18 His constant care the upright guides, And over all their life presides;

Their portion shall for ever last: 19 They, when distress o'erwhelms the earth,

Shall be unmov d, and even in dearth
The happy fruits of plenty taste.
20 Not so the wicked man, and those
Who prondly dare God's will oppose;
Destruction is their hapless share:
Like fat of lambs, their hopes, and they,
Shall in an instant melt away,

And vanish into smoke and air

PART III

21 While sinners, brought to sad decay, Still borrow on, and never pay.

The just have will and power to give; 22 For such as God vouchsafes to bless, Shall peaceably the earth possess;

And those he curses shall not live. 23 The good man's way is God's deHe orders all the steps aright [light;

Of him that moves by his command; 24 Though he sometimes may be distress'd,

Yet shall he ne'er be quite oppress'd; For God upholds him with his hand. 25 From my first youth, till age prevail'd,

I never saw the righteous fail'd,

Or want o'ertake his numerous race; 26 Because compassion fill'd his heart, And he did cheerfully impart,

God made his offspring's wealth in

His portion shall for ages stand;

His mouth with wisdom is supply'd; His tongue by rules of judgment moves; His heart the law of God approves :

Therefore his footsteps never slide.
PART IV.

32 In wait the watchful sinner lies,
In vain the righteous to surprise;

In vain his ruin does decree : 33 God will not him defenceless leave, To his revenge expos'd, but save;

And, when he's sentenc'd, set him. free.

34 Wait still on God; keep his com And thou, exalted in the land,

[mand,

Thy bless'd possession ne'er shall quit: The wicked soon destroy'd shall be, And at his dismal tragedy

Thou shalt a safe spectator sit. 35 The wicked I in power have seen, And, like a bay-tree, fresh and green, That spreads its pleasant branches round:

36 But he was gone as swift as thought; And, though in every place I sought, No sign or track of him I found.

37 Observe the perfect man with care, And mark all such as upright are;

Their roughest days in peace shall end: 38 While on the latter end of those Who dare God's sacred will oppose,

A common ruin shall attend. 39 God to the just will aid afford; Their only safeguard is the Lord;

Their strength in time of need is het 40 Because on him they still depend, The Lord will timely succour send, And from the wicked set them free. PSALM XXXVIII.

ΤΗ

HY chast'ning wrath, O Lord, re-
Though I deserve it all; [strain,
Nor let at once on me the storm
Of thy displeasure fall.

2 In every wretched part of me
Thy arrows deep remain;
Thy heavy hand's afflicting weight
I can no more sustain

3 My flesh is one continued wound,
Thy wrath so fiercely glows;
Betwixt my punishment and guilt
My bones have no repose.
4 My sins, which to a deluge swell,
My sinking head o'erflow,
And, for my feeble strength to bear,
Too vast a burden grow.

5 Stench and corruption fill my wounds, My folly's just return;

6 With trouble I am warp'd and bow'd, And all day long I mourn.

7 A loath'd disease afflicts my loins, Infecting every part;

8 With sickness worn. I groan and roar Through anguish of my heart.

PART II.

9 But, Lord, before thy searching eyes All my desires appear; And sure my groans have been too loud,

Not to have reach'd thine ear. 10 My heart's oppress'd, my strength My eyes depriv'd of light; [decay'd, 11 Friends, lovers, kinsmen gaze aloof On such a dismal sight.

12 Meanwhile, the foes that seek my life Their snares to take me set; Vent slanders, and contrive all day

To forge some new deceit : 13 But 1, as if both deaf and dumb, Nor heard, nor once reply'd;

14 Quite deaf and dumb, like one whose tongue

With conscious guilt is ty'd.
15 For, Lord, to thee I do appeal,
Mine innocence to clear;

Assur'd that thou, the righteous God,
My injur'd cause wilt hear.

16 Hear me," said 1, "lest my proud "A spiteful joy display; "Insulting, if they see my foot "But once to go astray." 17 And, with continual grief oppress'd, To sink I now begin;

18 To thee, O Lord, I will confess,

To thee bewail my sin. 19 But whilst I languish, my proud fo Their strength and vigour boast;

And they that hate me without cause

Are grown a dreadful nost. 20 Even they whom I oblig'd, return My kindness with despite; And are my enemies, because

I choose the path that's right. 21 Forsake me not, O Lord my God, Nor far from me depart;

22 Make haste to my relief, O thou, Who my salvation art.

RE

PSALM XXXIX.

