How Shall the Young Secure Their Hearts?

How shall the young se­cure their hearts

And guard their lives from sin?

Thy Word the choic­est rules im­parts

To keep the con­science clean.

When once it en­ters to the mind

It spreads such light abroad

The mean­est souls in­struct­ion find

And raise their thoughts to God.

’Tis

like the sun

a heav’n­ly light

That guides us all the day

And thro’ the dan­gers of the night

A lamp to lead our way.

The men that keep Thy law with care

And me­di­tate Thy Word

Grow wiser than their teach­ers are

And bet­ter know the Lord.

Thy pre­cepts make me tru­ly wise;

I hate the sin­ner’s road;

I hate my own vain thoughts that rise

But love Thy law

my God.

The star­ry heav’ns Thy rule ob­ey

The earth main­tains her place;

And these Thy serv­ants night and day

Thy skill and pow­er ex­press.

But still Thy law and Gos­pel

Lord

Have les­sons more di­vine;

Not earth stands firm­er than Thy Word

Nor stars so nob­ly shine.

Thy Word is ev­er­last­ing truth;

How pure is ev­ery page!

That ho­ly Book shall guide our youth

And well sup­port our age.