The Psalms of David
by
Isaac Watts
Part 2 out of 7
Sincerity and watchfulness.
For a Lord's-day morning.
1 Behold the morning sun
Begins his glorious way;
His beams thro' all the nations run,
And life and light convey.
2 But where the gospel comes,
It spreads diviner light,
It calls dead sinners from their tombs,
And gives the blind their sight.
3 How perfect is thy word!
And all thy judgments just!
For ever sure thy promise, Lord,
And men securely trust.
4 My gracious God, how plain
Are thy directions given!
O! may I never read in vain,
But find the path to heaven!
PAUSE.
5 I hear thy word with love,
And I would fain obey;
Send thy good Spirit from above
To guide me, lest I stray.
6 O who can ever find
The errors of his ways?
Yet, with a bold presumptuous mind,
I would not dare transgress.
7 Warn me of every sin,
Forgive my secret faults,
And cleanse this guilty soul of mine,
Whose crimes exceed my thoughts.
8 While with my heart and tongue
I spread thy praise abroad,
Accept the worship and the song,
My Saviour and my God.
Psalm 19:3. L. M.
The books of nature and of scripture compared;
or, The glory and success of the gospel.
1 The heavens declare thy glory, Lord,
In every star thy wisdom shines;
But when our eyes behold thy word
We read thy name in fairer lines.
2 The rolling sun, the changing light,
And nights and days thy power confess;
But the blest volume thou hast writ
Reveals thy justice and thy grace.
3 Sun, moon, and stars convey thy praise
Round the whole earth, and never stand;
So when thy truth begun its race,
It touch'd and glanc'd on every land.
4 Nor shall thy spreading gospel rest,
Till thro' the world thy truth has run;
Till Christ has all the nations blest,
That see the light, or feel the sun.
5 Great Sun of Righteousness, arise,
Bless the dark world with heavenly light;
Thy gospel makes the simple wise,
Thy laws are pure, thy judgments right.
6 Thy noblest wonders here we view
In souls renew'd and sins forgiven:
Lord, cleanse my sins, my soul renew,
And make thy word my guide to heaven.
Psalm 19:4.
To the tune of the 113th Psalm.
The book of nature and scripture.
1 Great God, the heaven's well-order'd frame
Declares the glories of thy name;
There thy rich works of wonder shine:
A thousand starry beauties there,
A thousand radiant marks appear
Of boundless power and skill divine.
2 From night to day, from day to night,
The dawning and the dying light
Lectures of heavenly wisdom read;
With silent eloquence they raise
Our thoughts to our Creator's praise,
And neither sound nor language need.
3 Yet their divine instructions run
Far as the journies of the sun,
And every nation knows their voice;
The sun, like some young bridegroom drest,
Breaks from the chambers of the east,
Rolls round, and makes the earth rejoice.
4 Where'er he spreads his beams abroad,
He smiles and speaks his maker God;
All nature joins to shew thy praise:
Thus God, in every creature shines;
Fair is the book of nature's lines,
But fairer is thy book of grace.
PAUSE.
5 I love the volumes of thy word;
What light and joy those leaves afford
To souls benighted and distrest!
Thy precepts guide my doubtful way,
Thy fear forbids my feet to stray;
Thy promise leads my heart to rest.
6 From the discoveries of thy law
The perfect rules of life I draw,
These are my study and delight:
Not honey so invites the taste,
Nor gold, that hath the furnace past,
Appears so pleasing to the sight.
7 Thy threatenings wake my slumbering eyes,
And warn me where my danger lies;
But 'tis thy blessed gospel, Lord,
That makes my guilty conscience clean,
Converts my soul, subdues my sin,
And gives a free but large reward.
8 Who knows the errors of his thoughts?
My God, forgive my secret faults,
And from presumptuous sins restrain;
Accept my poor attempts of praise
That I have read thy book of grace,
And book of nature, not in vain.
Psalm 20.
Prayer and hope of victory.
For a day of prayer in time of war.
1 Now may the God of power and grace
Attend his people's humble cry!
Jehovah hears when Israel prays,
And brings deliverance from on high.
2 The name of Jacob's God defends
Better than shields or brazen walls;
He from his sanctuary sends
Succour and strength, when Zion calls.
3 Well he remembers all our sighs,
His love exceeds our best deserts,
His love accepts the sacrifice
Of humble groans and broken hearts.
4 In his salvation is our hope,
And, in the name of Israel's God,
Our troops shall lift their banners up,
Our navies spread their flags abroad.
5 Some trust in horses train'd for war,
And some of chariots make their boast;
Our surest expectations are
From thee, the Lord of heavenly hosts.
6 [O! may the memory of thy name
Inspire our armies for the fight!
Our foes shall fall and die with shame,
Or quit the field with shameful flight.]
7 Now save us, Lord, from slavish fear;
Now let our hopes be firm and strong,
Till the salvation shall appear,
And joy and triumph raise the song.
Psalm 21:1. C. M.
Our king is the care of heaven.
1 The king, O Lord, with songs of praise,
Shall in thy strength rejoice;
And, blest with thy salvation, raise
To heaven his cheerful voice.
2 Thy sure defence, thro' nations round,
Has spread his glorious name;
And his successful actions crown'd
With majesty and fame.
3 Then let the king on God alone
For timely aid rely;
His mercy shall support the throne,
And all our wants supply.
4 But, righteous Lord, his stubborn foes
Shall feel thy dreadful hand
Thy vengeful arm shall find out those
That hate his mild command.
5 When thou against them dost engage,
Thy just but dreadful doom
Shall, like a fiery oven's rage,
Their hopes and them consume.
6 Thus, Lord, thy wondrous power declare,
And thus exalt thy fame;
Whilst we glad songs of praise prepare
For thine almighty name.
Psalm 21:2. 1-9. L. M.
Christ exalted to the kingdom.
1 David rejoic'd in God his strength,
Rais'd to the throne by special grace;
But Christ, the Son, appears at length,
Fulfils the triumph and the praise.
2 How great is the Messiah's joy
In the salvation of thy hand!
Lord, thou hast rais'd his kingdom high,
And given the world to his command.
3 Thy goodness grants whate'er he will,
Nor doth the least request withhold;
Blessings of love prevent him still,
And crowns of glory, not of gold.
4 Honour and majesty divine
Around his sacred temples shine;
Blest with the favour of thy face,
And length of everlasting days.
