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OD be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. 2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. 3 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. 4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. 5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. 6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. 7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him. (Psalm 67:1-7)
This is a beautiful doxology fit for the closing of any service in the Church. It is taken from the 1916 Hymnal of the Church (#312). The author is Henry Lyte, 1793–1857, a Church of England cleric. The tune is a very appealing one, Heathlands, by Henry Smart (1813-1879). The lyrics were composed in 1834.
God of Mercy, God of Grace
Doxology
God of mercy, God of grace,
Show the brightness of thy face;
Shine upon us, Savior, shine,
Fill thy Church with light divine;
And thy saving health extend
Unto earth's remotest end.
Let the people praise thee, Lord;
Be by all that live adored;
Let the nations shout and sing
Glory to their Savior King;
At thy feet their tribute pay,
And thy holy will obey.
Let the people praise thee, Lord;
Earth shall then her fruits afford;
God to man his blessings give,
Man to God devoted live;
All below, and all above,
One in joy, and light, and love.
Praise the Name of God most high,
Praise him, all below the sky,
Praise him, all ye heavenly host,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;
As through countless ages past,
Evermore his praise shall last.
Amen.
God of mercy, God of grace, Show the brightness of thy face; Shine upon us, Savior, shine, Fill thy Church with light divine; And thy saving health extend Unto earth's remotest end. Two of the most defining terms for our Lord is that of Mercy and Grace. His love comes as a resplendent gleam of light from beyond the starry constellations down to us. It warms and points the way that is the good and pleasant way for his pilgrim children. It is a reminder of the my favorite blessing to children at the Communion rail: “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26) The health the Lord offers is an eternal health with the angels in Heaven.
Let the people praise thee, Lord; Be by all that live adored; Let the nations shout and sing Glory to their Savior King; At thy feet their tribute pay, And thy holy will obey. The praise we offer to our Lord is the result of His grace in allowing our worship of Him, and what a blessing it is to have such an Almighty God who loves us and receives our praise and prayers. Unfortunately, the animal kingdom glorifies Him in their innocence to a greater degree than the crowning jewel of His Creation – Man! The nations will bow to the Lord Jesus Christ at the End of Days, however, their rebellion has reached the Throne of Heaven and shall be dealt with according to His prophetic Word. “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:7-10) And thus will end the great wickedness prevailing throughout the world – no more drag shows! In the end all the earth – past present, and future – will obey and fall down before Him, some in trembling fear, and others in joyous bliss.
Let the people praise thee, Lord; Earth shall then her fruits afford; God to man his blessings give, Man to God devoted live; All below, and all above, One in joy, and light, and love. I look forward to eagerness for the soon coming of the Lord. The elect of God are justified to feel the same vexation as righteous Lot living among thew wicked of Sodom: “And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.” (2 Peter 2:7-9) The day will come when the angels will likewise escort the Church from the coming fury of intense and fervent heat that will befall the world.
Praise the Name of God most high, Praise him, all below the sky, Praise him, all ye heavenly host,Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; As through countless ages past, Evermore his praise shall last. Amen. If there are beasts in both heaven and earth that will praise the Lord, I feel that the pets we love here on earth will be with us again: “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever.” (Revelation 4:8-9) God creates nothing to go to waste.
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