
Serve Thee all my happy days:
Then the world shall always see
Christ, the holy Child, in me.

HYMN LXXIV.

PART I.

[Lamb of God, I fain would be]

Lamb of God, I fain would be
A meek follower of Thee;
Gentle, tractable, and mild,
Loving as a little child:
Simple, ignorant of ill,
Guided by another's will;
Trusting Him for heavenly food,
Casting all my care on God.
444

Let me in Thy footsteps tread,
Be to all the creatures dead;
Dead to pleasure, wealth, and praise,
Poor and humble all my days.
Prepossess my tender mind;
Let me cast the world behind,
All its pomps and pleasures vain,
Help me, Saviour, to disdain.
Thou my better portion art;
Earth shall never share my heart,
I on all its goods look down,
I expect a starry crown:
I aspire to things above;
Lord, I give Thee all my love:
I will nothing know beside
Jesus, and Him crucified.

HYMN LXXV.

PART II.

[Let the potsherds of the earth]

Let the potsherds of the earth
Boast their virtue, beauty, birth;
A poor, guilty worm I am,
Ransom'd by the bleeding Lamb.
Jesus, this be all my boast,
Thou hast saved a sinner lost;
Thou hast spill'd Thy sacred blood,
Me to make a child of God.
What a glorious title this,
Title to eternal bliss!
Thou for me Thy life hast given,
Me to make an heir of heaven.
445

O enlarge my scanty thought
To conceive what Thou hast wrought;
Raise my grovelling spirit up
To my heavenly calling's hope.
Greaten my contracted mind,
Saviour Thou of all mankind:
What in man Thy grace could move?
O the riches of Thy love!
Let Thy love possess me whole,
Let it take up all my soul;
True magnificence impart,
Purify and fill my heart.
I despise all earthly things,
Offspring to the King of kings;
God I for my Father claim,
Jesus is my Brother's name.
Heaven is mine inheritance,
I shall soon remove from hence,
As the stars in glory shine:
Christ, and God, and all is mine!

HYMN LXXVI.

[Come, let us join the hosts above]

Come, let us join the hosts above
Now in our youngest days;
Remember our Creator's love,
And lisp our Father's praise.
His majesty will not despise
The day of feeble things;
Grateful the songs of children rise,
And please the King of kings.
446

We all His kind protection share,
Within His arms we rest;
The sucklings are His tenderest care,
While hanging on the breast.
We praise Him with a stammering tongue,
While under His defence;
He smiles to hear the artless song
Of childish innocence.
He loves to be remember'd thus,
And honour'd for His grace;
Out of the mouth of babes like us
His wisdom perfects praise.
Glory to God, and praise, and power,
Honour and thanks be given;
Children and cherubim adore
The Lord of earth and heaven!

HYMN LXXVII.

[O happy state of infancy!]

O happy state of infancy!
Strangers to guilty fears,
We live from sin and sorrow free
In these our tender years.
Jesus the Lord our Shepherd is,
And did our souls redeem;
Our present and eternal bliss
Are both secured in Him.
His mercy every sinner claims;
For all His flock He cares;
The sheep He gently leads, the lambs
He in His bosom bears.
447

Loving He is to all His sons,
Who hearken to His call;
But us, His weak, His little ones,
He loves us best of all.
If unto us our friends are good,
'Twas He their hearts inclined;
He bids our fathers give us food,
And makes our mothers kind.
Then let us thank Him for His grace;
He will not disapprove
Our meanest sacrifice of praise,
Our childish, prattling love.

HYMN LXXVIII.

