PSALM L X X X V.

. Thy land to favour graciously

Thou hast not, Lord, been slack; Thou hast from 'hard' captivity

Returned Jacob back.

Th' iniquity thou didst forgive

• That wrought thy people wo; And all their sin, that did thee grieve,'

Hast hid 'where none shall know.'

Thine anger

all thou hadst remov'd, And calmly didst return From thy * fierce wrath, which we had prov'd

Far worse than fire to burn.

God of our saving health and peace !

Turn us, and us restore ; Thine indignation cause to cease

Toward us, “and chide no more.'

Wilt thou be angry without end,

For ever angry thus ?
Wilt thou thy frowning ire extend

From age to age on us?
Wilt thou not † turn, and hear our voice,'

And us again revive,
That so thy people may rejoice

By thee preserv'd alive?
Cause us to see thy goodness, Lord,

To us thy mercy show,
Thy saving health to us afford,

And life in us renew.'

* Heb. The burning heat of thy wrath.'
+ Heb. "Turn to quickon us.'

And now,' what God the Lord will speak,

I will go straight and hear,
For to his people he speaks peace,

And to his saints' full dear.'
To his dear saints he will speak peace;

But let them never more
Return to folly, “but surcease'

'To trespass as before.' Surely, to such as do him fear

Salvation is at hand;
And glory shall'ere long appear,

«To' dwell within our land.

Mercy and Truth that long were miss'd,

Now "joyfully' are met; • Sweet Peace and Righteousness have kiss’d,

· And hand in hand are set.'

Truth from the earth, like to a flower,'

Shall bud and blossom 'then;'
And Justice, from her heavenly bower,

Look down on mortal men.'

The Lord will also then bestow

Whatever thing is good ;
Our land shall forth in plenty throw

Her fruits 'to be our food.'
Before him Righteousness shall go,

• His royal harbinger ;' Then * will he come, and not be slow;

His footsteps cannot err.

* Heb. He will set his steps to the way.'

Wild beasts there browse, and make their food

•Her grapes and tender shoots.' Return now, God of Hosts ! look down

From heaven, thy seat divine ;
Behold ' us, but without a frown,'

And visit this 'thy' vine.
Visit this vine, which thy right hand

Hath set, and planted . long,'
And the young branch, that for thyself

Thou hast made firm and strong.

But now it is consum'd with fire,

And cut with axes’ down; They perish at thy dreadful ire

At thy rebuke and frown,

Upon the man of thy right hand

Let thy 'good' hand be laid ;' Upon the son of man, whom thou

Strong for thyself hast made.

So shall we not go back from thee

• To ways of sin and shame;' Quicken us thou; then 'gladly' we

Shall call upon thy name, Return us, and thy grace divine,'

Lord God of Hosts! vouchsafe ;' Cause thou thy face on us to shine ;

And then we shall be safe.

PSALM LXXXI.

To God our strength sing loud and clear,'

Sing loud to God 'our King ;' To Jacob's God that all

may hear, Loud acclamations ring.

The Nations all whom thou hast made

Shall come, and all shall frame To bow them low before thee, Lord,

And glorify thy Name.

For great thou art, and wonders great

By thy strong hand are done ; Thou in thy everlasting seat,'

Remainest God alone.

Teaeh me, O Lord, thy way.most right;'

I in thy truth will bide ;
To fear thy name my heart unite,

So it shall never slide.'

Thee will I praise, O Lord, my God!

· Thee honour and adore' With my whole heart, and blaze abroad

Thy name for evermore.
For great thy mercy is tow'rd me,

And thou hast freed my soul,
E'en from the lowest hell set free

* From deepest darkness foul.' O God, the proud against me rise

And violent men are met
To seek my life, and in their eyes

No fear of thee have set,
But thou, Lord, art the God most mild,

Readiest thy grace to show,
Slow to be angry, and art styled,'

Most merciful, most true.
O, turn to me thy face at length,'

And me have mercy on;
Unto thy servant give thy strength,'

And save thy handmaid's son.

• Thou ancient stock of Israel

If thou wilt list to me,

Throughout the land of thy abode

No alien God shall be,
Nor shalt thou to a foreign god

In honour bend thy knee.
I am the Lord thy God, which brought

Thee out of Egypt land;
Ask large enough, and I, 'besought,'

Will grant thy full demand.
And yet my people would not hear,'

• Nor' hearken to my voice e ;
And Israel, whom I lov'd so dear,'

Mislik'd me for his choice.

Then did I leave them to their will,

And to their wand'ring mind;
Their own conceits they follow'd still,

Their own devices blind.
O that my people would be wise,'

To' serve me all their days!'
And 0, that Israel would advise'

• To' walk my righteous' ways ! Then would I soon bring down their foes,

• That now so proudly rise;' And turn my hand against all those'

That are their enemies.

Who hate the Lord should then be fain'

· To' bow to him and bend; But 'they, his people, should remain,'

Their time should have no end.

And he would feed them from the shock'

With flower of finest wheat,