12 When he inquiry makes for blood, 16 Thus, by the just returns he makes, By numbers be secur'd. 18 His sufiring saints, when most dis tress'd, He ne'er forgets to aid; 19 Arise, O Lord, assert thy power, And let not man o'ercome; Descend to judgment, and pronounce The guilty heathen's doom. 20 Strike terror through the nations round, Till, by consenting fear, They to each other, and themselves, But mortal men appear. Why hid'st thou now thy face, When dismal times of deep distress, Call for thy wonted grace? 2 The wicked, swell'd with lawless pride, Have made the poor their prey; Which they for others lay. And sordid wretches, whom God hates, 4 To own a power above themselves, 6 They fondly think their prosp'rous state Shall unmolested be; They think their vain designs shall thrive, From all misfortunes free. 7 Vain and deceitful is their speech, With curses fill'd, and lies; By which the mischief of their heart They study to disguise. 8 Near public roads they lie conceald, And all their art employ, The innocent and poor at once To rifle and destroy. 9 Not lions, couching in their dens, O let them fall by those designs 17 Thou hear'st the humble supplicants That to thy throne repair; And then accept'st their prayer. For straight they triumph, if success Thou first prepar'st their hearts to pray, Their thriving crimes attend; 1 18 Thou, in thy righteous weigh'st The fatherless and poor; That so the tyrants of the earth May persecute no more. PSALM XI. SINCE judgment 7 The promise of his aiding grace I have plac'd my trust in God, A refuge always nigh, Why should I, like a tim'rous bird, To distant mountains fly? 2 Behold, the wicked bend their bow, And ready fix their dart, Lurking in ambush to destroy The men of upright heart. 8 Then shall the wicked be perplex'd, Nor know which way to fly; When those whom they despis'd and vex'd, Shall be advanc'd on high. PSALM XIII. OW long wilt thou forget me, Lord? 3 When once the firm assurance fails, 2 How long shall anxious thoughts my Which public faith imparts, Tis time for innocence to fly From such deceitful arts. 4 The Lord hath both a temple here, And righteous throne above; Where he surveys the sons of men, And how their councils move. 5 If God the righteous, whom he loves, For trial does correct, What must the sons of violence, Whom he abhors, expect? 8 Snares, fire, and brimstone, on their heads Do thou my cause defend; H How long wilt thou withdraw from me, Oh! never to return? soul, And grief my heart oppress? How long my enemies insult, high tower, And all the sons of men did view, To see if any own'd his power; If any truth or justice knew. con-3 But all, he saw, were gone aside, All were degen'rate grown and base; None took religion for their guide, Not one of all the sinful race. 4 But can these workers of deceit Be all so dull and senseless grown, That they, like bread, my people eat, And God's almighty power disown? 5 How will they tremble then for fear, When his just wrath shall them o'ertake? found The proud blaspheming tongue. For to the righteous God is near, Since God a refuge is for those Whom his just eyes with favour view. 7 Would he his saving power employ To break his people's servile band, Then shouts of universal joy Should loudly echo through the land. PSALM XV. 17 Therefore my soul shall bless the Lord, TORD, who's the happy man that may 9 Therefore my heart all grief defies, To thy best courts repair, Not stranger-like, to visit them, But to inhabit there? 2 'Tis he, whose every thought and deed By rules of virtue moves; Whose gen'rous tongue disdains to speak The thing his heart disproves. 3 Who never did a slander forge, His neighbour's fame to wound; Nor hearken to a false report, By malice whisper'd round. 4 Who vice, in all its pomp and power, Can treat with just neglect; And piety, though cloth'd in rags, Religiously respect. 5 Who to his plighted vows and trust Has ever firmly stood; And though he promise to his loss, Whom no rewards can ever bribe The guiltless to destroy. 7 The man, who by his steady course Has happiness insur'd, When earth's foundation shakes, shall stand, By providence secur'd. PSALM XVI. PROTECT me from cruel foes My flesh shall rest, in hope to rise, 10 Thou, Lord, when I resign my breath, 11 Thou shalt the paths of life display, PSALM XVII. Tens 10 my just plea and sad complaint, righteous Lord; And to my prayer, as 'tis unfeign'd, My upright dealing see. 3 For thou hast search'd my heart by day, Nor shall thy justice, Lord, alone 4 I know what wicked men would do O guide me in thy righteous ways, 7 The wonders of thy truth and love Thow, whose right hand preserves thy saints From their oppressor's rage. 2 My soul all help but thine does slight, To favour always, and prefer, 4 How shall their sorrows be increas'd, Who other gods adore! Their bloody off 'rings I detest, Their very names abhor. 