5 Thy hand shall find out all his foes;
And as a fiery oven glows
With raging heat and living coals,
So shall thy wrath devour their souls.
Psalm 22:1. 1-16. First Part. C. M,
The sufferings and death of Christ.
1 "Why has my God my soul forsook,
"Nor will a smile afford?"
(Thus David once in anguish spoke,
And thus our dying Lord.)
2 Tho' 'tis thy chief delight to dwell
Among thy praising saints,
Yet thou canst hear a groan as well,
And pity our complaints.
3 Our fathers trusted in thy name,
And great deliverance found;
But I'm a worm, despis'd of men,
And trodden to the ground.
4 Shaking the head they pass me by,
And laugh my soul to scorn;
"In vain he trusts in God" they cry,
"Neglected and forlorn."
5 But thou art he who form'd my flesh
By thine almighty word,
And since I hung upon the breast,
My hope is in the Lord.
6 Why will my Father hide his face,
When foes stand threatening round,
In the dark hour of deep distress,
And not an helper found?
PAUSE.
7 Behold thy darling left among
The cruel and the proud,
As bulls of Bashan fierce and strong,
As lions roaring loud.
8 From earth and hell my sorrows meet
To multiply the smart;
They nail my hands, they pierce my feet
And try to vex my heart.
9 Yet if thy sovereign hand let loose
The rage of earth and hell,
Why will my heavenly Father bruise
The Son he loves so well?
10 My God, if possible it be,
Withhold this bitter cup;
But I resign my will to thee,
And drink the sorrows up.
11 My heart dissolves with pangs unknown
In groans I waste my breath;
Thy heavy hand has brought me down
Low as the dust of death.
12 Father, I give my spirit up;
And trust it in thy hand;
My dying flesh shall rest in hope,
And rise at thy command.
Psalm 22:2. 20 21 27-31. 2d Part. C. M.
Christ's sufferings and kingdom.
1 "Now from the roaring lion's rage,
"O Lord, protect thy Son;
"Nor leave thy darling to engage,
"The powers of hell alone."
2 Thus did our suffering Saviour pray,
With mighty cries and tears;
God heard him in that dreadful day,
And chas'd away his fears.
3 Great was the victory of his death,
His throne exalted high;
And all the kindreds of the earth
Shall worship or shall die.
4 A numerous offspring must arise
From his expiring groans;
They shall be reckon'd in his eyes
For daughters and for sons.
5 The meek and humble soul shall see
His table richly spread;
And all that seek the Lord shall be
With joys immortal fed.
6 The isles shall know the righteousness
Of our incarnate God;
And nations yet unborn profess
Salvation in his blood.
Psalm 22:3. L. M.
Christ's sufferings and exaltation.
1 Now let our mournful songs record
The dying sorrows of our Lord;
When he complain'd in tears and blood
As one forsaken of his God.
2 The Jews beheld him thus forlorn,
And shake their heads, and laugh in scorn;
"He rescu'd others from the grave,
"Now let him try himself to save.
3 "This is the man did once pretend
"God was his father and his friend;
"If God the blessed lov'd him so,
"Why doth he fail to help him now?"
4 Barbarous people! cruel priests!
How they stood round like savage beasts!
Like lions gaping to devour,
When God had left him in their power.
5 They wound his head, his hands, his feet,
Till streams of blood each other meet;
By lot his garments they divide
And mock the pangs in which he dy'd.
6 But God, his Father, heard his cry:
Rais'd from the dead he reigns on high.
The nations learn his righteousness,
And humble sinners taste his grace.
Psalm 23:1. L. M.
God our Shepherd.
1 My shepherd is the living Lord;
Now shall my wants be well supply'd
His providence and holy word
Become my safety and my guide.
2 In pastures where salvation grows
He makes me feed, he makes me rest;
There living water gently flows,
And all the food's divinely blest.
3 My wandering feet his ways mistake,
But he restores my soul to peace,
And leads me for his mercy's sake,
In the fair paths of righteousness.
4 Tho' I walk thro' the gloomy vale,
Where death and all its terrors are,
My heart and hope shall never fail,
For God my shepherd's with me there.
5 Amidst the darkness and the deeps
Thou art my comfort, thou my stay;
Thy staff supports my feeble steps,
Thy rod directs my doubtful way.
6 The sons of earth and sons of hell
Gaze at thy goodness and repine
To see my table spread so well
With living bread and cheerful wine.
7 [How I rejoice when on my head
Thy Spirit condescends to rest!
'Tis a divine anointing shed
Like oil of gladness at a feast.
8 Surely the mercies of the Lord
Attend his household all their days;
There will I dwell to hear his word,
To seek his face, and sing his praise.]
Psalm 23:2. C. M.
The same.
1. My Shepherd will supply my need,
Jehovah is his name;
In pastures fresh he makes me feed
Beside the living stream.
2 He brings my wandering spirit back,
When I forsake his ways;
And leads me for his mercy's sake,
In paths of truth and grace.
3 When I walk thro' the shades of death,
Thy presence is my stay;
A word of thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
4 Thy hand, in spite of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thine oil anoints my head.
5 The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may thy house be mine abode,
And all my work be praise!
6 There would I find a settled rest,
(While others go and come)
No more a stranger or a guest,
But like a child at home.
Psalm 23:3. S. M.
The same.
1 The Lord my shepherd is,
I shall be well supply'd;
Since he is mine, and I am his,
What can I want beside?
2 He leads me to the place
Where heavenly pasture grows,
Where living waters gently pass,
And full salvation flows.
3 If e'er I go astray,
He doth my soul reclaim,
And guides me in his own right way,
For his most holy name.
4 While he affords his aid,
I cannot yield to fear;
Tho' I should walk thro' death's dark shade
My Shepherd's with me there.
5 In spite of all my foes,
Thou dost my table spread,
My cup with blessings overflows,
And joy exalts my head.
6 The bounties of thy love
Shall crown my following days;
Nor from thy house will I remove,
Nor cease to speak thy praise.
Psalm 24:1. C. M.
Dwelling with God.
1 The earth for ever is the Lord's,
With Adam's numerous race;
He rais'd its arches o'er the floods,
And built it on the seas.
2 But who among the sons of men
May visit thine abode?
He that has hands from mischief clean,
Whose heart is right with God.
