Wisdom Ascribe, and Might and Praise

HYMN I.

For New Year's Day

Words:  Charles Wesley, Hymns for New Years Day (Bristol: Felix Farley, 1750)

Source: Charles Osborne, ed., The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley. Volume 6. (London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1870), pp. 9-10.

1. Wisdom ascribe, and might and praise
To God, who lengthens out our days,
Who spares us yet another year,
And lets us see His goodness here;
Happy, and wise, the time redeem,
And live, my friends, and die to Him.

2. How often when His arm was bared,
Hath He our sinful Israel spared!
Let them alone, His mercy cried.
And turn'd the vengeful bolt aside,
Indulged another kind reprieve,
And strangely suffer'd us to live.

3. Laid to the root with conscious awe,
But now the threatening axe we saw,
We saw when Jesus stepp'd between,
To part the punishment and sin,
He pleaded for the blood-bought race,
And God vouchsafed a longer space!

4. Still in the doubtful balance weigh'd
We trembled, while the remnant pray'd:
The Father heard His Spirit groan,
And answer'd mild, It is My Son!
He let the prayer of faith prevail,
And mercy turn'd the hovering scale.

5 Merciful God, how shall we raise
Our hearts to pay Thee all Thy praise!
Our hearts shall beat for Thee alone,
Our lives shall make Thy goodness known, .
Our souls and bodies shall be Thine,
A living sacrifice Divine.

6. I, and my house, will serve the Lord,
Led by the Spirit and the word;
We plight our faith, assembled here,
To serve our God the' ensuing year;
And vow, when time shall be no more,
Through all eternity to' adore.

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