1 The hills about, in order rang'd, In beauteous robes of joy are seen. 13 Large flocks with fleecy wool adorn The cheerful downs; the vallies bring A plenteous crop of full-ear'd corn, And seem, for joy, to shout and sing. PSALM LXVI. ET all the lands, with shouts of joy, To God their voices raise; Sing psalms in honour of his name, And spread his glorious praise. 8 And let them say, How dreadful, Lord, In all thy works, art thou! To thy great pow'r thy stubborn foes 4 Through all the earth the nations round Shall thee their God confess; And with glad hymns, their dread Of thy great name express. awful 5 0 come! behold the works of God; And then with me you'll own, That he to all the sons of men Has wondrous judgment shown. 6 He made the sea become dry land, Through which our fathers walk'd; Whilst to each other, of his might With joy his people talk'd. 47 He, by his pow'r, for ever rules; His eyes the world survey; Let no presumptuous man rebel Against his sov'reign sway. PART II. 8, 9 O! all ye nations, bless our God, And loudly speak his praise; Who keeps our souls alive, and still Confirms our steadfast ways. 10 For thou hast try'd us, Lord, as fire Does try the precious ore; 11 Thou brought'st us into straits, where Who, if my heart had harbour'd sin, PSALM LXVII. bless thy chosen race, To bless ty, chosen rafine; And cause the brightness of thy face On ail thy saints to shine: 2 That so thy wondrous way May through the world be known; While distant lands their tribute pay, And thy salvation own. 3 Let diff ring nations join Shalt govern all the earth. n'd Shall constant blessings show'r; And all the world in awe shall stand Of his resistless pow'r. PSALM LXVIII. IET God, the God of battle, rise, Before his wrathful presence waste. 8 But let the servants of his will His favour's gentle beams enjoy; Their spright hearts let gladness fill, And cheerful songs their tongues enploy. 4 To him your voice in anthems raise; Jehovah's awful name he bears; Ia bim rejoice, extol his praise, Who rides upon high-rolling spheren 5 Him, from his empire of the skies, To this low world compassion draws, The orphan's claim to patronise, And judge the injur'd widow's cause. 6 "Tis God, who from a foreign soil Restores poor exiles to their home; Makes captives free, and fruitless toil Their proud oppressor's righteous doom. 'Twas so of old, when thou didst lead In person, Lord, our armies forth; Strange terrors thro' the desert spread, Convulsions shook the astonish'd earth. 8 The breaking clouds did rain distil, And heaven's high arches shook with fear: How then should Sinai's humble hill Reliev'd her from celestial stores, And when thy heritage was faint, Assuag'd the drought with plenteous show'rs. 10 Where savages had rang'd before, At ease thou mad'st our tribes reside; And, in the desert, for the poor Thy gen'rous bounty did provide. 11 Thou gav'st the word; we sally'd forth, And in that pow'rful word o'ercame; While virgin-troops,with songs of mirth, In state our conquest did proclaim. 12 Vast armies, by such gen'rals led, As yet had ne'er receiv'd a foil, Forsook their camp with sudden dread, And to our women left the spoil. 13 Though Egypt's drudges you have been, Your army's wing shall shine as bright As doves, in golden sun-shine seen, Ev'n rebels shall partake thy grace, And humble proselytes repair To worship at thy dwelling-place, And all the world pay homage there. 19 For benefits each day bestow'd, Be daily his great name ador'd, 20 Who is our Saviour, and our God, Of life and death the sov'reign Lord. 21 But justice for his harden'd foes Proportion'd vengeance hath decreed To wound the hoary head of those Who in presumptuous crimes proceed. 22 The Lord hath thus in thunder spoke 'As I subdu'd proud Bashan's king, Once more I'll break my people's yoke, And from the deep my servants bring 23 Their feet shall with a crimson flood 'Of slaughter'd foes be cover'd o'er ; Nor earth receive such impious blood, 'But leave for dogs the unhallow'd gore.' PART III. 24 When, marching to thy blest abode, The wond'ring multitude survey'd The pompous state of thee, our God, In robes of majesty array'd; 25 Sweet singing Levites led the van; Loud instruments brought up the rear; Between both troops, a virgin-train With voice and timbrel charm'd the ear. 26 This was the burthen of their song: 'In full assemblies bless the Lord; All who to Israel's tribes belong, 'Of Israel's God the praise record' 27 Nor little Benjamin alone From neighb'ring bounds did ther attend, Nor only Judah's nearer throne Her counsellors in state did send; But Zebulon's remoter seat, Or silver'd o'er with paler light. 