Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907.

By Original Hymns for Public, Private, and Social Devotion (1853). I. “Songs of praise”

James Montgomery (1771–1854)

SONGS of praise the angels sang,

Heaven with Hallelujahs rang,

When Jehovah’s work begun,

When He spake, and it was done.

Songs of praise awoke the morn,

When the Prince of Peace was born;

Songs of praise arose when He

Captive led captivity.

Heaven and earth must pass away,

Songs of praise shall crown that day;

God will make new heavens, new earth,

Songs of praise shall hail their birth.

And can man alone be dumb,

Till that glorious kingdom come?

No! the Church delights to raise

Psalms and hymns and songs of praise.

Saints below, with heart and voice,

Still in songs of praise rejoice;

Learning here, by faith and love,

Songs of praise to sing above.

Borne upon their latest breath,

Songs of praise shall conquer death;

Then, amidst eternal joy,

Songs of praise their powers employ.