Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

41 He them defenceless did expose To their insulting heathen foes; And made them on the triumph wait Of those who bore them greatest hate. 42 Nor thus his indignation ceased; Their list of tyrants still increased, Till they, who God's mild sway declined, Were made the vassals of mankind. 43 Yet when, distress'd, they did repent, His anger did as oft relent; But freed, they did his wrath provoke, Renew'd their sins, and he their yoke. 44 Nor yet implacable he proved, Nor heard their wretched cries moved;

[blocks in formation]

By pressing cares more heavy made. 11, 12 Because God's counsels they defy'd,

And lightly prized his holy word, un-With these afflictions they were try'd;

45 But did to mind his promise bring, And mercy's inexhausted spring. 46 Compassion too he did impart E'en to their foes' obdurate heart; And pity for their suff'rings bred In those who them to bondage led. 47 Still save us, Lord, and Israel's bands Together bring from heathen lands: So to thy name our thanks we'll raise, And ever triumph in thy praise. 48 Let Israel's God be ever bless'd, His name eternally confess'd; Let all his saints, with full accord, Sing loud Amens-Praise ye the Lord. PSALM CVII.

10 God your grateful voices raise, Who does your daily Patron prove; And let your never-ceasing praise Attend on his eternal love.

2, 3 Let those give thanks, whom he from bands

Of proud oppressing foes released;\ And brought them back from distant lands,

From north and south, and west and

east.

4, 5 Through lonely desert ways they

went,

Nor could a peopled city find; Till quite with thirst and hunger spent, Their fainting souls within them pined.

6 Then soon to God's indulgent ear

Did they their mournful cry address; Who graciously vouchsafed to hear,

And freed them from their deep dis

tress.

They fell, and none could help afford. 13 Then soon to God's indulgent ear Did they their mournful cry address; Who graciously vouchsafed to hear, And freed them from their deep dis tress.

14 From dismal dungeons, dark as night, And shades, as black as death's abode, He brought them forth to cheerful light, And welcome liberty bestow'd. 15 0 then that all the earth with me Would God, for this his goodness, praise;

And for the mighty works which he Throughout the wond'ring world displays!

16 For he, with his Almighty hand, The gates of brass in pieces broke; Nor could the massy bars withstand, Or temper'd steel resist his stroke. PART III.

17 Remorseless wretches, void of sense With bold transgressions God defy; And for their multiply'd offence,

Oppress'd with sore diseases lie. 18 Their soul, a prey to pain and fear, Abhors to taste the choicest meats; And they by faint degrees draw near To death's inhospitable gates. 19 Then straight to God's indulgent eur Do they their mournful cry address; Who graciously vouchsafes to hear,

And frees them from their deep distress. 20 He all their sad distempers heals,

His word both health and safety give And, when all human succour fails, From near destruction them trieves.

7 From crooked paths he led them forth, 21 And in the certain way did guide

O then that all the earth with me Would God, for this his goodn praise;

To wealthy towns of great resort,
Where all their wants were well sup-And
ply'd.

8 O then that all the earth with me

for the mighty works which he Throughout the wond'ring world d plays!

Would God, for this his goodness, 22 With offerings let his altar flame, praise; Whilst they their grateful thanks

And for the mighty works which he

press,

Throughout the wond'ring world dis-And with loud joy his holy name,

plays!

For all his acts of wonder, bless.

[blocks in formation]

O'er swelling waves their trade pursue, Do God's amazing works behold,

And in the deep his wonders view. 25 No sooner his command is past,

Than forth the dreadful tempest flies, Which sweeps the sea with rapid haste, And makes the stormy billows rise. 26 Sometimes the ships, toss'd up to heav'n,

On tops of mountain waves appear;
Then down the steep abyss are driv'n,

Whilst ev'ry soul dissolves with fear.
27 They reel and stagger to and fro,
Like men with fumes of wine oppress'd;
Nor do the skilful seamen know
Which way to steer, what course is best.
28 Then straight to God's indulgent ear
They do their mournful cry address;
Who graciously vouchsafes to hear,
And frees them from their deep distress.
29, 30 He does the raging storm appease,
And makes the billows calm and still;
With joy they see their fury cease,

And their intended course fulfil.

31 O then that all the earth with me Would God, for this his goodness, praise;

And for the mighty works which he Throughout the wond'ring world displays!

32 Let them, where all the tribes resort,

Advance to heaven his glorious name,
And in the elders' sov'reign court,

With one consent his praise proclaim.
PART V.

33, 34 A fruitful land, where streams
abound,

God's just revenge, if people sin, Will turn to dry and barren ground, To punish those that dwell therein. 35, 36 The parch'd and desert heath he makes

To flow with streams and springing
weils,

Which for his lot the hungry takes,
And in strong cities safely dwells.
37, 38 He sows the field, the vineyard
plants,

Which gratefully his toil repay;
Nor can, whilst God his blessing grants,
His fruitful seed or stock decay.
39 But when his sins heaven's wrath
provoke,

His health and substance fade away; He feels th' oppressor's galling yoke, And is of grief the wretched prey. 40 The prince that slights what God commands,

posed to scorn, must quit his throne;

And over wild and desert lands,

Where no path offers, stray alone: 41 Whilst God, from all afflicting cares, Sets up the humble man on high, And makes, in time, his num'rous hers With his increasing flocks to vie. 42, 43 Then sinners shall have nought to

say,

The just a decent joy shall show; The wise these strange events shall weigh,

My

2

And thence God's goodness fully know.
PSALM CVIII.

