18 So shall we still continue free

from whatsoe'er deserves thy blame; And, if once more reviv'd by thee, will always praise thy holy name. 19 Do thou convert us, Lord, do thou the lustre of thy face display; And all the ills we suffer now,

1

like scatter'd clouds, shall pass away.

PSALM LXXXI.

O God, our never-failing strength,
with loud applauses sing;

And jointly make a cheerful noise
to Jacob's awful King.

2 Compose a hymn of praise, and touch your instruments of joy ;

Let psalteries and pleasant harps your grateful skill employ.

3 Let trumpets at the great new moon their joyful voices raise,

To celebrate th' appointed time, the solemn day of praise. 4 For this a statute was of old, which Jacob's God decreed ; To be with pious care observ'd by Israel's chosen seed.

5 This he for a memorial fix'd,

when, freed from Egypt's land, Strange nations' barb'rous speech we heard, but could not understand.

6 Your burden'd shoulders I reliev'd, (thus seems our God to say)

Your servile hands by me were freed from lab'ring in the clay.

7 Your ancestors, with wrongs oppress'd, to me for aid did call;

With pity I their suff'rings saw,

and set them free from all.

They sought for me, and from the cloud in thunder I reply'd;

At Meribah's contentious stream their faith and duty try'd.

PART II.

8 While I my solemn will declare, my chosen people, hear:

If thou, O Israel, to my words
will lend thy list'ning ear;

9 Then shall no God besides myself
within thy coasts be found;
Nor shalt thou worship any God
of all the nations round.

5 When hungry, we are forc'd to drench
our scanty food in floods of woe;
When dry, our raging thirst we quench
with streams of tears that largely flow.
6 For us the heathen nations round,
as for a common prey, contest;
Our foes with spiteful joys abound,
and at our lost condition jest.
7 Do thou convert us, Lord, do thou
the lustre of thy face display;
And all the ills we suffer now,

like scatter'd clouds, shall pass away.
PART II.

8 Thou brought'st a vine from Egypt's land;
and, casting out the heathen race,
Didst plant it with thine own right hand,
and firmly fix it in their place.
9 Before it thou prepar'dst the way,
and mad'st it take a lasting root,
Which, bless'd with thy indulgent ray,
o'er all the land did widely shoot.
10, 11 The hills were cover'd with its shade,
its goodly boughs did cedars seem;
Its branches to the sea were spread,

and reach'd to proud Euphrates' stream. 12 Why then hast thou its hedge o'erthrown, which thou hast made so firm and strong? Whilst all its grapes, defenceless grown, are pluck'd by those that pass along. 13 See how the bristling forest boar with dreadful fury lays it waste; Hark! how the savage monsters roar, and to their helpless prey make haste. PART III.

14 To thee, O God of hosts, we pray; thy wonted goodness, Lord, renew; From heaven, thy throne, this vine survey, and her sad state with pity view. 15 Behold the vineyard made by thee,

which thy right hand did guard so long; And keep that branch from danger free, which for thyself thou mad'st so strong. 16 To wasting flames 'tis made a prey, and all its spreading boughs cut down; At thy rebuke they soon decay,

and perish at thy dreadful frown. 17 Crown thou the King with good success, by thy right hand secur'd from wrong; The Son of Man in mercy bless,

whom for thyself thou mad'st so strong.

18 So shall we still continue free

from whatsoe'er deserves thy blame; And, if once more reviv'd by thee, will always praise thy holy name. 19 Do thou convert us, Lord, do thou the lustre of thy face display; And all the ills we suffer now, like scatter'd clouds, shall pass away.

1

T

PSALM LXXXI.

O God, our never-failing strength,
with loud applauses sing;

And jointly make a cheerful noise
to Jacob's awful King.

2 Compose a hymn of praise, and touch your instruments of joy;

Let psalteries and pleasant harps your grateful skill employ.

3 Let trumpets at the great new moon their joyful voices raise,

To celebrate th' appointed time, the solemn day of praise.

