Ecclesiastes 3:1--12:14
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[Ecc 5:12] Sweet Is The Work, My God, My King
Sweet is the work, my God, my King,
To praise Thy Name, give thanks and sing,
To show Thy love by morning light
And talk of all Thy truth at night.Sweet is the day of sacred rest,
No mortal cares shall seize my breast.
O may my heart in tune be found,
Like David’s harp of solemn sound!My heart shall triumph in my Lord
And bless His works and bless His Word.
Thy works of grace, how bright they shine!
How deep Thy counsels, how divine!Fools never raise their thoughts so high;
Like brutes they live, like brutes they die;
Like grass they flourish, till Thy breath
Blast them in everlasting death.But I shall share a glorious part,
When grace has well refined my heart;
And fresh supplies of joy are shed,
Like holy oil, to cheer my head.Sin (my worst enemy before)
Shall vex my eyes and ears no more;
My inward foes shall all be slain,
Nor Satan break my peace again.Then shall I see, and hear, and know
All I desired and wished below;
And every power find sweet employ
In that eternal world of joy.And then what triumphs shall I raise
To Thy dear Name through endless days,
For in the realms of joy I’ll see
Thy face in full felicity.Play source: Cyberhymnal -
[Ecc 5:12] Work Is Sweet For God Has Blest
Work is sweet, for God has blest
Honest work with quiet rest,
Rest below and rest above
In the mansions of His love,
When the work of life is done,
When the battle’s fought and won.Work ye, then, while yet ’tis day,
Work ye Christians, while ye may,
Work for all that’s great and good,
Working for your daily food.
Working whilst the golden hours,
Health, and strength, and youth are yours.Working not alone for gold,
Not the work that’s bought and sold,
Not the work that worketh strife,
But the working of a life
Careless both of good or ill,
If ye can but do His will.Working ere the day is gone,
Working till your work is done,
Not as traffickers at marts,
But as fitteth honest hearts,
Working till your spirits rest
With the spirits of the blest.Play source: Cyberhymnal -
[Ecc 9:4] Life Is The Time To Serve The Lord
Life is the time to serve the Lord,
The time to ensure the great reward;
And while the lamp holds out to burn,
The vilest sinner may return.Life is the hour that God has given
To ’scape from hell and fly to Heav’n;
The day of grace, and mortals may
Secure the blessings of the day.The living know that they must die,
But all the dead forgotten lie;
Their memory and their sense is gone,
Alike unknowing and unknown.Their hatred and their love is lost,
Their envy is buried in the dust;
They have no share in all that’s done
Beneath the circuit of the sun.Then what my thoughts design to do,
My hands, with all your might pursue;
Since no device nor work is found,
Nor faith, nor hope, beneath the ground.There are no acts of pardon passed
In the cold grave, to which we haste;
But darkness, death, and long despair,
Reign in eternal silence there.Play source: Cyberhymnal -
[Ecc 11:1] Cast Thy Bread Upon The Waters
Cast thy bread upon the waters,
Thinking not ’tis thrown away;
God Himself saith, thou shalt gather
It again some future day.Cast thy bread upon the waters;
Wildly though the billows roll,
They but aid thee as thou toilest
Truth to spread from pole to pole.As the seed, by billows floated,
To some distant island lone,
So to human souls benighted,
That thou flingest may be borne.Cast thy bread upon the waters,
Why wilt thou still doubting stand?