[Come, let us our good God proclaim]

Come, let us our good God proclaim,
By earth and heaven adored;
Children are bid to praise His name,
And magnify the Lord.
Let us, with all His saints, agree,
With all His hosts above;
Part of His family are we,
His family of love.
Worthless are our best offerings,
Our songs are void of art;
Yet God accepts the smallest things,
Given with a willing heart.
Us, for the sake of Christ, He loves,
Who did our souls redeem;
And all our childish thoughts approves,
When offer'd up through Him.
448

He makes us His peculiar care,
While by His Spirit led;
We all His genuine children are,
And on His bounty feed.
Though men despise our infancy,
Angels attend our ways;
On us they wait, yet always see
Our heavenly Father's face.
Surrounded by a flaming host,
The bright cherubic powers,
Not all the kings of earth can boast
Of such a guard as ours.
And while the' angelic army sings,
With them we feebly join
To' extol the glorious King of kings,
The majesty Divine.

HYMN LXXIX.

[Lover of little children, Thee]

Lover of little children, Thee,
O Jesus, we adore;
Our kind and loving Saviour be,
Both now and evermore.
O take us up into Thine arms,
And we are truly bless'd;
Thy new-born babes are safe from harms,
While harbour'd in Thy breast.
There let us ever, ever sleep,
Strangers to guilt and care;
Free from the world of evil, keep
Our tender spirits there.
449

Still, as we grow in years, in grace
And wisdom let us grow;
But never leave Thy dear embrace,
But never evil know.
Strong let us in Thy grace abide,
But ignorant of ill;
In malice, subtlety, and pride
Let us be children still.
Lover of little children, Thee,
O Jesus, we adore;
Our kind and loving Saviour be
Both now and evermore.

HYMN LXXX.

[Jesus, Son of David, hear]

Jesus, Son of David, hear,
Thou whom angels glorify,
Bless Thine infant worshipper,
Me who now Hosanna cry,
Hardly understand the word;
Yet I humbly pray for grace,
Teach my heart to call Thee Lord,
Teach my heart to mean Thy praise.
Me, they say, Thy hands have made,
Me Thy precious blood hath bought:
But without Thy Spirit's aid,
This surpasses all my thought:
Saviour, to my heart explain,
Maker both of earth and sky,
How could God become a man?
How could God for sinners die?
450

Take me young into Thy school,
Me in my simplicity
By Thy word and Spirit rule,
Thou my kind Instructor be;
Then I shall my Master prize,
Then I shall my Saviour love,
Till on angels' wings I rise,
Rise, and sing Thy praise above.

HYMN LXXXI. FOR THE MORNING.

Father, I wake Thy love to praise,
Which hath my weakness kept;
Thy mercy did the angels place,
To guard me while I slept.
I laid me down in peace, and rise
Thy goodness to proclaim;
Present my morning sacrifice,
My thanks in Jesu's name.
Because He bought me with His blood,
Into Thy favour take;
And still be merciful and good
To me, for Jesu's sake.
Throughout this day Thy mercy show,
And still Thy child defend,
Till all my spotless life below
In heavenly glories end.
451

HYMN LXXXII. FOR THE EVENING.

Saviour, Thou hast bestow'd on me
The blessing of the light,
And wilt my kind Preserver be
Through this approaching night.
Evil from me far off remove,
That, with Thy favour bless'd,
Beneath the shadow of Thy love
I in Thine arms may rest.
Thy gracious eye which never sleeps
Is always fix'd on man;
Thy love the slumbering children keeps
From sorrow, fear, and pain.
Wherefore I safely lay me down,
And trust myself to Thee,
The Father's well-beloved Son,
Who ever pray'st for me.

HYMN LXXXIII.

[Hosanna to Him Who ruleth on high!]

Hosanna to Him Who ruleth on high!
A world to redeem, He came from the sky;
The' Almighty Creator (O how could it be?)
Appear'd in our nature, An infant like me.
Who all the bright train Angelical made,
Subjected to man, His parents obey'd,
On sinners attended, Their minister was,
And patiently ended His life on a cross.
452

O how shall I praise Thy wonderful love?
Thy Spirit of grace Send down from above,
If still the dear Lover Of children Thou art,
My Saviour, discover Thyself to my heart.

HYMN LXXXIV.