3 This is the man may rise, and take
The blessings of his grace;
This is the lot of those that seek
The God of Jacob's face.
4 Now let our soul's immortal powers
To meet the Lord prepare,
Lift up their everlasting doors,
The King of glory's near.
5 The King of glory! who can tell
The wonders of his might!
He rules the nations; but to dwell
With saints is his delight.
Psalm 24:2. L. M.
Saints dwell in heaven; or, Christ's ascension.
1 This spacious earth is all the Lord's,
And men, and worms, and beasts, and birds:
He rais'd the building on the seas,
And gave it for their dwelling-place.
2 But there's a brighter world on high,
Thy palace, Lord, above the sky:
Who shall ascend that blest abode,
And dwell so near his Maker God?
3 He that abhors and fears to sin,
Whose heart is pure whose hands are clean,
Him shall the Lord the Saviour bless,
And clothe his soul with righteousness.
4 These are the men, the pious race
That seek the God of Jacob's face;
These shall enjoy the blissful sight,
And dwell in everlasting light.
PAUSE.
5 Rejoice, ye shining worlds on high,
Behold the King of glory nigh!
Who can this King of glory be?
The mighty Lord, the Saviour's he.
6 Ye heavenly gates, your leaves display
To make the Lord the Saviour way:
Laden with spoils from earth and hell,
The conqueror comes with God to dwell.
7 Rais'd from the dead he goes before,
He opens heaven's eternal door,
To give his saints a blest abode
Near their Redeemer, and their God.
Psalm 25:1. 1-11. First Part.
Waiting for pardon and direction.
1 I Lift my soul to God,
My trust is in his name;
Let not my foes that seek my blood
Still triumph in my shame.
2 Sin and the powers of hell
Persuade me to despair;
Lord, make me know thy covenant well,
That I may 'scape the snare.
3 From the first dawning light
Till the dark evening rise,
For thy salvation, Lord, I wait
With ever-longing eyes.
4 Remember all thy grace,
And lead me in thy truth;
Forgive the sins of riper days,
And follies of my youth.
5 The Lord is just and kind,
The meek shall learn his ways;
And every humble sinner find
The methods of his grace.
6 For his own goodness' sake
He saves my soul from shame;
He pardons (tho' my guilt be great)
Thro' my Redeemer's name.
Psalm 25:2. 12 14 10 13. Second Part.
Divine instruction.
1 Where shall the man be found
That fears t' offend his God,
That loves the gospel's joyful sound,
And trembles at the rod?
2 The Lord shall make him know
The secrets of his heart,
The wonders of his covenant show,
And all his love impart.
3 The dealings of his hand
Are truth and mercy still
With such as to his covenant stand,
And love to do his will.
4 Their souls shall dwell at ease
Before their Maker's face,
Their seed shall taste the promises,
In their extensive grace.
Psalm 25:3. 15-22. Third Part.
Distress of soul; or, Backsliding and desertion.
1 Mine eyes and my desire
Are ever to the Lord;
I love to plead his promises,
And rest upon his word.
2 Turn, turn thee to my soul,
Bring thy salvation near:
When will thy hand release my feet
Out of the deadly snare?
3 When shall the sovereign grace
Of my forgiving God
Restore me from those dangerous ways
My wandering feet have trod?
4 The tumult of my thoughts
Doth but enlarge my woe;
My spirit languishes, my heart
Is desolate and low.
5 With every morning light
My sorrow new begins;
Look on my anguish and my pain,
And pardon all my sins.
PAUSE.
6 Behold the hosts of hell
How cruel is their hate!
Against my life they rise, and join
Their fury with deceit.
7 O keep my soul from death,
Nor put my hope to shame,
For I have plac'd my only trust
In my Redeemer's name.
8 With humble faith I wait
To see thy face again;
Of Israel it shall ne'er be said,
"He sought the Lord in vain."
Psalm 26.
Self-examination; or, Evidences of grace.
1 Judge me, O Lord, and prove my ways,
And try my reins, and try my heart;
My faith upon thy promise stays,
Nor from thy law my feet depart.
2 I hate to walk, I hate to sit,
With men of vanity and lies;
The scoffer and the hypocrite
Are the abhorrence of mine eyes.
3 Amongst thy saints will I appear,
With hands well wash'd in innocence;
But when I stand before thy bar,
The blood of Christ is my defence.
4 I love thy habitation, Lord,
The temple where thine honours dwell;
There shall I hear thine holy word,
And there thy works of wonder tell.
5 Let not my soul be join'd at last
With men of treachery and blood,
Since I my days on earth have past
Among the saints, and near my God.
Psalm 27:1. 1-6. First Part.
The church is our delight and safety.
1 The Lord of glory is my light,
And my salvation too;
God is my strength, nor will I fear
What all my foes can do.
2 One privilege my heart desires;
O grant me an abode
Among the churches of thy saints,
The temples of my God!
3 There shall I offer my requests,
And see thy beauty still,
Shall hear thy messages of love,
And there enquire thy will.
4 When troubles rise, and storms appear,
There may his children hide:
God has a strong pavilion where
He makes my soul abide.
5 Now shall my head be lifted high
Above my foes around,
And songs of joy and victory
Within thy temple sound.
Psalm 27:2. 8 9 13 14. Second Part.
Prayer and Hope.
1 Soon as I heard my Father say,
"Ye children, seek my grace;"
My heart reply'd without delay,
"I'll seek my Father's face."
2 Let not thy face be hid from me,
Nor frown my soul away;
God of my life, I fly to thee
In a distressing day.
3 Should friends and kindred near and dear
Leave me to want, or die,
My God would make my life his care
And all my need supply.
4 My fainting flesh had dy'd with grief,
Had not my soul believ'd
To see thy grace provide relief,
Nor was my hope deceiv'd.
5 Wait on the Lord, ye trembling saints,
And keep your courage up;
He'll raise your spirit when it faints,
And far exceed your hope.
Psalm 29. L. M.
Storm and thunder.
1 Give to the Lord, ye sons of fame,
Give to the Lord renown and power,
Ascribe due honours to his name,
And his eternal might adore.
2 The Lord proclaims his power aloud
Over the ocean and the land;
His voice divides the watery cloud,
And lightnings blaze at his command.
