9 So shall my soul, with praise, O God,
Extol thy wondrous love;
And on thy name with patience wait;
For this thy saints approve.
PSALM LIII.

T

HE wicked fools must sure suppose
That God is but a name;

This gross mistake their practice shows,
Since virtue all disclaim.

2 The Lord look'd down from heav'n's high tow'r,

The sons of men to view;
To see if any own'd his pow'r,
Or truth or justice knew.

3 But all, he saw, were backward gone,
Degen'rate grown and base;
None for religion car'd, not one
Of all the sinful race.

4 But are those workers of deceit
So dull and senseless grown,
That they like bread my people eat,
And God's just pow'r disown?

5 Their causeless fear shall strangely grow;

And they, despis'd of God, Shall soon be foil'd; his hand shall throw

Their shatter'd bones abroad. 6 Would he his saving pow'r employ To break our servile band, Loud shouts of universal joy Should echo through the land. PSALM LIV.

ORD, save me, for thy glorious name,
And in thy strength appear,
To judge my cause; accept my pray'r,
And to my words give ear.
3 Mere strangers, whom I never wrong'd,
To ruin me design'd;

And cruel men, that fear no God,
Against my soul combin'd.

4,5 But God takes part with all my friends,

And he's the surest guard;
The God of truth shall give my foes
Their falsehood's due reward;

While I my grateful off rings bring,
And sacrifice with joy;
And in his praise my time to come
Delightfully employ.

7 From dreadful danger and distress The Lord hath set me free; Through him shall I of all my foes The just destruction'see..

PSALM LV.

NIVE ear, thou Judge of all the earth,

GAnd listen when I pray;

Nor from thy humble suppliant turn
Thy glorious face away.

2 Attend to this my sad complaint,
And hear my grievous moans;
While I my mournful case declare,
With artless sighs and groans.

3 Hark how the foe insults aloud! How fierce oppressors rage! Whose sland'rous tongues, with wrathful hate,

Against my fame engage.

4, 5 My heart is rack'd with pain; my soul

With deadly frights distress'd; With fear and trembling compass'd round,

With horror quite oppress'd.

6 How often wish'd I then, that I
The dove's swift wings could get;
That I might take my speedy flight,
And seek a safe retreat.

7, 8 Then would I wander far from hence,

And in wild deserts stray,

Till all this furious storm were spent, This tempest past away.

PART II.

9 Destroy, O Lord, their ill designs, Their counsels soon divide; For through the city my griev'd eyes Have strife and rapine spy'd. 10 By day and night, on ev'ry wall They walk their constant round; And in the midst of all her strength Are grief and mischief found. 11 Whoe'er through ev'ry part shall

roam,

Will fresh disorders meet; Deceit and Guile their constant posts Maintain in ev'ry street. 12 For 'twas not any open foe

That false reflections made 2

For then I could with ease have borne
The bitter things he said:
'Twas none who hatred had profess'd,
That did against me rise;

For then I had withdrawn myself
From his malicious eyes.

13, 14 But 'twas e'en thou, my guide, my friend,

Whom tend'rest love did join; Whose sweet advice I valu'd most; Whose pray'rs were mix'd with mine. 15 Sure vengeance, equal to their crimes, Such traitors must surprise, And sudden death requite those ills They wickedly devise.

16, 17 But I will call on God, who still Shall in my aid appear;

At morn, at noon, at night, I'll pray;
And he my voice shall hear.

PART III.

18 God has releas'd my soul from those That did with me contend; And made a num'rous host of friends My righteous cause defend. 19 For he, who was my help of old, Shall now his suppliant hear;

Your griping hands, by weighty bribes, To violence betray'd.

3 To virtue strangers, from the womb
Their infant steps went wrong;
They prattled slander, and in lies
Employ'd their lisping tongue.

4 No serpent of parch'd Afric's breed
Does ranker poison bear;
The drowsy adder will as soon
Unlock his sullen ear.

5 Unmov'd by good advice, and deaf As adders they remain;

From whom the skilful charmer's voice Can no attention gain.

6 Defeat, O God, their threat'ning rage, And timely break their pow'r; Disarm these growling lions' jaws, E'er practis'd to devour.

7 Let now their insolence, at height, Like ebbing tides be spent ; Their shiver'd darts deceive their aim, When they their bow have bent. 8 Like snails let them dissolve to slime; Like hasty births, become Unworthy to behold the sun,

And dead within the womb.

9 E'er thorns can make the flesh-pots boil,

Tempestrous wrath shall come From God, and snatch them hence alive To their eternal doom.

10 The righteous shall rejoice to see Their crimes with vengeance meet; And saints in persecutor's blood

Shall dip their harmless feet. 11 Transgressors then with grief shall

see

Just men rewards obtain; And own a God, whose justice will The guilty earth arraign.

PSALM LIX.

ELIVER me, O Lord, my God,
From all my spiteful foes;
In my defence oppose thy pow'r
To theirs, who me oppose.