14 "Twas so, when God's Almighty hand O'er scatter'd kings the conquest won; Our troops, drawn up on Jordan's strand, High Salmon's glitt'ring snow out-The grand procession to complete, shone. And Naphtali's more distant coast, Sent up their tribes, a princely host. 15 From thence to Jordan's farther 28 Thus God to strength and union coast, And Bashan's hill we did advance: No more her height shall Bashan boast, But that she's God's inheritance. 16 But wherefore (though the honour's great) Should this, O mountain, swell your pride? For Sion is his chosen seat, Where he for ever will reside. As once it honour'd Sinai's hill. The spoil of armies once their dread. brought Our tribes, at strife till that blest hour; This work, which thou, O God, hast wrought, Confirm with fresh recruits of pow 29 To visit Salem, Lord, descend, And Sion, thy terrestrial throne; Where kings with presents shall attend And thee with offer'd crowns atone. 30 Break down the spearmen's rank who threat Like pamper'd herds of savage might Their silver armour'd chiefs defeat, Who in destructive war delight. 31 Egypt shall then to God stretch forth Her hands, and Afric homage bring 32 The scatter'd kingdoms of the earth Their common sovereign's praises sing 38 Who, mounted on the loftiest sphere Of ancient heav'n, sublimely rides; From whence his dreadful voice we hear, Like that of warring winds and tides. 34 Ascribe the power to God most high: Of humble Israel he takes care; Whose strength from out the dusky sky, Darts shining terrors through the air. 35 How dreadful are the sacred courts, Where God has fix'd his earthly throne! His strength his feeble saints supports, To give God praise, and him alone. PSALM LXIX. AVE me, O God, from waves that roll, And press to overwhelm my soul: 2 With painful steps in mire I tread, And deluges o'erflow my head. 3 With restless cries my spirits faint, My voice is hoarse with long complaint; My sight decays with tedious pain, Whilst for my God I wait in vain. 4 My hairs, though num'rous, are but few, Compar'd with foes that me pursue 15 Control the deluge, ere it spread, I look'd for some to take my part, 22 Their tables, therefore, to their health With groundless hate; grown now of Shall prove a snare, a trap their wealth; might To execute their lawless spite. They force me, guiltless, to resign, As rapine, what by right was mine: 6 Thou, Lord, my innocence dost see, Nor are my sins conceal'd from thee." 6 Lord God of hosts, take timely care, Lest, for my sake, thy saints despair; 7 Since I have suffer'd for thy name Reproach, and hid my face in shame: 8 A stranger to my country grown, Nor to my nearest kindred known; A foreigner, expos'd to scorn By brethren of my mother born. 9 For zeal to thy lov'd house and name Consumes me like devouring flame; Concern'd at their affronts to thee, More than at slanders cast on me. 10 My very tears and abstinence They construe in a spiteful sense: 11 When cloth'd with sackcloth for their sake, They me their common proverb make. 12 Their judges at my wrongs do jest, Those wrongs they ought to have redress'd; How should I then expect to be 23 Perpetual darkness seize their eyes, And sudden blasts their hopes surprise 24 On them thou shalt thy fury pour, Till thy fierce wrath their race devout 25 And make their house a dismal cell, Where none will e'er vouchsafe to dwell. 26 For new afflictions they procur'd For him who had thy stripes endur'd; And made the wound, thy scourge had torn, To bleed afresh, with sharper scorn. 27 Sin shall to sin their steps betray, Till they to truth have lost the way: 28 From life thou shalt exclude their souls, Nor with the just their names enrol. 