3 He speaks, and tempest, hail, and wind,
Lay the wide forests bare around;
The fearful hart, and frighted hind,
Leap at the terror of the sound.
4 To Lebanon he turns his voice,
And, lo, the stately cedars break;
The mountains tremble at the noise,
The vallies roar, the deserts quake.
5 The Lord sits sovereign on the flood,
The thunderer reigns for ever king;
But makes his church his blest abode,
Where we his awful glories sing.
6 In gentler language there the Lord
The counsels of his grace imparts;
Amidst the raging storm his word
Speaks peace and courage to our hearts.
Psalm 30:1. First Part.
Sickness healed, and sorrow removed.
1 I will extol thee, Lord, on high,
At thy command, diseases fly;
Who but a God can speak and save
From the dark borders of the grave?
2 Sing to the Lord, ye saints of his,
And tell how large his goodness is;
Let all your powers rejoice and bless,
While you record his holiness.
3 His anger but a moment stays
His love is life and length of days;
Tho' grief and tears the night employ,
The morning-star restores the joy.
Psalm 30:2. 6. Second Part.
Health, sickness, and recovery.
1 Firm was my health, my day was bright,
And I presum'd 'twould ne'er be night;
Fondly I said within my heart,
"Pleasure and peace shall ne'er depart."
2 But I forgot thine arm was strong,
Which made my mountain stand so long;
Soon as thy face began to hide,
My health was gone, my comforts dy'd.
3 I cry'd aloud to thee, my God,
"What canst thou profit by my blood?
"Deep in the dust can I declare
"Thy truth, or sing thy goodness there?
4 "Hear me, O God of grace," I said,
"And bring me from among the dead:"
Thy word rebuk'd the pains I felt,
Thy pardoning love remov'd my guilt.
5 My groans, and tears, and forms of woe,
Are turn'd to joy and praises now;
I throw my sackcloth on the ground,
And ease and gladness gird me round.
6 My tongue, the glory of my frame,
Shall ne'er be silent of thy name
Thy praise shall sound thro' earth and heaven,
For sickness heal'd, and sins forgiven.
Psalm 31:1. 5 13-19 22 23. First Part.
Deliverance from death.
1 Into thine hand, 0 God of truth,
My spirit I commit;
Thou hast redeem'd my soul from death,
And sav'd me from the pit.
2 The passions of my hope and fear
Maintain'd a doubtful strife,
While sorrow, pain, and sin conspir'd
To take away my life.
3 "My times are in thine hand," I cry'd,
"Tho' I draw near the dust ;"
Thou art the refuge where I hide,
The God in whom I trust.
4 O make thy reconciled face
Upon thy servant shine,
And save me for thy mercy's sake,
For I'm entirely thine.
PAUSE.
5 ['Twas in my haste, my spirit said,
"I must despair and die,
"I am cut off before thine eyes;"
But thou hast heard me cry.]
6 Thy goodness how divinely free!
How wondrous is thy grace
To those that fear thy majesty,
And trust thy promises!
7 O love the Lord, all ye his saints,
And sing his praises loud;
He'll bend his ear to your complaints,
And recompense the proud.
Psalm 31:2. 7-13 18-21. Second Part.
Deliverance from slander and reproach.
1 My heart rejoices in thy name,
My God, my help, my trust;
Thou hast preserv'd my face from shame,
Mine honour from the dust.
2 "My life is spent with grief," I cry'd,
"My years consum'd in groans,
"My strength decays, mine eyes are dry'd,
"And sorrow wastes my bones."
3 Among mine enemies my name
Was a mere proverb grown,
While to my neighbours I became
Forgotten and unknown.
4 Slander and fear on every side,
Seiz'd and beset me round;
I to the throne of grace apply'd,
And speedy rescue found.
PAUSE.
5 How great deliverance thou hast wrought
Before the sons of men!
The lying lips to silence brought,
And made their boastings vain!
6 Thy children, from the strife of tongues,
Shall thy pavilion hide,
Guard them from infamy and wrongs,
And crush the sons of pride.
7 Within thy secret presence, Lord,
Let me for ever dwell;
No fenced city, wall'd and barr'd,
Secures a saint so well.
Psalm 32:1. S. M.
Forgiveness of sins upon confession.
1 O blessed souls are they
Whose sins are cover'd o'er!
Divinely blest, to whom the Lord
imputes their guilt no more.
2 They mourn their follies past,
And keep their hearts with care;
Their lips and lives without deceit,
Shall prove their faith sincere.
3 While I conceal'd my guilt
I felt the festering wound,
Till I confess'd my sins to thee,
And ready pardon found.
4 Let sinners learn to pray,
Let saints keep near the throne;
Our help in times of deep distress,
Is found in God alone.
Psalm 32:2. First Part. L. M.
Free pardon and sincere obedience;
or, Confession and forgiveness.
1 Happy the man to whom his God
No more imputes his sin,
But wash'd in the Redeemer's blood,
Hath made his garments clean!
2 Happy, beyond expression, he
Whose debts are thus discharg'd;
And from the guilty bondage free,
He feels his soul enlarg'd.
3 His spirit hates deceit and lies,
His words are all sincere;
He guards his heart, he guards his eyes,
To keep his conscience clear.
4 While I my inward guilt supprest,
No quiet could I find;
Thy wrath lay burning in my breast,
And rack'd my tortur'd mind.
5 Then I confess'd my troubled thoughts,
My secret sins reveal'd;
Thy pardoning grace forgave my faults,
Thy grace my pardon seal'd.
6 This shall invite thy saints to pray,
When, like a raging flood,
Temptations rise, our strength and stay
Is a forgiving God.
Psalm 32:3. L. M.
Repentance and free pardon;
or, Justification and sanctification.
1 Blest is the man, for ever blest,
Whose guilt is pardon'd by his God,
Whose sins with sorrow are confess'd,
And cover'd with his Saviour's blood.
2 Blest is the man to whom the Lord
Imputes not his iniquities,
He pleads no merit of reward,
And not on works, but grace relies.
3 From guile his heart and lips are free,
His humble joy, his holy fear,
With deep repentance well agree,
And join to prove his faith sincere.
4 How glorious is that righteousness
That hides and cancels all his sins!
While a bright evidence of grace
Thro' his whole life appears and shines.
Psalm 32:4. Second Part. L. M.
A guilty conscience eased by confession and pardon.