2 Preserve me from a wicked race,
Who make a trade of ill;
Protect me from remorseless men,
Who seek my blood to spill.
3 They lie in wait, and mighty pow'rs
Against my life combine,
Implacable; yet, Lord, thou know'st,
For no offence of mine.

4 In haste they run about, and watch
My guiltless life to take;
Look down, O Lord, on my distress,
And to my help awake.

5 Thou, Lord of Hosts, and Israel's God,
Their heathen rage suppress;
Relentless vengeance take on those
Who stubbornly transgress.
6 At ev'ning, to beset my house,
Like growling dogs they meet;

While others through the city range, And ransack ev'ry street.

7 Their throats envenom'd slander breathe;

Their tongues are sharpen'd swords; Who hears? say they, or, hearing, dares

'Reprove our lawless words?'

But from thy throne thou shalt, 0
Lord,

Their baffled plots deride;
And soon to shame and scorn expose
Their boasted heathen pride.

9 On thee I wait; 'tis on thy strength For succour I depend;

'Tis thou, O God, art my defence,
Who only can defend.

10 Thy mercy, Lord, which has so oft
From danger set me free,
Shall crown my wishes, and subdue
My haughty foes to me.

11 Destroy them not, O Lord, at once;
Restrain thy vengeful blow;
Lest we, ungratefully, too soon
Forget their overthrow.

Disperse them through the nations round

By thy avenging pow'r; Do thou bring down their haughty pride,

O Lord, our shield and tow'r. 12 Now, in the height of all their hopes, Their arrogance chastise; Whose tongues have sinn'd without restraint,

And curses join'd with lies.

18 Nor shalt thou, whilst their race endures;

Thine anger, Lord, suppress;
That distant lands, by their just doom,
May Israel's God confess.

14 At ev'ning let them still persist
Like growling dogs to meet,
Still wander all the city round,
And traverse ev'ry street.
15 Then, as for malice now they do,
For hunger let them stray;
And yell their vain complaints aloud,
Defeated of their prey.

16 Whilst early I thy mercy sing,
Thy wondrous pow'r confess;
For thou hast been my sure defence,
My refuge in distress.

17 To thee, with never-ceasing praise,
O God, my strength, I'll sing;
Thou art my God, the rock from
whence

My health and safety spring. PSALM LX. GOD,who hast our troops dispers'd, As we thy just displeasure mourn, To us, in mercy, Lord, return.

2. Our strength, that firm as earth did

stand,

Is rent by thy avenging hand;
O! heal the breaches thou hast made:
We shake, we fall, without thy aid!
3 Our folly's sad effects we feel;
For, drunk with discord's cup we reel:
4 But now, for them who thee rever'd,
Thou hast thy truth's bright banner
rear'd.

5 Let thy right hand thy saints protect;
Lord, hear the pray'rs that we direct:
6 The holy God has spoke; and I,
O'erjoy'd, on his firm word rely:
To thee in portions I'll divide
Fair Sichem's soil, Samaria's pride;
To Sichem, Succoth, next I'll join,
And measure out her vale by line."
7 Manasseh, Gilead, both subscribe
To my commands, with Ephraim's tribe;
Ephraim by arms supports my cause,
And Judah by religious laws.

8 Moab my slave and drudge shall be,
Nor Edom from my yoke get free;
Proud Palestine's imperious state
Shall humbly on our triumph wait.
9 But who shall quell these mighty
pow'rs,

And clear my way to Edom's tow'rs? Or through her guarded frontiers tread The path that doth to conquest lead? 10 Ev'n thou, O God, who hath dispers'd Our troops; (for we forsook thee first;) Those whom thou didst in wrath for

'Tis he treads down our proudest foes. PSALM LXI.

LORD hear my cry, regard my pray❜r, Which I, oppress'd with grief,

2 From earth's remotest parts address To thee for kind relief.

O lodge me safe beyond the reach
Of persecuting pow'r;

3 Thou, who so oft from spiteful foes Hast been my shelt'ring tow'r.

4 So shall I in thy sacred courts
Secure from danger lie;
Beneath the covert of thy wings,
All future storms defy.

5 In sign my vows are heard, once

more

I o'er thy chosen reign;

6 O! bless with long and prosp'rous life The king thou didst ordain."

7 Confirm his throne, and make his reign Accepted in thy sight;

And let thy truth and mercy both
In his defence unite.

8 So shall I ever sing thy praise, Thy name for ever bless; Devote my prosp'rous days to pay The vows of my distress. PSALM LXII.