ESOLV'D to watch o'er all my I kept my tongue in awe; [ways, I curb'd my hasty words, when 1

The wicked prosp'rous saw. 2 Like one that's dumb, 1 silent stood, And did my tongue refrain From good discourse; but that restraint Increas'd my inward pain.

3 My heart did glow with working And no repose could take; [thoughts, Till strong reflection fann'd the fire,

And thus at length 1 spake :

4 Lord, let me know my term of days, How soon my life will end:

The num'rous train of ills disclose,
Which this frail state attend.

5 My life, thou know'st, is but a span;
A cypher sums my years;
And every man, in best estate,

But vanity appears.

6 Man, like a shadow, vainly walks, With fruitless cares oppress'd; He heaps up wealth, but cannot tell By whom 'twill be possess'd. n worthless toys With anxious cares attend? On thee alone my steadfast hope

7 Why then should

Shall ever, Lord, depend. 8,9 Forgive my sins; nor let me scorn'd By foolish sinners be;

or I was dumb, and murmur'd not, Because 'twas done by thee.

0 The dreadful burden of thy wrath In mercy soon remove; Lest my frail flesh, too weak to bear

The heavy load should prove.

11 For when thou chast'nest man for sin, Thou mak'st his beauty fade, (So vain a thing is he !) like cloth

By fretting moths decay'd.

12 Lord, hear my cry, accept my tears,
And listen to my prayer,
Who sojourn like a stranger here,
As all my fathers were.
13 O spare me yet a little time;
My wasted strength restore,
Before 1 vanish quite from hence,
And shall be seen no more.

PSALM XL.

WAITED meekly for the Lord, Till he vouchsaf'd a kind reply; Who did his gracious ear afford, [ery. And heard from heaven my humble 2 He took me from the disinsal pit,

When founder'd deep in miry clay; On solid ground he plac'd my feet,

And suffer'd not my steps to strav.

3 The wonders he for me has wrought Shall fill my mouth with songs of praise;

And others, to his worship brought

To hopes of like deliv'rance raise. 4 For blessings shall that man reward, Who on the Almighty Lord relies; Who treats the proud with disregard, And hates the hypocrite's disguise. 5 Who can the wondrous works recount Which thou, O God, for us hast wrought ?

The treasures of thy love surmount The power of numbers, speech, and thought.

6 I've learnt that thou hast not desir'd Off'rings and sacrifice alone; Nor blood of guiltless beasts requir'd For nian's transgression to atone. 71 therefore come...come to fulfil The oracles thy books impart; 8 'Tis my delight to do thy will; Thy law is written in my heart. PART 11.

9 In full assemblies I have told

Thy truth and righteousness at large: Nor did, thou know'st, my lips withhold From uttering what thou gav'st in charge:

10 Nor kept within my breast confin'd Thy faithfulness and saving grace; But preach'd thy love, for all design'd, That all might that, and truth, embrace.

11 Then let those mercies I declar'd
To others. Lord, extend to me;
Thy loving-kindness my reward,
Thy truth my safe protection be.
12 For 1 with troubles am distress'd,
Too numberless for me to bear;
Nor less with loads of guilt oppress'd,
That plunge and sink me to despair.
As soon, alas! may I recount

The hairs of this afflicted head;
My vanquish'd courage they surmount,
And fill my drooping soul with dread.
PART III

13 But, Lord, to my relief draw near, For never was more pressing need; In my deliv'rance, Lord, appear,

And add to that deliv'rance speed. 14 Confusion on their heads return,

Who to destroy my soul combine; Let them, defeated, blush and mourn,

Eusnar'd in their own vile design. 15 Their doom let desolation be."

With shame their malice be repaid, Who mock'd my confidence in thee, And sport of my affliction made. 16 While those who humbly seek thy face,

To joyful triumphs shall be rais'd; And all who prize thy saving grace, With me resound. The Lord be prais'd.