1 While I keep silence, and conceal
My heavy guilt within my heart,
What torments doth my conscience feel!
What agonies of inward smart!
2 I spread my sins before the Lord,
And all my secret faults confess;
Thy gospel speaks a pard'ning word
Thine Holy Spirit seals the grace.
3 For this shall every humble soul
Make swift addresses to thy seat;
When floods of huge temptations roll,
There shall they find a blest retreat.
4 How safe beneath thy wings I lie,
When days grow dark, and storms appear!
And when I walk, thy watchful eye
Shall guide me safe from every snare.
Psalm 33:1. First Part. C. M.
Works of creation and providence.
1 Rejoice, ye righteous, in the Lord,
This work belongs to you:
Sing of his name, his ways, his word,
How holy, just, and true!
2 His mercy and his righteousness
Let heaven and earth proclaim;
His works of nature and of grace
Reveal his wondrous name.
3 His wisdom and almighty word
The heavenly arches spread;
And by the Spirit of the Lord
Their shining hosts were made.
4 He bid the liquid waters flow
To their appointed deep;
The flowing seas their limits know,
And their own station keep.
5 Ye tenants of the spacious earth,
With fear before him stand;
He spake, and nature took its birth,
And rests on his command.
6 He scorns the angry nations' rage,
And breaks their vain designs;
His counsel stands thro' every age,
And in full glory shines.
Psalm 33:2. Second Part. C. M.
Creatures vain, and God all-sufficient.
1 Blest is the nation where the Lord
Hath fix'd his gracious throne;
Where he reveals his heavenly word,
And calls their tribes his own.
2 His eye, with infinite survey,
Does the whole world behold;
He form'd us all of equal clay,
And knows our feeble mould.
3 Kings are not rescu'd by the force
Of armies from the grave;
Nor speed nor courage of an horse
Can the bold rider save,
4 Vain is the strength of beasts or men
To hope for safety thence;
But holy souls from God obtain
A strong and sure defence.
5 God is their fear, and God their trust,
When plagues or famine spread,
His watchful eye secures the just
Amongst ten thousand dead.
6 Lord, let our hearts in thee rejoice,
And bless us from thy throne;
For we have made thy word our choice,
And trust thy grace alone.
Psalm 33:3. First Part. As the 113th Psalm.
Works of creation and providence.
1 Ye holy souls, in God rejoice,
Your Maker's praise becomes your voice;
Great is your theme, your songs be new:
Sing of his name, his word, his ways,
His works of nature and of grace,
How wise and holy, just and true.
2 Justice and truth he ever loves,
And the whole earth his goodness proves,
His word the heavenly arches spread;
How wide they shine from north to south!
And by the Spirit of his mouth
Were all the starry armies made.
3 He gathers the wide-flowing seas,
Those watery treasures know their place,
In the vast storehouse of the deep:
He spake, and gave all nature birth;
And fires, and seas, and heaven, and earth,
His everlasting orders keep.
4 Let mortals tremble and adore
A God of such resistless power,
Nor dare indulge their feeble rage:
Vain are your thoughts, and weak your hands;
But his eternal counsel stands,
And rules the world from age to age.
Psalm 33:4. Second Part. As the 113th Psalm.
Creatures vain, and God all-sufficient.
1 O Happy nation, where the Lord
Reveals the treasure of his word,
And builds his church his earthly throne!
His eye the heathen world surveys,
He form'd their hearts, he knows their ways;
But God their Maker is unknown.
2 Let kings rely upon their host,
And of his strength the champion boast;
In vain they boast, in vain rely;
In vain we trust the brutal force,
Or speed, or courage of an horse,
To guard his rider, or to fly.
3 The eye of thy compassion, Lord,
Doth more secure defence afford
When death or dangers threatening stand;
Thy watchful eye preserves the just,
Who make thy name their fear and trust,
When wars or famine waste the land.
4 In sickness or the bloody field,
Thou our physician, thou our shield,
Send us salvation from thy throne;
We wait to see thy goodness shine;
Let us rejoice in help divine,
For all our hope is God alone.
Psalm 34:1. First Part. L. M.
God's care of the saints; or, Deliverance by prayer.
1 Lord, I will bless thee all my days,
Thy praise shall dwell upon my tongue;
My soul shall glory in thy grace,
While saints rejoice to hear the song.
2 Come, magnify the Lord with me,
Come, let us all exalt his name;
I sought th' eternal God, and he
Has not expos'd my hope to shame.
3 I told him all my secret grief,
My secret groaning reach'd his ears;
He gave my inward pains relief,
And calm'd the tumult of my fears.
4 To him the poor lift up their eyes,
Their faces feel the heavenly shine;
A beam of mercy from the skies
Fills them with light and joy divine.
6 His holy angels pitch their tents
Around the men that serve the Lord;
O fear and love him, all his saints,
Taste of his grace and trust his word.
6 The wild young lions, pinch'd with pain
And hunger, roar thro' all the wood;
But none shall seek the Lord in vain,
Nor want supplies of real good.
Psalm 34:2. 11-22. Second Part. L. M.
Religious education; or, Instructions of piety.
1 Children in years and knowledge young,
Your parents' hope, your parents' joy,
Attend the counsels of my tongue,
Let pious thoughts your minds employ.
2 If you desire a length of days,
And peace to crown your mortal state,
Restrain your feet from impious ways,
Your lips from slander and deceit.
3 The eyes of God regard his saints,
His ears are open to their cries;
He sets his frowning face against
The sons of violence and lies.
4 To humble souls and broken hearts
God with his grace is ever nigh;
Pardon and hope his love imparts
When men in deep contrition lie.
5 He tell their tears, he counts their groans,
His Son redeems their souls from death;
His Spirit heals their broken bones,
They in his praise employ their breath.
Psalm 34:3. 1-10. First Part. C. M.
Prayer and Praise for eminent deliverance.
1 I'll bless the Lord from day to day;
How good are all his ways!
Ye humble souls that use to pray,
Come, help my lips to praise.
2 Sing to the honour of his name,
How a poor sufferer cry'd,
Nor was his hope expos'd to shame,
Nor was his suit deny'd.
3 When threatening sorrows round me stood,
And endless fears arose,
Like the loud billows of a flood,
Redoubling all my woes;
4 I told the Lord my sore distress
With heavy groans and tears,
He gave my sharpest torments ease,
And silenc'd all my fears.
