Author: John Sanderson

Hide not thou thy face from us, O Lord,
and cast not off thy servant in thy displeasure;
for we confess our sins unto thee
and hide not our unrighteousness.
For thy mercy’s sake,
deliver us from all our sins.

Lord, for thy tender mercy’s sake
Lay not our sins to our charge,
But forgive that is past,
And give us grace to amend our sinful lives:
To decline from sin and incline to virtue,
That we may walk in a perfect heart,
Before thee now and evermore.

Strengthen for service, Lord, the hands
that holy things have taken;
let ears that now have heard your songs
to clamour never waken.

Lord, may the tongues which ‘Holy’ sang
keep free from all deceiving;
the eyes which saw your love be bright,
your blessèd hope perceiving.

The feet that tread the holy courts
from your light do not banish;
the bodies by your Body fed
with your new life replenish.

Glorious things of you are spoken,
Sion city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed you for his own abode;
On the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake your sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
You may smile at all your foes.

See the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love,
well supply your sons and daughters
And all fear of want remove;
Who can faint, while such a river
Ever flows their thirst to assuage –
grace, which, like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.

Blest inhabitants of Zion,
Washed in their Redeemer’s blood;
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
Makes them Kings and priests to God.
’Tis His love his people raises
Over self to reign as kings:
And as priests, his solemn praises,
each for a thank-offering brings.

Savior, since of Zion’s city
I, through grace, a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in Thy name.
Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Sion’s children know.

l How long O Lord will you so | utterly. for | get me:
how long will you | hide your | face from | me?
2 How long must I suffer anguish in my soul
and be so grieved in my heart | day and | night:
how long shall my | ene .my | triumph | over me?

3 Look upon me O Lord my | God and | answer me:
lighten my | eyes . lest I | sleep in | death;
4 Lest my enemy say ‘I have prev|ailed ag|ainst him’:
lest my foes ex |ult| at my | overthrow.

5 Yet I put my trust in your un|failing | love:
O let my heart re | joice in | your sal|vation.
6 And I will make my | song . to the | Lord:
because he | deals so | bounti.fully | with me.

Now let us from this table rise,
Renewed in body, mind, and soul;
With Christ we die and live again,
His selfless love has made us whole.

With minds alert, upheld by grace,
To spread the Word in speech and deed,
We follow in the steps of Christ,
At one with all in hope and need.

To fill each human house with love,
It is the sacrament of care;
The work that Christ began to do,
We humbly pledge ourselves to share.

Then grant us courage Father God,
To choose again the pilgrim way,
And help us to accept with joy
The challenge of tomorrow’s day.