In the presence of the Lord

45    5th P. M. 4 lines 7s.
The Lord our righteousness.

IN thy presence we appear;
   Lord! we love to worship here,
   When, within the veil, we meet
   Thee upon thy mercy-seat.

2 While thy glorious Name is sung,
   Touch our lips, and loose our tongue;
   Then our joyful souls shall bless
   Thee, the Lord our righteousness.

3 While to thee our prayers ascend,
   Let thine ear in love attend;
   Hear, for Jesus intercedes;
   Hear us, for thy Spirit pleads.

4 While thy Word is heard with awe,
   And we tremble at thy law,
   Let thy Gospel’s wondrous love
   Every doubt and fear remove.

5 While thy ministers proclaim
   Peace and pardon through thy name,
   In their voices let us own
   Jesus, speaking from the throne.

6 From thy house when we return,
   Let our hearts within us burn;
   That at evening we may say,—
   We have walk’d with God to day.
                 James Montgomery
                 Methodist Episcopal Hymnal (1870 edition)

<idle musing>
Take a look at the guy's biography. In some ways it reads like Paul's! "Montgomery was imprisoned briefly when he printed a song that celebrated the fall of the Bastille and again when he described a riot in Sheffield that reflected unfavorably on a military commander. He also protested against slavery, the lot of boy chimney sweeps, and lotteries."

We could use more hymn writers with a biography like that!
</idle musing>