PAUSE.
5 [O sinners, come and taste his love,
Come, learn his pleasant ways,
And let your own experience prove
The sweetness of his grace.
6 He bids his angels pitch their tents
Round where his children dwell
What ills their heavenly care prevents
No earthly tongue can tell.]
7 [O love the Lord, ye saints of his;
His eye regards the just;
How richly blest their portion is
Who make the Lord their trust!
8 Young lions pinch'd with hunger roar,
And famish in the wood;
But God supplies his holy poor
With every needful good.]
Psalm 34:4. 11-22. Second Part. C. M.
Exhortations to peace and Holiness.
1 Come, children, learn to fear the Lord;
And that your days be long,
Let not a false or spiteful word
Be found upon your tongue.
2 Depart from mischief, practise love,
Pursue the works of peace;
So shall the Lord your ways approve,
And set your souls at ease.
3 His eyes awake to guard the just,
His ears attend their cry;
When broken spirits dwell in dust,
The God of grace is nigh.
4 What tho' the sorrows here they taste
Are sharp and tedious too,
The Lord, who saves them all at last,
Is their supporter now.
5 Evil shall smite the wicked dead;
But God secures his own,
Prevents the mischief when they slide,
Or heals the broken bone.
6 When desolation like a flood,
O'er the proud sinner rolls,
Saints find a refuge in their God,
For he redeem'd their souls.
Psalm 35:1. 1-9. First Part.
Prayer and faith of persecuted saints;
or, Imprecations mixed with charity.
1 Now plead my cause, almighty God,
With all the Sons of strife;
And fight against the men of blood,
Who fight against my life.
2 Draw out thy spear and stop their way,
Lift thine avenging rod;
But to my soul in mercy say,
"I am thy Saviour God."
3 They plant their snares to catch my feet,
And nets of mischief spread;
Plunge the destroyers in the pit
That their own hands have made.
4 Let fogs and darkness hide their way,
And slippery be their ground;
Thy wrath shall make their lives a prey,
And all their rage confound.
5 They fly like chaff before the wind,
Before thine angry breath;
The angel of the Lord behind
Pursues them down to death.
6 They love the road that leads to hell;
Then let the rebels die
Whose malice is implacable
Against the Lord on high.
7 But if thou hast a chosen few
Amongst that impious race,
Divide them from the bloody crew
By thy surprising grace.
8 Then will I raise my tuneful voice
To make thy wonders known;
In their salvation I'll rejoice,
And bless thee for my own.
Psalm 35:2. 12-14. Second Part.
Love to enemies; or, The love of
Christ to sinners typified in David.
1 Behold the love, the generous love
That holy David shows;
Hark, how his sounding bowels move
To his afflicted foes!
2 When they are sick his soul complains,
And seems to feel the smart;
The spirit of the gospel reigns,
And melts his pious heart.
3 How did his flowing tears condole
As for a brother dead!
And fasting mortify'd his soul,
While for their life he pray'd.
4 They groan'd; and curs'd him on their bed,
Yet still he pleads and mourns;
And double blessings on his head
The righteous God returns.
5 O glorious type of heavenly grace!
Thus Christ the Lord appears;
While sinners curse, the Saviour prays,
And pities them with tears.
6 He, the true David, Israel's king,
Blest and belov'd of God,
To save us rebels dead in sin,
Paid his own dearest blood.
Psalm 36:1. 5-9. L. M.
The perfections and providence of God;
or, General providence and special grace.
1 High in the heavens, eternal God,
Thy goodness in full glory shines;
Thy truth shall break thro' every cloud
That veils and darkens thy designs.
2 For ever firm thy justice stands,
As mountains their foundations keep;
Wise are the wonders of thy hands;
Thy judgments are a mighty deep.
3 Thy providence is kind and large,
Both man and beast thy bounty share;
The whole creation is thy charge,
But saints are thy peculiar care.
4 My God! how excellent thy grace,
Whence all our hope and comfort springs!
The sons of Adam in distress
Fly to the shadow of thy wings.
5 From the provisions of thy house
We shall be fed with sweet repast;
There mercy like a river flows,
And brings salvation to our taste.
6 Life, like a fountain rich and free
Springs from the presence of the Lord;
And in thy light our souls shall see
The glories promis'd in thy word.
Psalm 36:2. 1 2 5 6 7 9 C. M.
Practical atheism exposed; or,
The being and attributes of God asserted.
1 While men grow bold in wicked ways!
And yet a God they own,
My heart within me often says,
"Their thoughts believe there's none."
2 Their thoughts and ways at once declare
(Whate'er their lips profess)
God hath no wrath for them to fear,
Nor will they seek his grace.
3 What strange self-flattery blinds their eyes!
But there's an hastening hour
When they shall see with sore surprise
The terrors of thy power.
4 Thy justice shall maintain its throne,
Tho' mountains melt away;
Thy judgments are a world unknown,
A deep unfathom'd sea.
5 Above the heavens' created rounds,
Thy mercies, Lord, extend;
Thy truth outlives the narrow bounds,
Where time and nature end.
6 Safety to man thy goodness brings,
Nor overlooks the beast;
Beneath the shadow of thy wings
Thy children choose to rest.
7 [From thee, when creature-streams run low,
And mortal comforts die,
Perpetual springs of life shall flow,
And raise our pleasures high.
8 Tho' all created light decay,
And death close up our eyes
Thy presence makes eternal day
Where clouds can never rise.]
Psalm 36:3. 1-7. S. M.
The wickedness of man, and the majesty of God;
or. Practical atheism exposed.
1 When man grows bold in sin
My heart within me cries,
"He hath no faith of God within,
Nor fear before his eyes."
2 [He walks awhile conceal'd
In a self-flattering dream,
Till his dark crimes at once reveal'd
Expose his hateful name.]
3 His heart is false and foul,
His words are smooth and fair;
Wisdom is banish'd from his soul,
And leaves no goodness there.
4 He plots upon his bed
New mischiefs to fulfil;
He sets his heart, and hand, and head,
To practise all that's ill.
5 But there's a dreadful God,
Tho' men renounce his fear;
His justice hid behind the cloud
Shall one great day appear.
6 His truth transcends the sky;
In heaven his mercies dwell;
Deep as the sea his judgments lie,
His anger burns to hell.