M

My

Y soul for help on God relies;
From him alone my safety flows
Rock, my Health, that strength
supplies,

To bear the shock of all my foes.
8 How long will ye contrive my fall,
Which will but hasten on your own?
You'll totter like a bending wall,

Or fence of uncemented stone. 4 To make my envy'd honours less, They strive with lies, their chief delight;

For they, though with their mouths they bless,

In private curse with inward spite. 5,6 But thou, my soul, on God rely; On him alone thy trust repose: My Rock and Health will strength sunply

To bear the shock of all my foes. 7 God does his saving health dispense, And flowing blessings daily send: He is my fortress and defence;

On him my soul shall still depend. 8 In him, ye people, always trust; Before his throne pour out your hearts;

For God, the merciful and just,

His timely aid to us imparts. 9 The vulgar fickle are and frail;

The great dissemble and betray; And, laid in Truth's impartial scale, The lightest things will both out weigh.

10 Then trust not in oppressive ways; By spoil and rapine grow not vain; Nor let your hearts, if wealth in

crease,

Be set too much upon your gain. 11 For God has oft his will express'd, And I this truth have fully known; To be of boundless pow'r possess'd

Belongs, of right, to God alone. 12 Though mercy is his darling grace, In which he chiefly takes delight; Yet will be all the human race According to their works requite. PSALM LXIII.

GOD, my gracious God, to thee My morning pray'rs shall offer'd be;

For thee my thirsty soul does pant: My fainting flesh implores thy grace Within this dry and barren place,

Where I refreshing waters want. 2 O! to my longing eyes, once more That view of glorious pow'r restore,

Which thy majestic house displays.

3 Because to me thy wondrous love Than life itself does dearer prove,

My lips shall always speak thy praise. 4 My life, while I that life enjoy, In blessing God I will employ;

With lifted hands adore his name: My soul's content shall be as great As theirs, who choicest dainties eat, While I with joy his praise proclaim. 6 When down Ilie, sweet sleep to find, Thou, Lord, art present to my mind;

And when I wake in dead of night: Because thou still dost succour bring, Beneath the shadow of thy wing I rest with safety and delight.

Their crimes disclos'd, shall make then be

Despis'd and shunn'd by all.

9 The world shall then God's pow confess,

And nations trembling stand, Convinc'd that 'tis the mighty work Of his avenging hand.

10 Whilst righteous men, whom God

secures.

In him shall gladly trust; And all the list'ning earth shall hear Loud triumphs of the just. PSALM LXV.

pow'r

In her support is daily shown: 9 But those the righteous Lord shall slay, That my destruction wish; and they

That seek my life shall lose their own. 10 They by untimely ends shall die, Their flesh a prey to foxes lie;

But God shall fill the king with joy: 11 Who thee confess shall still rejoice, Whilst the false tongue, and lying voice,

Thou, Lord, shalt silence and destroy.
PSALM LXIV.

LORD, hear the voice of my com

plaint,

To my request give ear;
Preserve my life from cruel foes,
Aud free my soul from fear.

20! hide me with thy tend'rest care,
In some secure retreat,
From sinners that against me rise,
And all their plots defeat.

3 See how, intent to work my harm, They whet their tongues like swords; And bend their bows to shoot their darts,

Sharp lies, and bitter words.
4 Lurking in private, at the just
They take their secret aim;
And suddenly at him they shoot,
Quite void of fear and shame.
To carry on their ill designs
They mutually agree;
They speak of laying private snares,
And think that none shall see.
With utmost diligence and care
Their wicked plots they lay;
The deep designs of all their hearts
Are only to betray.

7 But God, to anger justly mov'd,
His dreadful bow shall bend,
And on his flying arrow's point
Shall swift destruction send.
s Those slanders which their mouths
did vent,
Upon themselves shall fall;

In Sion waits, thy chosen seat; Our promis'd altars there we'll raise, And all our zealous vows complete. 2 0 thou, who to my humble pray'r Didst always bend thy list'ning ear, To thee shall all mankind repair,

And at thy gracious throne appear. 3 Our sins, though numberless, in vain To stop thy flowing mercy try; Whilst thou o'erlook'st the guilty stain, And washest out the crimson dye. Blest is the man, who, near thee

4

plac'd,

Within thy sacred dwelling lives! Whilst we at humble distance taste The vast delights thy temple gives. 5 By wondrous acts, O God, most just, Have we thy gracious answer found In thee remotest nations trust,

And those whom stormy waves sur round.

6, 7 God, by his strength, sets fast the hills,

And does his matchless pow'r engage With which the sea's loud waves be stills,

And angry crowds' tumultuous rage. PART II.

8 Thou, Lord, dost barb'rous lands dir may,

When they thy dreadful tokens view With joy they see the night and day Each other's track, by turns, pursue. 9 From out thy unexhausted store Thy rain relieves the thirsty ground; Makes lands, that barren were before, With corn and useful fruits abound. 10 On rising ridges down it pours,

And ev'ry furrow'd valley fills; Thou mak'st them soft with gen show'rs,

In which a blest increase distils. 11 Thy goodness does the circling you With fresh returns of plenty crow And where thy glorious paths appear, Th fruitful clouds drop fatness down. 12 They droon harren forests, chang'd By them to pastures fresh and green;