29 But me, howe'er distress'd and poor, Thy strong salvation shall restore; 30 Thy pow'r with songs I'll then pro claim, And celebrate, with thanks, thy name. 31 Our God shall this more highly prize, Than herds or flocks in sacrifice; 32 Which humble saints with joy shall see, And hope for like redress with me. 33 For God regards the poor's com plaint; Sets pris'ners free from close restraint; 34 Let heav'n, earth, sea, their voices raise, And all the world resound his praise. $6 This blessing they shall, at their death, To their religious heirs bequeath; LORD, to my relief draw near; For never was more pressing need; For my deliv'rance, Lord, appear, And add to that deliv'rance speed. 2 Confusion on their heads return, Who to destroy my soul combine; Let them, defeated, blush and mourn, Ensnar'd in their own vile design. 3 Their doom let desolation be; With shame their malice be repaid, Who mock'd my confidence in thee, And sport of my afflictions made." 4 While those who hu.nbly seek thy face, To joyful triumphs shall be rais'd; And all who prize thy saving grace, With me shall sing, The Lord be prais'd. 5 Thus, wretched though I am and poor, The mighty Lord of me takes care: Thou, God, who only canst restore, To my relief with speed repair. PSALM LXXI. thee I put my steadfast trust; Incline thine ear, and save my soul; S Be thou my strong abiding-place, 6 Thy constant care did safely guard Thou took'st me from my mother's womb, To sing thy constant praise. 7,8 While some on me with wonder supports me still; gaze Thy Thy honour, therefore, and thy praise, My mouth shall always fill." Reject not then thy servant, Lord, 10 My foes against my fame and me 11 His God,' say they, 'forsakes him now, "On whom he did rely, Pursue and take him, whilst no hope "Of timely aid is nigh.' 12 But thou, my God, withdraw not far, For speedy help I call: 13 To shame and ruin bring my foes, That seek to work my fall. 14 But as for me, my steadfast hope 15 Thy righteous acts, and saving health, My mouth shall still declare; All other righteousness disclaim, 17 Thou, Lord, hast taught me from m youth To praise thy glorious name; And, ever since, thy wondrous works Have been my constant theme. 18 Then now forsake me not, when I Am grey and feeble grown; Till I to these and future times, Thy strength and pow'r have shown. 19 How high thy justice soars, O God! How great and wondrous are The mighty works which thou hast done! Who may with thee compare! 20 Me, whom thy hand has sorely press'd, Thy grace shall yet relieve; And from the lowest depth of woe, With tender care retrieve. 21 Through thee my time to come shall be Employ my cheerful voice; 24 My tongue thy just and righteous Whilst all the helpless poor shall him The happy fruits of peace; 5 In ev'ry heart thy awful fear As long as sun and moon endure, Or time itself shall last. 6 He shall descend like rain, that cheers The meadow's second birth; A handful, sown on mountains-top, 17 The mem'ry of his glorious name In him the nations of the world 18 Then bless'd be God, the mighty The God whom Israel fears; Or like warm show'rs, whose gentle Who only wondrous in his works, drops Refresh the thirsty earth. 7 In his biest days the just and good 9 To him the savage nations round 73 His providence for needy souls Shall watch with tender care. 14 He shall preserve and keep their souls 15 Therefore shall God his life and reign Whilst eastern princes tribute pay, For him shall constant prayers be made, His just dominion shali afford A lasting theme of praise. 16 Of useful grain, through all the land,] Great pignty shall appear; Beyond compare appears. 19 Let earth be with his glory fill'd; Whilst to his praise the list'ning world PSALM LXXIII. T length, by certain proofs, 'tis plain A Shall his protecting favour find.· ́` 2,3 Till this sustaining truth I knew, My stagg'ring feet had almost fail'd I griev'd the sinners' wealth to view, And envy'd when the fools prevail'd. 4, 5 They to the grave in peace descend, And, whilst they live, are hale and strong; No plagues or troubles them offend, And rapine seems their robe of states Their eyes stand out, with fatness swell'd; They grow, beyond their wishes, great 8,9 With hearts corrupt, and lofty ta', Oppressive methods they defend; Their tongue through all the earth does walk; Their blasphemies to heav'n ascend. 10 And yet admiring crowds are found, Who servile visits duly make; Because with plenty they abound, Of which their flatt'ring slaves par take. 11 Their fond opinions these pursue, And all their actions meet success. |