Wait for his seasonable aid,

And though it tarry, wait:

The promise may be long delay'd,

But cannot come too late.

III. JEHOVAH-ROPHI. I AM THE LORD THAT
HEALETH THEE. Exod. xv. 26.

HEAL us, Emmanuel, here we are,
Waiting to feel thy touch:
Deep-wounded souls to thee repair,
And, Saviour, we are such.

Our faith is feeble, we confess,
We faintly trust thy word;
But wilt thou pity us the less?
Be that far from thee, Lord!

Remember him who once applied,
With trembling, for relief;

"Lord, I believe," with tears he cried,*

Oh, help my unbelief!"

She too, who touch'd thee in the press,
And healing virtue stole,

Was answer'd, "Daughter, go in peace,+
Thy faith hath made thee whole."

Conceal'd amid the gathering throng,
She would have shunn'd thy view;
And if her faith was firm and strong,
Had strong misgivings too.

*Mark ix. 24.

+ Mark v. 34.

Like her, with hopes and fears we come,
To touch thee, if we may;
Oh! send us not despairing home,
Send none unheal'd away.

IV. JEHOVAH-NISSI. THE LORD MY BANNER. Exod. xvii. 15.

By whom was David taught

To aim the deadly blow,
When he Goliath fought,

And laid the Gittite low?

Nor sword nor spear the stripling took,

But chose a pebble from the brook.

'Twas Israel's God and king
Who sent him to the fight;
Who gave him strength to sling,
And skill to aim aright.

Ye feeble saints, your strength endures,
Because young David's God is yours.

Who order'd Gideon forth,

To storm the invaders' camp,

With arms of little worth,

A pitcher and a lamp? *

The trumpets made his coming known,
And all the host was overthrown.

Oh! I have seen the day,

When, with a single word,
God helping me to say,

My trust is in the Lord,

My soul hath quell'd a thousand foes,
Fearless of all that could oppose.

But unbelief, self-will,
Self-righteousness, and pride,
How often do they steal
My weapon from my side!

Yet David's Lord, and Gideon's friend,
Will help his servant to the end.

V. JEHOVAH-SHALOM. THE LORD SEND PEACE.
Judges vi. 24.

JESUS, whose blood so freely stream'd,
To satisfy the law's demand;

By thee from guilt and wrath redeem'd,
Before the Father's face I stand.

To reconcile offending man,

Make Justice drop her angry rod;
What creature could have form'd the plan,
Or who fulfil it but a God?

No drop remains of all the curse,

For wretches who deserved the whole;

No arrows dipt in wrath to pierce
The guilty but returning soul.

Peace by such means so dearly bought, What rebel could have hoped to see? Peace, by his injured Sovereign wrought, His Sovereign fasten'd to a tree.

Now, Lord, thy feeble worm prepare! For strife with earth and hell begins; Confirm and guard me for the war,

They hate the soul that hates his sins.

Let them in horrid league agree!

They may assault, they may distress; But cannot quench thy love to me, Nor rob me of the Lord, my peace.

VI. WISDOM.

Prov. viii. 22-31.

ERE God had built the mountains,
Or raised the fruitful hills;
Before he fill'd the fountains
That feed the running rills;
In me, from everlasting,
The wonderful I AM,

Found pleasures never-wasting,
And Wisdom is my name.

When, like a tent to dwell in,
He spread the skies abroad,
And swathed about the swelling
Of Ocean's mighty flood;

He wrought by weight and measure,
And I was with him then:
Myself the Father's pleasure,
And mine, the sons of men.

Thus Wisdom's words discover
Thy glory and thy grace,
Thou everlasting lover

Of our unworthy race!
Thy gracious eye survey'd us
Ere stars were seen above;
In wisdom thou hast made us,
And died for us in love.

And couldst thou be delighted
With creatures such as we,
Who, when we saw thee, slighted
And nail'd thee to a tree?
Unfathomable wonder,

And mystery divine!

The voice that speaks in thunder,
Says, "Sinner, I am thine!"

VII. VANITY OF THE WORLD.

God gives his mercies to be spent;
Your hoard will do your soul no good;

Gold is a blessing only lent,

Repaid by giving others food.