17 Thus, wretched though 1 am and

20

PSALM XLI.

HAPPY the man whose tender care

Relieves the poor distress'd! When troubles compass him around, The Lord shall give him rest. 2 The Lord his life, with blessings In safety shall prolong; [crown'd, And disappoint the will of those That seek to do him wrong. 3 If he in languishing estate, Oppress'd with sickness lie; The Lord will easy make his bed, And inward strength supply. 4 Secure of this, to thee, my God, I thus my prayer address'd; "Lord, for thy mercy, heal my soul, "Though I have much transgress'd." 5 My cruel foes, with sland'rous words Attempt to wound my fame; "When shall he die," say they. "Forget his very name ?" 6 Suppose they formal visits make, 'Tis all but empty show; They gather mischief in their hearts, And vent it where they go.

and

[men

7, 8 With private whispers, such as To hurt me they devise: [these,

"A sore disease afflicts him now;
"He's fall'n, no more to rise."
9 My own familiar bosom-friend,
On whom I most rely'd,
Has me, whose daily guest he was,
With open scorn defy 'd.

10 But thou my sad and wretched state,

In mercy, Lord, regard;
And raise me up, that all their crimes
May meet their just reward.

11 By this I know thy gracious ear
Is open, when I call;"
Because thou suffer'st not my foes
To triumph in my fall.

12 Thy tender care secures my life
From danger and disgrace;
And thou vouchsaf'st to set me still
Before thy glorious face.

13 Let therefore Israel's Lord and God
From age to age be bless'd;
And all the people's glad applause
With loud Amens express'd

PSALM XLII

AS pants the hart for cooling streams.

When heated in the chase;

So longs my soul, O God, for thee,
And thy refreshing grace

2 For thee, my God, the living God,
My thirsty soul doth pine;

O! when shall I behold thy face,
Thou Majesty Divine?

On thee and Sion still;

From Jordan's bank, from Hermon's And Mizar's humbler hill.

[heights,

7 One trouble calls another on,
And, gath'ring o'er my head,
Fall spouting down, till round my sou!
A roaring sea is spread.

8 But when thy presence, Lord of life,
Has once dispell'd this storm,
To thee I'll midnight anthems sing,
And all my vows perform.

9 God of my strength, how long shall !,
Like one forgotten, mourn;
Forlorn, forsaken, and expos'd
To my oppressor's scorn?

10 My heart is piere 'd, as with a sword, While thus my foes upbraid:

Vain boaster, where is now thy God? "And where his promis'd aid ?"

11 Why restless, why cast down, my soul?

Hope still; and thou shalt sing The praise of him who is thy God, Thy health's eternal spring.

PSALM XLIII.

JUST Judge of heav'n, against my

Do thou assert y injur'd right; O set me free, my God, from those

That in deceit and wrong delight. 2 Since thou art still my only stay, Why leav'st thou me in deep distress? Why go I mourning all the day.

Whilst me insulting foes oppress? 3 Let me with light and truth be blest; Be these my guides to lead the way, Till on thy holy hill I rest,

And in thy sacred temple pray. 4 Then will I there fresh altars raise To God, who is my only joy; And well-tun'd harps, with songs of praise,

Shall all my grateful hours employ. 5 Why then cast down, my soul ? and

why

So much oppress'd with anxious care? On God, thy God, for aid rely, Who will thy ruin'd state repair. PSALM XLIV.

Insulting foes upbraid;

Deluded wretch where's now thy
God?

"And where his promis'd aid ?"

4 I sigh, whene'er my musing thoughts
Those happy days present,
When 1, with troops of pious friends,
Thy temple did frequent
When I advanc'd with songs of praise,
My solemn vows to pay,

In our attentive ears,

Thy wonders, in their days perform'd, Ánd elder times than theirs:

[drive

2 How thou, to plant them here, didst
The heathen from this land,
Dispeopled by repeated strokes
Of thy avenging hand.

3 For not their courage, nor their sword,
To them possession gave;
Nor strength, that from unequal force
Their fainting troops could save:

But thy right hand and powerful arm,
Whose succour they implor'd;
Thy presence with the chosen race,
Who thy great name ador'd

4 As thee their God our fathers own'd,
Thou art our sov reign King;
O! therefore, as thou didst to them,
To us deliv'rance bring.

