18 Thou, in thy righteous judgment 7 The promise of his aiding grace

Shall reach its purpos'd end;

His servants from this faithless race
He ever shall defend.

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.

3

weigh'st

The fatherless and poor; That so the tyrants of the earth May persecute no more.

PSALM XI.

SIN
INCE I have plac'd my trust in God,
A refuge always nigh,

Why should I, like a tim❜rous bird,
To distant mountains fly?

PSALM XIII.

2 Behold, the wicked bend their bow, And ready fix their dart,

HOW Must I for ever mourn?

[OW long wilt thou forget me, Lord?

Lurking in ambush to destroy

The men of upright heart.

How long wilt thou withdraw from me,
Oh! never to return?

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.

One just and faithful friend.

C

2 One neighbour now can scarce believe
What t'other does impart;
With flatt'ring lips they all deceive,
And with a double heart.

3 But lips that with deceit abound
Can never prosper long;
God's righteous vengeance will
found

The proud blaspheming tongue. 4 In vain those foolish boasters say,

soul,

And grief my heart oppress?
How long my enemies insult,
And I have no redress?

3 Oh! hear, and to my longing eyes
Restore thy wonted light,
And suddenly, or I shall sleep
In everlasting night.

INCE godly men decay, O Lord,

wicked

For Pornou my causetched times afford S That God is fools must need suppose

"Our tongues are sure our own;
With doubtful words we'll still betray,
And be controll'd by none.'

5 For God, who hears the suff'ring poor,
And their oppression knows,
Will soon arise and give them rest,

In spite of all their foes.

6 The word of God shall still abide,
And void of falsehood be,
As is the silver, seven times try'd,
From drossy mixture free.

4 Restore me, lest they proudly boast
'Twas their own strength o'ercame;
Permit not them that vex my soul
To triumph in my shame.

5 Since I have always placed my trust
Beneath thy mercy's wing,

Thy saving health will come; and then
My heart with joy shall spring.

6 Then shall my song, with praise
inspired,

To thee, my God, ascend,
Who to thy servant in distress
Such bounty didst extend.

PSALM XIV.

Corrupt and lewd their practice grows;

No breast is warm'd with holy flame. 2 The Lord look'd down from Heaven's 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-13 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?

For to the righteous God is near,

And never will their cause forsake. 6 Ill men, in vain, with scorn expose Those methods which the good pursue;

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

17 Therefore my soul shall bless the Lord,
Whose precepts give me light;
And private counsel still afford
In sorrow's dismal night.

Should loudly echo through the land.
PSALM XV.

8 I strive each action to approve
To his all-seeing eye;
No danger shall my hopes remove,
Because he still is nigh.

LORD, who's the happy man that may 9 Therefore my heart all grief defies,

To thy best courts

Not stranger-like, to visit them,
But to inhabit there?

My glory rejoice;
My flesh shall rest, in hope to rise,
Wak'd by his pow'rful voice.

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,
He makes his promise good.
6 Whose soul in usury disdains
His treasure to employ;
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.

10 Thou, Lord, when I resign my breath,
My soul from hell shalt free;
Nor let thy Holy One in death
The least corruption see.

11 Thou shalt the paths of life display,
Which to thy presence lead;
Where pleasures dwell without allay,
And joys that never fade.
PSALM XVII.

To my just plea and sad complaint,
And to my prayer, as 'tis unfeign'd,
A gracious ear afford.

2 As in thy sight I am approv'd,
So let my 'sentence be;
And with impartial eyes, O Lord,
My upright dealing see.

3 For thou hast search'd my heart by day,
And visited by night;
And, on the strictest trial, found
Its secret motions right.
Nor shall thy justice, Lord, alone
My heart's designs acquit;
For I have purpos'd that my tongue
Shall no offence commit.

4 I know what wicked men would do,
Their safety to maintain;
But me thy just and mild commands
From bloody paths restrain.

5 That I may still, in spite of wrongs,
My innocence secure,

O guide me in thy righteous ways,
And make my footsteps sure.
6 Since, heretofore, I ne'er in vain
To thee my prayer address'd;
O! now, my God, incline thine ear
To this my just request.

7 The wonders of thy truth and love
In my defence engage;

Thou, whose right hand preserves thy

saints

From their oppressor's rage.

PART II.

8, 9 O! keep me in thy tend'rest care;
Thy shelt'ring wings stretch out,
To guard me safe from savage foes,
That compass me about:

10 O'ergrown with luxury, enclos'd
In their own fat they lie;

11 Well may

ay boast, for they have

And with a proud blaspheming mouth, 19 He left the beauteous realms of light,
Both God and man defy.
Whilst heaven bow'd down its awful
head
Beneath his feet substantial night
Was like a sable carpet spread.
10 The chariot of the King of kings,
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 thund'ring peal

now

My paths encompass'd round;
Their eyes at watch, their bodies bow'd,
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,
Their swelling rage control;

From wicked men, who are thy sword,
Deliver thou my soul:

14 From wordly men, thy sharpest
Scourge,

Whose portion's here below;
Who, fill'd with earth y stores, aspire
No other bliss to know.

15 Their race is num'rous, that partake Their substance while they live;

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.

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 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.

1

1

25, 26 Thou suit'st, O Lord, thy righte

ous ways

To various paths of hunan-kind;

They who for mercy merit praise,
With thee shall wondrous mercy find.
Thou to the just shalt justice show;

The pure thy purity shall see:
Such as perversely choose to go,

Shall meet with due returns from thee. 27, 28 That he the humble soul will save,

PART VI.

And crush the haughty's boasted 43 Our factious tribes, at strife till now,
might,
By God's appointment me obey;
The heathen to my sceptre bow,

And foreign nations own my sway.
44 Remotest realms their homage sena,
When my successful name they hear;
Strangers for my commands attend,

And, through his progress, cheerful light 18 But from their steeds and chariots And vital warmth bestows.

thrown,