Bounteous shall God send the harvest
If thou sowest with liberal hand.Play source: Cyberhymnal -
[Ecc 11:7] Summer Suns Are Glowing
Summer suns are glowing over land and sea;
Happy light is flowing, bountiful and free;
Everything rejoices in the mellow rays;
Earth’s ten thousand voices swell the psalm of praise.God’s free mercy streameth over all the world,
And His banner gleameth, by His church unfurled;
Broad and deep and glorious, as the heaven above,
Shines in might victorious His eternal love.Lord, upon our blindness Thy pure radiance pour;
For Thy lovingkindness we would love Thee more;
And when clouds are drifting dark across the sky,
Then, the veil uplifting, Father, be Thou nigh.We will never doubt Thee, though Thou veil Thy light;
Life is dark without Thee, death with Thee is bright;
Light of light, shine o’er us on our pilgrim way;
Go Thou still before us to the endless day.Play source: Cyberhymnal -
[Ecc 11:7] Sweet Is The Sunlight After Rain
Sweet is the sunlight after rain,
And sweet the sleep which follows pain;
And sweetly steals the Sabbath rest
Upon the world’s work-wearied breast.Of Heaven the sign, of earth, the calm;
The poor man’s birthright and his balm;
God’s witness of celestial thing;
A sun with healing in its wings.New rising in this gospel time,
And in its sevenfold light sublime,
Blest day of God! we hail its dawn,
To gratitude and worship drawn.O naught of gloom and naught of pride
Should with the sacred hours abide;
At work for God, in loved employ,
We lose the duty in the joy.Breathe on us, Lord! our sins forgive,
And make us strong in faith to live;
Our utmost, sorest need supply,
And make us strong in faith to die.Play source: Cyberhymnal -
[Ecc 11:9] Ye Sons Of Adam, Vain And Young
Ye sons of Adam, vain and young,
Indulge your eyes, indulge your tongue,
Taste the delights your souls desire,
And give a loose to all your fire;Pursue the pleasures you design,
And cheer your hearts with songs and wine;
Enjoy the day of mirth, but know
There is a day of judgment, too.God from on high records your thoughts,
His book records your secret faults;
The works of darkness you have done
Must all appear before the sun.The vengeance to your follies due
Should strike your hearts with terror through:
How will you stand before His face,
Or answer for His injured grace?Almighty God! turn off their eyes
From these alluring vanities;
And let the thunder of Thy Word
Awake their souls to fear the Lord.Play source: Cyberhymnal -
[Ecc 12:1] Make Christ Your King
O youth, with life before you, and with gladness all around,
While in your heart the songs of hope and courage ring,
“Remember thy Creator while the evil days come not,”
And choose the Christ of Calvary to be your King.Refrain
Choose today! acknowledge Him your Savior;
Choose today! your heart a tribute bring
Unto Him who suffered to redeem you,
Let Him rule and reign, your King!
Choose today, for love and valiant service
Unto Him belong,
Take the vow, and ever faithful be
Till you sing the victor’s song.True wisdom you are seeking; no one ever sought in vain
Who asked of Him who lived and taught in Galilee;
A fullness and a brightness for your life in Him you’ll find,
And safety from the sins that lie in wait for thee.Refrain
Courageous be, and loyal, for on every hand are foes
That wait with subtle charms to lead your feet astray,
Yet Christ the world’s Redeemer every step before you knows,
And He will guide, and guard, and love you all the way.Refrain
Play source: Cyberhymnal -
[Ecc 12:1] Now In The Days Of Youth
Now in the days of youth,
When life flows fresh and free,
Thou Lord of all our hearts and lives,
We give ourselves to Thee;
Our fervent gift receive,
And fit us to fulfill,
Through all our days, in all our ways,
Our heavenly Father’s will.Teach us where’er we live,
To act as in Thy sight,
And do what Thou wouldst have us do
With radiant delight;
Not choosing what is great,
Nor spurning what is small,
But taking from Thy hands our tasks
To glorify them all.Teach us to love the true,
The beautiful and pure,
And let us not for one short hour
An evil thought endure.
And give us grace to stand
Decided, brave, and strong,
The lovers of all holy things,
The foes of all things wrong.Spirit of Christ, do Thou
Our first bright days inspire,
That we may live the life of love
And loftiest desire;
And be by Thee prepared
For larger years to come;
And for the life ineffable,
Within the Father’s home.Play source: Cyberhymnal -
[Ecc 12:1] Remember In Youth Thy Creator
Remember in youth thy Creator,
Give heed to the voice of His Word;
For happy are they who believe Him,
And trust in the arm of the Lord.Refrain
Remember in youth thy Creator,
How gentle His goodness and care;
The best of His blessings He offers,
The gift of His love you may share.Remember in youth thy Creator,
Ere days that are evil draw nigh;
And years that afford us no pleasure
Shall chase the bright beams from our sky.Refrain
He claims our affection in childhood,
He offers the gift of His love;
O then let us earnestly seek Him,
And lay up our treasure above.Refrain
Play source: Cyberhymnal -
[Ecc 12:6] Saved By Grace
Some day the silver cord will break,
And I no more as now shall sing;
But oh, the joy when I shall wake
Within the palace of the King!Refrain
And I shall see Him face to face,
And tell the story—Saved by grace;
And I shall see Him face to face,
And tell the story—Saved by grace.Some day my earthly house will fall.
I cannot tell how soon ’twill be;
But this I know—my All in All
Has now a place in Heav’n for me.Refrain
Some day, when fades the golden sun
Beneath the rosy tinted west,
My blessèd Lord will say, “Well done!”
And I shall enter into rest.Refrain
Some day: till then I’ll watch and wait,
My lamp all trimmed and burning bright,
That when my Savior opens the gate,
My soul to Him may take its flight.Refrain
Play source: Cyberhymnal