5 Through thy victorious name, our arms
The proudest foes shall quell;
And crush them with repeated strokes,
As oft as they rebel.

6 I'll neither trust my bow nor sword, When in fight engage;

7 But thee, who hast our foes subdu'd, And sham'd their spiteful rage. 8 To thee the triumph we ascribe, From whom the conquest came: In God we will rejoice all day, And ever bless his name

PART II.

9 But thon hast cast us off; and now Most shamefully we yield;

For thou no more vouchsaf st to lead
Our armies to the field:

10 Since when, to every upstart foe
We turn our backs in fight;
And with our spoil their malice feast,
Who bear us ancient spite.
11 To slaughter doom'd, we fall, like
Into their butch'ring hands, [sheep,
Or (what's more wretched yet) survive,
Dispers'd through heathen lands.
12 Thy people thou hast sold for slaves,
And set their price so low,
That not thy treasure, by the sale,
But their disgrace, may grow.
13, 14 Reproach d by all the nations
round,

The heathen's by-word grown; Whose scorn of us is both in speech And mocking gestures shown.

15 Confusion strikes me blind; my face

In conscious shame I hide;

25 Whose scuis and bodies sink to earth With grief's oppressive weight? 26 Arise, O Lord, and timely haste To our deliv'rance make; Redeem us. Lord; if not for ours, Yet for thy mercy's sake.

W

PSALM XLV.

HILE I the King's loud praise reIndited by my heart, [hearse, My tongue is like the pen of him That writes with ready art.

2 How matchless is thy form, O King! Thy mouth with grace o'erflows; Because fresh blessings God on thee Eternally bestows

3 Gird on thy sword, most mighty prince; And, clad in rich array.

With glorious ornaments of power,
Majestic pomp display

4 Ride on in state, and still protect
The meek, the just, and true;
Whilst thy right hand, with swift revenge,
Does all thy foes pursue

5 How sharp thy weapons are to them
That dare thy power despise !
Down, down they fall, while through their

The feather'd arrow flies.

[hear 6 But thy firm throne, O God, is fix'd, For ever to endure;

Thy sceptre's sway shall always last,
7 Because thy heart, by justice led,
By righteous laws secure.
Did upright ways approve.
And hated still the crooked paths,
Where wand'ring sinners rove
Therefore did God, thy God, on thee
The oil of gladness shed;
And has, above thy fellows round,
Advanc'd thy lofty head.

8 With cassia, aloes, and myrrh,
Thy royal robes abound;
Which, from the stately wardrobe bro't,
9 Among the honourable train
Spread grateful odours round.

Did princely virgins wait;

By their licentious pride

PART 111

[phem'd,

17 On us this heap of woes is fall'n, All this we have endur'd;

Yet have not, Lord, renoune'd thy name, Or faith to thee abjur'd 18 But in thy righteous paths have kept Our hearts and steps with care; 19 Though thou hast broken all our And we almost despair. [strength, 20 Could we, forgetting thy great name, On other gods rely,

21 And not the Searcher of all hearts
The treach'rous crime descry?
22 Thou seest what suff'rings, for thy
We every day sustain
[sake,

All slaughter'd, or reserv'd like sheep
Appointed to be slain.

23 Awake, arise; let seeming sleep
No longer thee detain ;

Nor let us, Lord, who sue to thee,
For ever sue in vain.

24 01 wherefore hidest thou thy face From our afflicted state,

In golden robes of state
PART II

10 But thou, O royal bride, give ear,
And to my words attend;
Forget thy native country now.
And every former friend.
11 So shall thy beauty charm the King,
Nor shall his love decay;
For he is now become thy Lord;

To him due rev'rence pay. 12 The Tyrian matrons, rich and proud, Shall humble presents make; And all the wealthy nations sue Thy favour to partake.

13 The King's fair Daughter's fairer soul All inward graces fill; Her raiment is of purest gold,

Adorn'd with costly skill.

14 She in her nuptial garments dress'il, With needles richly wrought, Attended by her virgin train, Shall to the King be brought. 15 With all the state of solemn Joy The triumph moves along ;