[The children in their earliest days]

The children in their earliest days
To Jesus brought, are truly bless'd:
He folds them in His kind embrace,
He warms them in His tender breast.
One of those happy children, me,
Saviour, into Thy arms receive;
Brought by my parents' prayers to Thee,
O may I in Thy kingdom live.
They tell me Thou art good indeed,
And wouldst to all Thy grace impart;
Put then Thy hands upon my head,
Put faith into my simple heart.
Thee may I for my portion choose,
To Thee through life obedient prove,
And now obtain, and never lose,
The blessing of my Saviour's love.

HYMN LXXXV.

[Jesus His own disciples chid]

Jesus His own disciples chid,
Who, out of false esteem,
The parents foolishly forbid
That brought their babes to Him.
453

Methinks e'en now I hear Him say,
In fervent charity,
“I will not have them kept away,
Bring all your babes to Me.”
Though men our simpleness despise,
Our Saviour doth maintain
They must be small in their own eyes,
If they with us would reign.
To little ones, and not to men,
Is grace and glory given,
Children they must become again,
Or never enter heaven.

HYMN LXXXVI.

[Thee, Jesus, the Son]

Thee, Jesus, the Son
Of David I own,
By all heaven adored,
Thou art come from above in the name of the Lord.
To the house I repair
Of thanksgiving and prayer,
With the children draw nigh,
And aloud in the temple Hosanna I cry.
In my earliest hour
I acknowledge Thy power,
Thy wisdom approve,
And am taught by my parents to pray for Thy love.
Thee, an infant of days,
With wonder I praise;
Thee, the God over all,
I confess, and on Thee for salvation I call.
454

Let mercy attend,
My soul to defend
From offences and sins,
While I scarcely can tell what iniquity means:
But deliver Thine own
From the evil unknown;
And assist me to cry,
“Let me live to be good, or in innocence die!”

HYMN LXXXVII.

[All glory to God]

All glory to God,
Who on man hath bestow'd
The unspeakable gift of His Son!
Little children, we sing
At the birth of a King
Who will give us a share of His throne.
His astonishing birth
Brings peace upon earth,
And praise to His Father above,
Who is now reconciled
By that innocent Child,
And His anger is turn'd into love.
For Immanuel's sake,
Who our nature did take,
He is pleased with the children of men:
And if Christ we believe,
Will His rebels receive
To the arms of His mercy again.
By the Spirit of grace,
We our Saviour embrace,
And expect He again will come down,
455

Our souls to remove
By the power of His love,
And with heavenly glory to crown.

HYMN LXXXVIII.

[Thou, whom angel-choirs proclaim]

Thou, whom angel-choirs proclaim,
Hast bid the children chant Thy name,
Loosen then the stammering tongue,
Listen to my artless song:
Now my infant voice I raise,
Lisp an unknown Saviour's praise;
And feebly thus begin to sing
Under the shadow of Thy wing.

HYMN LXXXIX.

[Lord, that I may sing to Thee]

Lord, that I may sing to Thee,
And make the sweetest melody,
Bid my soul in hymns aspire,
Echo to the Psalmist's lyre;
Tune my heart to praise the Lamb,
(Jesus His harmonious name,)
And when Thou dost from earth remove,
Give me a golden harp above.

HYMN XC.

[When Jesus darts His glorious light]

When Jesus darts His glorious light,
All heaven is ravish'd with the sight;
456

The cherubs strike their golden lyres,
The seraphs glow with brighter fires:
But when Jesus shows His face,
All are hush'd and lost in praise!

HYMN XCI.

[In vain are children taught to pray]

In vain are children taught to pray,
Or praise a God unknown:
Christ is the true and living Way,
And God and Christ are one.
Whene'er we think on God Most High,
Whene'er His praise proclaim,
We think on Him who stoop'd to die;
We bow to Jesu's name.
My God, in Jesus reconciled,
Declare Thyself to me,
If still an uncorrupted child,
Yet still I know not Thee.
To make my sinful nature pure,
Thy Spirit, Lord, impart;
And me from actual sin secure,
By dwelling in my heart.

HYMN XCII.

