Blest hour, when mortal man retires
To hold communion with his God;
To send to Heaven his warm desires,
And listen to the sacred word.

Blest hour, when God Himself draws nigh,
Well pleased His people’s voice to hear;
To hush the penitential sigh,
And wipe away the mourner’s tear.

Blest hour, for, when the Lord resorts,
Foretastes of future bliss are given;
And mortals find His earthly courts
The house of God, the gate of Heaven.

Hail, peaceful hour! supremely blest
Amid the hours of worldly care;
The hour that yields the spirit rest,
That sacred hour, the hour of prayer.

And when my hours of prayer are past,
And this frail tenement decays,
Then may I spend in Heaven at last
A never-ending hour of praise.

I see angels ascending, descending on a stairway from heaven to earth.
At the top stands the Lord, God of Abr’ham. He is mighty.

Refrain

How awesome is this place, dear Father,
How beautiful the house of God.
Your Presence at the gate of heaven, it is good to be near.
It is good to be here.
How awesome is this place, oh Lord.

I feel blessings ascending, descending on the hearts and the pray’rs of the saints
Through this fellowship, sweet, comes His pleasure. He is lovely!

Refrain

To the Ancient of Days be the honor. He is worthy alone to be praised.
We will sing through the ages in Glory “You are Holy!!”

Refrain

Lo, God is here! let us adore,
And own how dreadful is this place!
Let all within us feel His power,
And silent bow before His face.

Lo, God is here! Whom day and night
United choirs of angels sing;
To Him, enthroned above all height,
The hosts of Heaven their praises bring.

Gladly the toys of earth we leave,
Wealth, pleasure, fame, for Thee alone;
To Thee our will, soul, flesh, we give,
O take, O seal them for Thine own!

Disdain, not, Lord, our meaner song,
Who praise Thee with a faltering tongue.
To Thee may all our thoughts arise
A true and ceaseless sacrifice.

Being of beings, may our praise
Thy courts with grateful fragrance fill!
Still may we stand before Thy face,
Still hear and do Thy sovereign will.

In Thee we move. All things of Thee
Are full, Thou Source and Life of all;
Thou vast unfathomable sea!
Fall prostrate, lost in wonder fall.

As flowers their opening leaves display,
And glad drink in the solar fire,
So may we catch Thine every ray,
And thus Thy influence inspire.

O Word of God above,
Who fillest all in all,
Hallow this house with Thy sure love,
And bless our festival.

Here from the font is poured
Grace on each sinful child;
The blest anointing of the Lord
Brightens the once defiled.

Here Christ to faithful hearts
His body gives for food;
The Lamb of God Himself imparts
The chalice of His blood.

Here guilty souls that pine
May health and pardon win;
The Judge acquits, and grace divine
Restores the dead in sin.

Yea, God enthroned on high
Here also dwells to bless;
Here trains adoring souls that sigh
His mansions to possess.

Against this holy home
Rude tempests harmless beat,
And Satan’s angels fiercely come
But to endure defeat.

All might, all praise be Thine,
Father, co-equal Son,
And Spirit, Bond of love divine,
Where endless ages run.

Only begotten, Word of God eternal,
Lord of Creation, merciful and mighty,
List to Thy servants, when their tuneful voices
Rise to Thy presence.

Thus in our solemn Feast of Dedication,
Graced with returning rites of due devotion,
Ever Thy children, year by year rejoicing,
Chant in Thy temple.

This is Thy palace; here Thy presence-chamber;
Here may Thy servants, at the mystic banquet,
Daily adoring, take the Body broken,
Drink of Thy chalice.

Here for Thy children stands the holy laver,
Fountain of pardon for the guilt of nature,
Cleansed by whose water springs a race anointed,
Liegemen of Jesus.

Here in our sickness healing grace aboundeth,
Light in our blindness, in our toil refreshment;
Sin is forgiven, hope o’er fear prevaileth,
Joy over sorrow.

Hallowed this dwelling where the Lord abideth,
This is none other than the gate of Heaven;
Strangers and pilgrims, making homes eternal,
Pass through its portals.

Lord, we beseech Thee, as we throng Thy temple,
By Thy past blessings, by Thy present bounty,
Smile on Thy children, and with tender mercy,
Hear our petitions.

God in three Persons, Father everlasting,
Son co-eternal, ever blessèd Spirit,
Thine be the glory, praise and adoration,
Now and forever.