PSALM I.

TOW blest is he, who ne'er consents By ill advice to walk,

H

Nor stands in sinners' ways, nor sits
Where men profanely talk;

2 But makes the perfect law of God
Ilis business and delight;
Devoutly reads therein by day,
And meditates y night.

3 Like some fair tree, which fed by streams,

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With timely fruit does bend,
He still shall flourish, and success
All his designs attend.

4 Ungodly men, and their attempts,
No lasting root shall find;
Untimely blasted, and dispers'd
Like chaff before the wind.

5 Their guilt shall strike the wicked dumb

Before their Judge's face: No formal hypocrite shall then Among the saints have place. For God approves the just man's ways; To happiness they tend: But sinners, and the paths they tread,

Shall both in ruin end.

PSALM II.

WITH restless and ungovern'd rage, Why in such rash attempts engage, As they can ne'er perform? 2 The great in council and in might Their various forces bring; Against the Lord they all unite,

And his anointed King.

3 Must we submit to their commands?" Presumptuously they say:

No, let us break their slavish bands, And cast their chains away.' 4 But God, who sits enthron'd on high, And sees how they combine, Does their conspiring strength defy, And mocks their vain design. 5 Thick clouds of wrath divine break

shall

On his rebellious foes; And thus will he in thunder speak To all that dare oppose: 6 Though madly you dispute my will, The King that I ordain, 'Whose throne is fix'd on Sion's hill, Shall there securely reign.' 7 Attend, O earth, whilst I declare God's uncontroll'd decree :"

Thou art my Son; this day, my heir, "Have I begotten thee.

8Ask, and receive thy full demands; 'Thine shall the heathen be; "The utmost limits of the lands 'Shall be possess'd by thee.

9 Thy threat'ning sceptre thou shalt shake,

'And crush them every where; 'As massy bars of iron break 'The potter's brittle ware.' 10 Learn then, ye princes; and give ens, Ye judges of the earth;

11 Worship the Lord with holy fear; Rejoice with awful mirth.

12 Appease the Son with due respect, Your timely homage pay; Lest he revenge the bold neglect, Incens'd by your delay. 13 If but in part his anger rise, Who can endure the flame?

Then blest are they, whose hope relies
On his most holy name.
PSALM YII.

[OW many, Lord, of late are grown

H The troublers of my peace!
And as their numbers hourly rise,

So does their rage increase. 2 Insulting, they my soul upbraid, And him whom I adore; The God in whom he trusts,' say they, 'Shall rescue him no more.'

6

3 But thou, O Lord, art my defence;
On thee my hopes rely;
Thou art my glory, and shall yet
Lift up my head on high.
4 Since whensoe'er, in like distress,
To God I made my pray'r,
He heard me from his holy hill+
Why should I now despair?
5 Guarded by him, I laid me down,
My sweet repose to take;
For I through him securely sleep,
Through him in safety wake.
6 No force nor fury of my foes
My courage shall confound,
Were they as many hosts as men,
That have beset me round.
7 Arise, and save me, O my God,
Who oft hast own'd my cause,
And scatter'd oft these foes to me,
And to thy righteous laws.
8 Salvation to the Lord belongs;
He only can defend:
His blessings he extends to all
That on his pow'r depend.

PSALM IV.

LORD, thou art my righteous Judge. To my complaint Thou still redeem'st me from distress; Have mercy, Lord, and hear. 2 How long will ye, O sons of men, To blot my fame devise? How long your vain designs pursue, And spread malicious lies? 3 Consider that the righteous man Is God's peculiar choice; And when to him I make my pray`r, He always hears my voice. 4 Then stand in awe of his commands, Flee every thing that's ill, Commune in private with your hearts, And bend them to his will.

5 The place of other sacrifice
Let righteousness supply;
And let your hope, securely fix'd,
On God alone rely.

6 While worldly minds impatient grow
More prosp'rous times to see;
Still let the glories of thy face

Shine brightly, Lord, on me.
7 So shall my heart o'erflow with joy,
More lasting and more true
Than theirs, who stores of corn and wine
Successively renew.

8 Then down in peace I'll lay my head,
And take my needful rest;
No other guard, O Lord, I crave,
Of thy defence possess'd.

3 My tortur'd flesh distracts my mind,
And fills my soul with grief;
But, Lord, how long wilt thou delay
To grant me thy relief?

4 Thy wonted goodness, Lord, repeat,
And ease my troubled soul;
Lord, for thy wondrous mercy's sake,
Vouchsafe to make me whole.
5 For after death no more can I

PART II.

12 When he inquiry makes for blood,
He'll call the poor to mind:
The injur'd humble man's complaint
Relief from him shall find.
13 Take pity on my troubles, Lord,
Which spiteful foes create,
Thou that hast rescu'd me so oft
From death's devouring gate.
14 In Sion then I'll sing thy praise,
To all that love thy name;
And, with loud shouts of grateful joy,
Thy saving power proclaim.
15 Deep in the pit they digg'd for me,
The heathen pride is laid;
Their guilty feet to their own snare
Are heedlessly betray'd.

16 Thus, by the just returns he makes,
The mighty Lord is known;
While wicked men by their own plots,
Are shamefully o'erthrown.
17 No single sinner shall escape,
By privacy obscur'd;

Nor nation, from his just revenge,
By numbers be secur'd.

18 His suffering saints, when most distress'd,

He ne'er forgets to aid;

Their expectations shall be crown'd,
Though for a time delay'd.
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.

PSALM X.

THY presence why withdraw'st thou,

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; O let them fall by those designs Which they for others lay. For straight they triumph, if success Their thriving crimes attend;

And sordid wretches, whom God hates,
Perversely they commend.

4 To own a power above themselves,
Their haughty pride disdains;
And therefore in their stubborn mind
No thought of God remains.
5 Oppressive methods they pursue,
And all their foes they slight;
Because thy judgments unobserv'd,
Are far above their sight.

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 conceal'd, And all their art employ,

The innocent and poor at once
To rifle and destroy.

9 Not lions, couching in their dens,
Surprise their heedless prey
With greater cunning, or express

More savage rage than they. 10 Sometimes they act the harmless man, And modest looks they wear; That so deceiv'd, the poor may less Their sudden onset fear.

PART II.

11 For God, they think, no notice takes Of their unrighteous deeds; He never minds the suff'ring poor, Nor their oppression heeds. 12 But thou, O Lord, at length arise, Stretch forth thy mighty arm; And, by the greatness of thy power,

Defend the poor from harm. 13 No longer let the wicked vaunt, And, proudly boasting, say,

Tush, God regards not what we do; 'He never will repay.'

14 But sure thou seest, and all their

deeds,

Impartially dost try;

The orphan, therefore, and the poor,
On thee for aid rely.

15 Defenceless let the wicked fall,
Of all their strength bereft;
Confound, O God, their dark designs,
Till no remains are left.

16 Assert thy just dominion, Lord,
Which shall for ever stand;
Thou who the heathen didst expel
From this thy chosen land.

17 Thou hear'st the humble supplicants
That to thy throne repair;
Thou first prepar'st their hearts to pray,
And then accept'st their prayer.