7 How excellent his love,
Whence all our safety springs!
O never let my soul remove
From underneath his wings.
Psalm 37:1. 1-15. First Part.
The cure of envy, fretfulness, and unbelief;
or, The rewards of the righteous, and the wicked;
or, The world's hatred, and the saint's patience.
1 Why should I vex my soul and fret
To see the wicked rise?
Or envy sinners waxing great,
By violence and lies.
2 As flowery grass cut down at noon,
Before the evening fades
So shall their glories vanish soon
In everlasting shades.
3 Then let me make the Lord my trust,
And practise all that's good;
So shall I dwell among the just,
And he'll provide me food.
4 I to my God my ways commit,
And cheerful wait his will;
Thy hand, which guides my doubtful feet,
Shall my desires fulfil.
3 Mine innocence shalt thou display,
And make thy judgments known,
Fair as the light of dawning day,
And glorious as the noon.
6 The meek at last the earth possess,
And are the heirs of heav'n;
True riches with abundant peace,
To humble souls are given.
PAUSE.
7 Rest in the Lord and keep his way,
Nor let your anger rise,
Tho' providence should long delay
To punish haughty vice.
8 Let sinners join to break your peace,
And plot, and rage, and foam;
The Lord derides them, for he sees
Their day of vengeance come.
9 They have drawn out the threatening sword,
Have bent the murderous bow,
To slay the men that fear the Lord,
And bring the righteous low.
10 My God shall break their bows, and burn
Their persecuting darts,
Shall their own swords against them turn,
And pain surprise their hearts.
Psalm 37:2. 16 21 26-31. Second Part.
Charity to the poor; or, Religion in words and deeds.
1 Why do the wealthy wicked boast,
And grow profanely bold?
The meanest portion of the just
Excels the sinner's gold.
2 The wicked borrows of his friends,
But ne'er designs to pay;
The saint is merciful and lends,
Nor turns the poor away.
3 His alms with liberal heart he gives
Amongst the sons of need;
His memory to long ages lives,
And blessed is his seed.
4 His lips abhor to talk profane,
To slander or defraud;
His ready tongue declares to men
What he has learn'd of God.
5 The law and gospel of the Lord
Deep in his heart abide;
Led by the Spirit and the word,
His feet shall never slide.
6 When sinners fall, the righteous stand,
Preserv'd from every snare;
They shall possess the promis'd land,
And dwell for ever there.
Psalm 37:3. 23-27. Third Part.
The way and end of the righteous and the wicked.
1 My God, the steps of pious men
Are order'd by thy will;
Tho' they should fall, they rise again,
Thy hand supports them still.
2 The Lord delights to see their ways,
Their virtue he approves;
He'll ne'er deprive them of his grace,
Nor leave the men he loves.
3 The heavenly heritage is theirs,
Their portion and their home;
He feeds them now, and makes them heirs
Of blessings long to come.
4 Wait on the Lord, ye sons of men,
Nor fear when tyrants frown;
Ye shall confess their pride was vain,
When justice casts them down.
PAUSE.
5 The haughty sinner have I seen,
Nor fearing man nor God,
Like a tall bay-tree fair and green,
Spreading his arms abroad.
6 And lo! he vanish'd from the ground,
Destroy'd by hands unseen:
Nor root, nor branch, nor leaf was found
Where all that pride had been.
7 But mark the man of righteousness,
His several steps attend;
True pleasure runs thro' all his ways,
And peaceful is his end.
Psalm 38.
Guilt of conscience and relief; or, Repentance,
and prayer for pardon and health.
1 Amidst thy wrath remember love,
Restore thy servant, Lord;
Nor let a father's chastening prove
Like an avenger's sword.
2 Thine arrows stick within my heart,
My flesh is sorely prest;
Between the sorrow and the smart
My spirit finds no rest.
3 My sins a heavy load appear,
And o'er my head are gone;
Too heavy they for me to bear,
Too hard for me t' atone.
4 My thoughts are like a troubled sea,
My head still bending down;
And I go mourning all the day
Beneath my Father's frown.
5 Lord, I am weak, and broken sore,
None of my powers are whole;
The inward anguish makes me roar,
The anguish of my soul.
6 All my desire to thee is known,
Thine eye counts every tear,
And every sigh, and every groan
Is notic'd by thine ear.
7 Thou art my God, my only hope;
My God will hear my cry;
My God will bear my spirit up
When Satan bids me die.
8 [My foot is ever apt to slide,
My foes rejoice to see't;
They raise their pleasure and their pride
When they supplant my feet.
9 But I'll confess my guilt to thee,
And grieve for all my sin,
I'll mourn how weak my graces be,
And beg support divine.
10 My God, forgive my follies past,
And be for ever nigh;
O Lord of my salvation, haste,
Before thy servant die.]
Psalm 39:1. 1 2 3. First Part.
Watchfulness over the tongue;
or, Prudence and zeal.
1 Thus I resolv'd before the Lord,
"Now will I watch my tongue,
"Lest I let slip one sinful word,
"Or do my neighbour wrong."
2 And if I'm e'er constrain'd to stay
With men of lives profane
I'll set a double guard that day,
Nor let my talk be vain.
3 I'll scarce allow my lips to speak
The pious thoughts I feel,
Lest scoffers should th' occasion take
To mock my holy zeal.
4 Yet if some proper hour appear,
I'll not be overaw'd,
But let the scoffing sinners hear
That I can speak for God.
Psalm 39:2. 4-7. Second Part.
The vanity of man as mortal.
1 Teach me the measure of my days,
Thou maker of my frame;
I would survey life's narrow space,
And learn' how frail I am.
2 A span is all that we can boast,
An inch or two of time;
Man is but vanity and dust
In all his flower and prime.
3 See the vain race of mortals move
Like shadows o'er the plain;
They rage and strive, desire and love,
But all the noise is vain.
4 Some walk in honour's gaudy show,
Some dig for golden ore,
They toil for heirs, they know not who,
And straight are seen no more.
5 What should I wish or wait for then
From creatures, earth and dust?
They make our expectations vain,
And disappoint our trust.
6 Now I forbid my carnal hope,
My fond desires recall;
I give my mortal interest up,
And make my God my all.
Psalm 39:3. 9-13. Third Part.
Sick-bed devotion; or, Pleading without repining.