4 For this a statute was of old, which Jacob's God decreed ; To be with pious care observ'd

by Israel's chosen seed.

5 This he for a memorial fix'd,

when, freed from Egypt's land, Strange nations' barb'rous speech we heard, but could not understand.

6 Your burden'd shoulders I reliev'd,
(thus seems our God to say)

Your servile hands by me were freed
from lab'ring in the clay.

7 Your ancestors, with wrongs oppress'd,
to me for aid did call;

With pity I their suff'rings saw,

and set them free from all.

They sought for me, and from the cloud
in thunder I reply'd;

At Meribah's contentious stream
their faith and duty try'd.

PART II.

8 While I my solemn will declare,
my chosen people, hear:
If thou, O Israel, to my words
will lend thy list'ning ear;

9 Then shall no God besides myself
within thy coasts be found;
Nor shalt thou worship any God
of all the nations round.

10 The Lord thy God am I, who thee
brought forth from Egypt's land;
'Tis I that all thy just desires
supply with lib'ral hand.

11 But they, my chosen race, refus'd
to hearken to my voice;

Nor would rebellious Israel's sons make me their happy choice.

12 So I, provok'd, resign'd them up, to every lust a prey;

And in their own perverse designs permitted them to stray.

13 O that my people wisely would my just commandments heed! And Israel in my righteous ways with pious care proceed!

14 Then should my heavy judgments fall on all that them oppose, And my avenging hand be turn'd against their num'rous foes.

15 Their enemies and mine should all
before my footstool bend;

But as for them, their happy state
should never know an end.

16 All parts with plenty should abound; with finest wheat their field:

The barren rocks, to please their taste, should richest honey yield.

GOD

PSALM LXXXII.

MOD in the great assembly stands,
where his impartial eye

In state surveys the earthly gods,
and does their judgments try.

2, 3 How dare ye then unjustly judge,
or be to sinners kind?

Defend the orphans and the poor;
let such your justice find.

4 Protect the humble helpless man,
reduc'd to deep distress;

And let not him become a prey
to such as would oppress.

5 They neither know, nor will they learn,
but blindly rove and stray;
Justice and truth, the world's supports,
through all the land decay.

6 Well then might God in anger say,
"I've call'd you by my name;
"I've said ye're gods, and all ally'd
"to the Most High in fame:

7" But ne'ertheless your unjust deeds
"to strict account I'll call ;

G

"You all shall die like common men,
"like other tyrants fall."

8 Arise, and thy just judgments, Lord,
throughout the earth display;
And all the nations of the world
shall own thy righteous sway.

1

PSALM LXXXIII.

ПTOLD not thy peace, O Lord our God, no longer silent be;

HOLD

Nor with consenting quiet looks

our ruin calmly see.

2 For lo! the tumults of thy foes
o'er all the land are spread;

And those who hate thy saints and thee,
lift up their threat'ning head.

3 Against thy zealous people, Lord,
they craftily combine;

And to destroy thy chosen saints
have laid their close design.

remain

4 "Come let us cut them off," say they,
"their nation quite deface;
"That no remembrance may
"of Israel's hated race."
5 Thus they against thy people's peace
consult with one consent;

And diff'ring nations, jointly leagued,
their common malice vent.
6 The Ishmaelites, that dwell in tents,
with warlike Edom join'd,

And Moab's sons, our ruin vow, with Hagar's race combin'd.

7 Proud Ammon's offspring, Gebal too, with Amalek conspire;

The lords of Palestine, and all the wealthy sons of Tyre.

8 All these the strong Assyrian king their firm ally have got;

Who with a powerful army aids th' incestuous race of Lot.

PART II.

9 But let such vengeance come to them,

as once to Midian came;

To Jabin and proud Sisera,

at Kishon's fatal stream;

10 When thy right hand their num'rous hosts near Endor did confound,

And left their carcasses for dung

to feed the hungry ground.

11 Let all their mighty men the fate of Zeb and Oreb share;