To magnify thy name;
God, my heart is fully bent

tongue with cheerful songs of praise Shall celebrate thy fame.

Awake, my lute; nor thou, my harp,
Thy warbling notes delay;
Whilst I with early hymns of joy
Prevent the dawning day.

3 To all the list'ning tribes, O Lord,
Thy wonders I will tell,

And to those nations sing thy praise,
That round about us dwell;
4 Because thy mercy's boundless height
The highest heaven transcends,
And far beyond th' aspiring clouds
Thy faithful truth extends.
5 Be thou, O God, exalted high
Above the starry frame;

And let the world, with one consent,
Confess thy glorious name.
6 That all thy chosen people thee
Their Saviour may declare;
Let thy right hand protect me still,
And answer thou my prayer.
7 Since God himself hath said the word,
Whose promise cannot fail,
With joy I Sechem will divide,

And measure Succoth's vale.
8 Gilead is mine, Manasseh too,

And Ephraim owns my cause;
Their strength my regal power sup
ports,

And Judah gives my laws.
9 Moab I'll make my servile drudge,
On vanquish'd Edom tread;

And through the proud Philistine lands
My conq'ring banners spread.
10 By whose support and aid shal! I
Their well-fenced city gain?
Who will my troops securely lead

Through Edom's guarded plain?
11 Lord, wilt not thou assist our arms,
Which late thou didst forsake?
And wilt not thou of these our hosts

Once more the guidance take?
12 0 to thy servant in distress

Thy speedy succour send;
For vain it is on human aid
For safety to depend.

13 Then valiant acts shall we perform,

If thou thy pow'r disclose; For God it is, and God alone, That treads down all our foes.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

2 For sinful men, with lying lips,
Deceitful speeches frame,
And with their study'd slander seek
To wound my spotless fame.

3 Their restless hatred prompts them

[blocks in formation]

7 His guilt, when sentence is pronounced,
Shall meet a dreadful fate,
Whilst his rejected prayer but serves
His crimes to aggravate.

8 He, snatch'd by some untimely fate,
Sha'nt live out half his days;
Another, by divine decree,

Shall on his office seize.

9, 10 His seed shall orphans be, his wife
A widow, plunged in grief;
His vagrant children beg their bread,
Where none can give relief.
11 His ill-got riches shall be made
To usurers a prey;

The fruit of all his toil shall be

By strangers borne away.

12 None shall be found that to his wants
Their mercy will extend,

Or to his helpless orphan seed
The least assistance lend.

13 A swift destruction soon shall seize
On his unhappy race;

And the next age his hated name
Shall utterly deface.

14 The vengeance of his father's sins
Upon his head shall fall;

God on his mother's crimes shall think,
And punish him for all.

15 All these, in horrid order rank'd,
Before the Lord shall stand,
Till his fierce anger quite cuts off
Their mem'ry from the land.

PART II.

16 Because he mercy never show'd,
But still the poor oppress'd;
And sought to slay the helpless man,
With heavy woes distress'd:

17 Therefore the curse he loved to vent,
Shall his own portion prove;
And blessing, which he still abhor'd,
Shall far from hin remove.

18 Since he in cursing took such pride,
Like water it shall spread

Through all his veins, and stick like oil,
With which his bones are fed.

19 This, like a poison'd robe, shall still
His constant covering be,

Or an envenom❜d belt, from which
He never shall be free.

20 Thus shall the Lord reward all those
That ill to me design;

That with malicious false reports
Against my life combine.

21 But for thy glorious name, O God,
Do thou deliver me;

And for thy plenteous mercy's sake,
Preserve and set me free.

22 For I, to utmost straits reduced,
Am void of all relief;

My heart is wounded with distress,

And quite pierced through with grief. 23 I like an evening shade decline, Which vanishes apace;

Like locusts, up and down I'm toss'd,
And have no certain place.
24, 25 My knees with fasting are grown
weak,

My body lank and lean;
All that behold me shake their heads,
And treat me with disdain.

26, 27 But for thy mercy's sake, O Lord,
Do thou my foes withstand;
That all may see 'tis thy own act,
The work of thy right hand.

28 Then let them curse, so thou but bless;
Let shame the portion be
Of all that my destruction seek,
While I rejoice in thee.

29 My foes shall with disgrace be clothed,
And spite of all his pride,
His own confusion, like a cloak,

The guilty wretch shall hide.
30 But I to God, in grateful thanks,
My cheerful voice will raise;
And where the great assembly meets,
Set forth his noble praise.

31 For him the poor shall always find
Their sure and constant friend;
And he shall from unrighteous dooms
Their guiltless souls defend.