1 God of my life, look gently down,
Behold the pains I feel;
But I am dumb before thy throne,
Nor dare dispute thy will.
2 Diseases are thy servants, Lord,
They come at thy command;
I'll not attempt a murmuring word
Against thy chastening hand.
3 Yet I may plead with humble cries,
Remove thy sharp rebukes;
My strength consumes, my spirit dies
Thro' thy repeated strokes.
4 Crush'd as a moth beneath thy hand,
We moulder to the dust;
Our feeble powers can ne'er withstand,
And all our beauty's lost.
5 [This mortal life decays apace,
How soon the bubble's broke!
Adam and all his numerous race
Are vanity and smoke.]
6 I'm but a sojourner below,
As all my fathers were,
May I be well prepar'd to go
When I the summons hear.
7 But if my life be spar'd awhile,
Before my last remove,
Thy praise shall be my business still,
And I'll declare thy love.
Psalm 40:1. 1 3 5 17. First Part. C. M.
A song of deliverance from great distress.
1 I waited patient for the Lord,
He bow'd to hear my cry;
He saw me resting on his word,
And brought salvation nigh.
2 He rais'd me from a horrid pit
Where mourning long I lay,
And from my bonds releas'd my feet,
Deep bonds of miry clay.
3 Firm on a rock he made me stand,
And taught my cheerful tongue
To praise the wonders of his hand,
In a new thankful song.
4 I'll spread his works of grace abroad;
The saints with joy shall hear,
And sinners learn to make my God
Their only hope and fear.
5 How many are thy thoughts of love!
Thy mercies, Lord, how great!
We have not words nor hours enough
Their numbers to repeat.
6 When I'm afflicted, poor and low,
And light and peace depart,
My God beholds my heavy woe,
And bears me on his heart.
Psalm 40:2. 6-9. Second Part. C. M.
The incarnation and sacrifice of Christ.
1 Thus saith the Lord,
"Your work is vain,
"Give your burnt offerings o'er,
"In dying goats and bullocks slain
"My soul delights no more."
2 Then spake the Saviour, "Lo, I'm here,
"My God, to do thy will;
"'Whate'er thy sacred books declare,
"Thy servant shall fulfil.
3 "Thy law is ever in my sight,
"I keep it near my heart;
"Mine ears are open'd with delight
"To what thy lips impart."
4 And see the bless'd Redeemer comes,
Th' eternal Son appears,
And at th' appointed time assumes
The body God prepares.
5 Much he reveal'd his Father's grace,
And much his truth he shew'd,
And preach'd the way of righteousness,
Where great assemblies stood.
6 His Father's honour touch'd his heart,
He pity'd sinners' cries,
And, to fulfil a Saviour's part,
Was made a sacrifice,
PAUSE.
7 No blood of beasts on altars shed
Could wash the conscience clean,
But the rich sacrifice he paid
Atones for all our sin.
8 Then was the great salvation spread,
And Satan's kingdom shook;
Thus by the woman's promis'd seed
The serpent's head was broke.
Psalm 40:3. 5-10. L. M.
Christ our sacrifice.
1 The wonders, Lord, thy love has wrought,
Exceed our praise, surmount our thought;
Should I attempt the long detail,
My speech would faint, my numbers fail.
2 No blood of beasts on altars spilt,
Can cleanse the souls of men from guilt,
But thou hast set before our eyes
An all-sufficient sacrifice.
3 Lo! thine eternal Son appears,
To thy designs he bows his ears,
Assumes a body, well prepar'd,
And well performs a work so hard.
4 "Behold, I come," (the Saviour cries,
With love and duty in his eyes)
"I come to bear the heavy load
"Of sins, and do thy will, my God.
5 "'Tis written in thy great decree,
"'Tis in thy book foretold of me,
"I must fulfil the Saviour's part,
"And, lo! thy law is in my heart!
6 "I'll magnify thy holy law,
"And rebels to obedience draw,
"'When on my cross I'm lifted high,
"Or to my crown above the sky.
7 "The Spirit shall descend, and show
"What thou hast done, and what I do;
"The wond'ring world shall learn thy grace,
"Thy wisdom and thy righteousness."
Psalm 41. 1 2 3.
Charity to the poor; or, Pity to the afflicted.
1 Blest is the man whose bowels move,
And melt with pity to the poor,
Whose soul, by sympathising love,
Feels what his fellow-saints endure.
2 His heart contrives for their relief
More good than his own hands can do;
He, in the time of general grief,
Shall find the Lord has bowels too.
3 His soul shall live secure on earth,
With secret blessings on his head,
When drought, and pestilence, and dearth
Around him multiply their dead.
4 Or if he languish on his couch,
God will pronounce his sins forgiv'n,
Will save him with a healing touch,
Or take his willing soul to heaven.
Psalm 42:1. 1-5. First Part.
Desertion and hope; or, Complaint
of absence from public worship.
1 With earnest longings of the mind,
My God, to thee I look;
So pants the hunted hart to find
And taste the cooling brook.
2 When shall I see thy courts of grace,
And meet my God again?
So long an absence from thy face
My heart endures with pain.
3 Temptations vex my weary soul,
And tears are my repast;
The foe insults without control,
"And where's your God at last?"
4 'Tis with a mournful pleasure now
I think on ancient days;
Then to thy house did numbers go,
And all our work was praise.
5 But why, my soul, sunk down so far
Beneath this heavy load?
Why do my thoughts indulge despair,
And sin against my God?
6 Hope in the Lord, whose mighty hand
Can all thy woes remove;
For I shall yet before him stand,
And sing restoring love.
Psalm 42:2. 6-11. Second Part.
Melancholy thoughts reproved;
or, Hope in afflictions.
1 My spirit sinks within me, Lord,
But I will call thy name to mind,
And times of past distress record,
When I have found my God was kind.
2 Huge troubles, with tumultuous noise,
Swell like a sea, and round me spread;
Thy water-spouts drown all my joys,
And rising waves roll o'er my head.
3 Yet will the Lord command his love,
When I address his throne by day,
Nor in the night his grace remove;
The night shall hear me sing and pray.
4 I'll cast myself before his feet,
And say "My God, my heavenly Rock,
"Why doth thy love so long forget
"The soul that groans beneath thy stroke?"
5 I'll chide my heart that sinks so low,
Why should my soul indulge her grief?
Hope in the Lord, and praise him too,
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