[O might I in my youthful days]

O might I in my youthful days
Reflect on my Creator's grace,
Call on my heavenly Father's name,
Whose mercy made me what I am,
457

Whose love out of His bosom gave
His only Son, a world to save,
To buy and wash me with His blood,
And bring my new-born soul to God.

HYMN XCIII.

[Children have a right to sing]

Children have a right to sing
Praises to their Infant King;
Tell how Christ, the holy Child,
God and man hath reconciled.
Whom the heavens cannot contain,
Very God and very man,
God was, in His infancy,
Weak and ignorant like me.
Wherefore did He stoop so low?
Jesus, help my heart to know:
Thou who didst my flesh receive,
Unto me Thy Spirit give.
Thus explain the mystery,
Then I shall be one with Thee,
Then I shall, above the sky,
Endless hallelujahs cry.

HYMN XCIV.

[To God, the Creator of all]

To God, the Creator of all,
My earliest tribute I pay,
On Him with humility call,
And promise His laws to obey:
458

I promise, alas! but in vain,
Unless He His Spirit bestow
From folly and sin to restrain,
And keep me wherever I go.
O Father of mercies attend,
(Though now I in ignorance cry,)
And teach me on Him to depend,
My Advocate there in the sky:
Whatever I ask in the name
Of Jesus, I hear, shall be done,
As due to that innocent Lamb,
As claim'd by Thine heavenly Son.

HYMN XCV.

[Let all that breathe Jehovah praise]

Let all that breathe Jehovah praise,
Almighty, all-creating Lord;
Let earth and heaven His power confess,
Brought out of nothing by His word!
He spake the word, and it was done,
The universe His word obey'd:
His Word is His eternal Son,
And Christ the whole creation made.
Jesus, the Lord and God most high,
Maker of all mankind and me,
Me Thou hast form'd to glorify,
To know, and love, and live for Thee:
Wherefore to Thee my heart I give,
(But Thou must first bestow the power,)
And if on earth for Thee I live,
Thee I shall soon in heaven adore.
459

HYMN XCVI.

[Who shall join the acclamation]

Who shall join the acclamation
Of that bright celestial choir,
While with rapturous exultation
All in songs of praise aspire?
Hallelujah
Sounds from every tuneful lyre.
I, if here I love my Lover,
Here my heart to Jesus give,
When this mortal life is over,
Shall a harp and crown receive,
Hallelujah
Sing, as long as God shall live.

HYMN XCVII.

[The Judge of all shall soon come down]

The Judge of all shall soon come down,
Bright on His everlasting throne,
Summon the nations to His bar,
And I shall take my trial there.
Jesus, be now my friend with God,
And wash me in Thy precious blood;
That at Thy last appearance I
May shouting meet Thee in the sky.

HYMN XCVIII.

[Happy beyond description he]

Happy beyond description he
Who in the paths of piety
Loves from his birth to run:
Its ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all its paths are joy and peace,
And heaven on earth begun.
460

If this felicity were mine,
I every other would resign
With just and holy scorn;
Cheerful and blithe my way pursue,
And with the promised land in view
Singing to God return.

HYMN XCIX.

[Thou the great, eternal Lord]

Thou the great, eternal Lord,
Art high above our thought,
Worthy to be fear'd, adored
By those Thy hands have wrought:
None can with Thyself compare,
Thy glory fills both earth and sky:
We, and all Thy creatures, are
As nothing in Thine eye.
Of Thy great unbounded power,
To Thee the praise we give,
Infinitely great, and more
Than heart can e'er conceive;
When Thou wilt to work proceed,
None thy purpose can withstand,
Frustrate the determined deed,
Or stay the' almighty hand.
Thou, O God, art wise alone,
Thy counsel doth excel;
Wonderful thy works we own,
Thy ways unsearchable:
Who can sound the mystery,
Thy judgments' deep abyss explain?
Thou whose eyes in darkness see,
And search the heart of man.
461

