SACRED SONGS.

VOL. V.

6

SACRED SONGS.

THOU ART, OH GOD!

Air.-UNKNOWN.*

"The day is thine; the night also is thine: thou bast prepared the light and the sun.

"Thou hast set all the borders of the earth; thou hast made summer and winter."—Psalm lxxiv. 16, 17.

I.

THOU art, oh GOD! the life and light
Of all this wondrous world we see ;
Its glow by day, its smile by night,
Are but reflections caught from Thee.
Where'er we turn, thy glories shine,
And all things fair and bright are Thine!

* I have heard that this air is by the late Mrs. Sheridan.

It is sung to the beautiful old words, "I do confess thou'rt smooth and fair."

II.

When Day, with farewell beam, delays
Among the opening clouds of Even,
And we can almost think we gaze

Through golden vistas into Heaven—
Those hues, that make the Sun's decline
So soft, so radiant, LORD! are Thine.

III.

When Night, with wings of starry gloom,
O'ershadows all the earth and skies,
Like some dark, beauteous bird, whose plume
Is sparkling with unnumber'd eyes—
That sacred gloom, those fires divine,
So grand, so countless, LORD! are Thine.

IV.

When youthful Spring around us breathes,
Thy Spirit warms her fragrant sigh;

And

every

flower the Summer wreathes

Is born beneath that kindling eye.

Where'er we turn, thy glories shine,

And all things fair and bright are Thine.

THIS WORLD IS ALL A FLEETING SHOW.

Air.-STEVEnson.

I.

THIS world is all a fleeting show,
For man's illusion given;

The smiles of Joy, the tears of Woe,
Deceitful shine, deceitful flow-

There's nothing true but Heaven!

II.

And false the light on Glory's plume,
As fading hues of Even ;

And Love and Hope, and Beauty's bloom,
Are blossoms gather'd for the tomb-

There's nothing bright but Heaven!

III.

Poor wanderers of a stormy day,
From wave to wave we're driven,
And Fancy's flash, and Reason's ray,
Serve but to light the troubled way-

There's nothing calm but Heaven!