5 My lot is fall'n in that blest land He fills my cup with lib'ral hand, PART II. 8, 9 O! keep me in thy tend'rest care; 10 O'ergrown with luxury, enclos'd And with a proud blaspheming mouth, 19 He left the beauteous realms of light, Both God and man defy. 11 Well may now ey boast, for they have My paths encompass'u round; Whiist heaven bow'd down its awful head Beneath his feet substantial night Was like a sable carpet spread. Their eyes at watch, their bodies bow'd, 10 The chariot of the King of kings, And couching on the ground; 12 In posture of a lion set, When greedy of his prey; Or a young lion, when he lurks Within a covert way. 13 Arise, O Lord, defeat their plots, 14 From wordly men, thy sharpest No change of time shan ever shock My firm affection, Lord, to thee; My trust is in thy mighty power; Be guarded from my treach'rous foe. 4, 5 By floods of wicked men distress'd, With seas of sorrow compass'd round, With dire infernal pangs oppress'd, In death's unwieldy fetters bound'; 6 To heaven I made my mournful Which active troops of angels drew, On a strong tempest's rapid wings, With most amazing swiftness flew. 11, 12 Black watery mists and clouds conspir'd, With thickest shades his face to veil; But at his brightness soon retir'd, And fell in showers of fire and hail. 13 Through heaven's wide arch a thun d'ring peal God's angry voice did loudly roar; While earth's sad face with heaps of hail And flakes of fire was cover'd o'er. 14 His sharpen'd arrows round he threw, Which made his scatter'd foes retreat; Like darts his nimble lightnings flew, And quickly finish'd their defeat. 15 The deep its secret stores disclos'd, The world's foundation naked lay; By his avenging wrath expos'd, Which fiercely rag'd that dreadful day. PART III. 1 16 The Lord did on my side engage; From heaven, his throne, my cause upheld; And snatch'd me from the furious rage Of threat'ning waves, that proudly 4 swell'd. 17 God his resistless power employ'd My strongest foes' attempts to break; Who else with ease had soon destroy'd The weak defence that I could make. 18 Their subtle rage had near prevail'd, When I distress'd and friendless lay; But still, when other succours fail'd, God was my firm support and stay. 19 From dangers that enclos'd me round, He brought me forth and set me free; For some just cause his goodness found, That mov'd him to delight in me. 20 Because in me no guilt remains, God does his gracious help extend; My hands are free from bloody stains; Therefore the Lord is still my friend. 21, 22 For I his judgments keep in sight, In his just paths I always trod; I never did his statutes slight, Nor loosely wander'd from my God. 23, 24 But still my soul, sincere and pure, Did even from darling sins refrain; His favours therefore yet endure, Because my heart and hands are clean. PART IV. 25, 26 Thou suit'st, O Lord, thy righte To various paths of human-kind; ous ways They who for mercy merit praise, Shall meet with due returns from thee.. 27, 28 That he the humble soul will save, And crush the haughty's boasted might, In me the Lord an instance gave, Whose darkness he has turn'd to light. 29 On his firm succour I rely'd, And did o'er num'rous foes prevail; Nor fear'd, whilst he was on my side, The best defended walls to scale. 50 For God's design shall still succeed, His word will bear the utmost test; He's a strong shield to all that need, And on his sure protection rest. 31 Who then deserves to be ador'd, But God, on whom my hopes depend? Can with resistless power defend? 62, 33 'Tis God that girds my armour on, And manly weapons learn to wield; The method of my steps design'd. 38 Cover'd with wounds, in vain they try 39 God, when fresh armies take the field, My conq'ring feet in triumph press; 42 Like flying dust, which winds pursue, Their broken troops I scatter'd round; Their slaughter'd bodies forth I threw, Like loathsome dirt, that clogs the ground. PART VI. 43 Our factious tribes, at strife till now, And foreign nations own my sway. Or soon in battle are dismay'd; The rock on whose defence I rest! Fierce nations to my yoke subdues. 48 My universal safeguard he! From whom my lasting honours flow; To David and his promised race.' THE PSALM XIX. HE heavens declare thy glory, Lord, 3 Their pow'rful language to no realm 4 Their doctrine does its sacred sense Aided by him, I root out those Who hate and envy my success. 5 No bridegroom on his nuptial day No giant does like him rejoice To run his glorious race. 6 From east to west, from west to east, His restless course he goes; 41 With loud complaints all friends they Has such a cheerful face; try'd; But none was able to defend; At length to God for help they cry'd; But God would no assistance lend. |