Thou the holy God and pure,
Hatest iniquity;
Evil Thou canst not endure,
Or let it stay with Thee:
Who from sin refuse to turn,
Sinners with Thee shall never dwell,
But Thy righteous wrath shall burn
After their souls to hell.
Good Thou art, and good Thou dost,
Thy mercies reach to all;
Chiefly those on Thee who trust,
And for Thy mercies call:
New they every morning are;
As fathers, when their children cry,
Us Thou dost in pity spare,
And all our wants supply.
Mercy o'er Thy works presides,
Thy providence display'd
Still preserves, and still provides
For all Thy hands have made;
Keeps with more distinguish'd care
The man that on Thy love depends,
Watches every number'd hair,
And all his steps attends.
Who can sound the depths unknown
Of Thy redeeming grace;
Grace which gave Thine only Son
To save our ruin'd race!
Millions of transgressors poor
Thou hast for Jesu's sake forgiven,
Made them of Thy favour sure,
And snatch'd from hell to heaven.
462

Millions more Thou ready art
To save, and to forgive;
Every soul and every heart
Of man Thou wouldst receive:
Father, now accept of mine,
Which now, through Christ, I offer Thee,
Tell a child, in love Divine,
That Thou hast pardon'd me.

HYMN C.

[O Father, I am but a child]

O Father, I am but a child,
My body is made of the earth,
My nature, alas! is defiled,
And a sinner I was from my birth;
Not worthy to lift up my face
To a God on His heavenly throne,
Yet allow me to pray for Thy grace,
For without it I must be undone.
I cannot obey Thy commands
Unassisted by grace from above;
No grace I deserve at Thy hands,
Yet I hope to recover Thy love:
Thy mercy is promised to all,
The Giver of Jesus Thou art,
And therefore attend to my call,
And discover His love to my heart.

HYMN CI.

[To me Thy compassion extend]

To me Thy compassion extend,
For the sake of Thy heavenly Son,
From Satan and sin to defend,
And a world full of evil unknown:
463

An invisible enemy's power
Ever near to destroy me, I have,
A lion intent to devour:
Let mercy be nearer to save.
That mercy I languish to feel,
If mercy infuse the desire,
My need of a Saviour reveal,
My soul with the hunger inspire:
O Father, an infant allure
In a way that I never have known,
And me by Thy Spirit assure
That mercy and Jesus are one.

HYMN CII. THANKSGIVING.

Come, my companions dear,
With mine your voices raise,
Let us with heart sincere
Attempt our Saviour's praise;
And while our souls to heaven ascend,
Begin the song that ne'er shall end.
Of whom should children sing,
But of that holy Child
Who to their heavenly King
Hath rebels reconciled?
Peace upon earth He doth bestow:
Rejoice in God reveal'd below.
Who earth and heaven commands
In years and wisdom grew,
Till seized by wicked hands,
They wounded Him, and slew:
464

But in His blood our peace is seal'd,
And by His wounds our souls are heal'd.
Then let us bless His name,
And thank Him for His grace:
Worthy is Christ the Lamb
Of universal praise;
Praise be on Him by all bestow'd,
Who lives, the one eternal God!

HYMN CIII.

[Meet and right it is that I]

Meet and right it is that I
Should my Maker glorify;
Born for this alone I am,
God to praise, through Jesu's name:
Author of my life, receive
Praise the best a child can give.
Teach me, as I older grow,
Thee in Christ aright to know;
That I may Thy blessings prize,
Bring Thee, Jesus, sacrifice,
Thee with understanding praise,
Love, and serve Thee all my days.

HYMN CIV.

[Praise the Father for His love]

Praise the Father for His love,
Christ He sent us from above;
Publish the Redeemer's praise,
Bless the Spirit of His grace;
He reveals the Trinity,
Three in One, and One in Three.
465

Glory be to God alone,
One in Three, and Three in One,
God, from whom all blessings spring,
Every child of Adam sing;
Praise Him, all ye heavenly host,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

HYMN CV.

[The Father above]

The Father above,
The Son of His love,
We adore with the Spirit of grace;
Till He bids us arise
To our thrones in the skies,
And eternity spend in His praise.
FINIS.
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