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Supreme in Sion thou shalt be,
And all thy proud opposers see
"Subjected to thy just command.
3 Thee, in thy power's triumphant
day,

The willing nations shall obey:
And, when thy rising beams they
view,

• Shall all, redeem'd from error's night,
Appear as numberless and bright

As crystal drops of morning dew.'

4 The Lord hath sworn, nor sworn in
vain,

That, like Melchisedech's, thy reign
And priesthood shall no period know:
5 No proud competitor to sit
At thy right hand will he permit,
But in his wrath crown'd heads o'er-4
throw.

6 The sentenced heathen he shall slay,
And fill with carcases his way,

Till he hath struck earth's tyrants
dead;

7 But in the high-way brooks shall first,
Like a poor pilgrim, slake his thirst,
And then in triumph raise his head.
PSALM CXI.

10 Who wisdom's sacred prize would
win,

Must with the fear of God begin:
Immortal praise and heavenly skill
Have they who know and do his will.
PSALM CXII.
HALLELUJAH.

THAT

HAT man is bless'd who stands in awe

Of God, and loves his sacred law;

2 His seed on earth shall be renown'd,
And with successive honours crown'd.
3 His house, the seat of wealth, shall
be

An inexhausted treasu▸:

His justice, free from all decay,
Shall blessings to his heirs convey.
The soul that's fill'd with virtue's
light

Shines brightest in affliction's night;
To pity the distress'd inclined,
As well as just to all mankind.
5 His lib'ral favours he extends,
To some he gives, to others lends;
Yet what his charity impairs,
He saves by prudence in affairs.
6 Beset with threat'ning dangers round,

PRAISE ye the Lord; our God to Unmoved shall he maintain his ground

praise

My soul her utmost power shall raise;
With private friends, and in the throng
Of saints, his praise shall be my song.

The sweet remembrance of the just
Shall flourish when he sleeps in dust.
7 Ill tidings never can surprise.
His heart, that, fix'd on God relies:

2 His works, for greatness though re-8 On safety's rock he sits and sees

nown'd,

His wondrous works with ease

found

The shipwreck of his enemies.

are 9 His hands, while they his alms be. stow'd,

By those who seek for them aright,
And in the pious search delight.
3 His works are all of matchless fame,
And universal glory claim;
His truth, confirm'd through ages past,
Shall to eternal ages last.

4 By precepts he hath us enjoin'd
To keep his wondrous works in mind;
And to posterity record,

That good and gracious is our Lord.
5 His bounty, like a flowing tide,
Has all his servants' wants supply'd;
And he will ever keep in mind
His cov'nant with our fathers sign'd.
6 At once astonish'd and o'erjoy'd,
They saw his matchless power em-
ploy'd,

Whereby the heathen were suppress'd,
And we their heritage possess'd.
7 Just are the dealings of his hands,
Immutable are his commands,
8 By truth and equity sustain'd,
And for eternal rules ordain'd.
9 He set his saints from bondage free,
And then establish'd his decree,
For ever to remain the same:
Holy and reverend is his name.

His glory's future harvest sow'd,
Whence he shall reap wealth, fame, re-

[blocks in formation]

And gladness for the heart that's right, And, with his unresisted might,

To recompense its pious trust. 12 Rejoice, ye righteous, in the Lord; Memorials of his holiness

Deep in your faithful breasts record, And with your thankful tongues confess.

PSALM XCVIII.

H

6 M

An

Amor

His

ess extol.

I Aaron thus of old

is priests ador'd;

is prophets Samuel thus cred name implor'd.

Distress'd, upon the Lord they call'd, Who ne'er their suit deny'd;

SING to the Lord a new-made song, But, as with rev'rence they implor'd,

Who wondrous things has done;

With his right hand and holy arm

The conquest he has won.

2 The Lord has through th' astonish'd world

Display'd his saving might,
And made his righteous acts appear
In all the heathen's sight.

3 Of Israel's house his love and truth
Have ever mindful been;
Wide earth's remotest parts the power
Of Israel's God have seen.

4 Let therefore earth's inhabitants
Their cheerful voices raise;

And all, with universal joy,
Resound their Maker's

He graciously reply'd.

7 For with their camp, to guide their march,

The cloudy pillar mov'd;
They kept his law, and to his will
Obedient servants prov'd.

8 He answer'd them, forgiving oft
His people for their sake;
And those who rashly them oppos'd,
Did sad examples make.

9 With worship at his sacred courts
Exalt our God and Lord;
For he, who only holy is,
Alone should be adored.
PSALM C.
ITH one consent,

all the earth

With harp and hynn's soft melody, W To God their cheerful voices raise

Into the concert bring

6 The trumpet and shrill cornet's

sound,

Before th' Almighty King.

7 Let the loud ocean roar her joy,
With all the seas contain;
The earth, and her inhabitants,
Join concert with the main.

8 With joy let riv❜lets swell to streams,
To spreading torrents they;
And echoing vales from hill to hill
Redoubled shouts convey;

9 To welcome down the world's great Judge,

Who does with justice come, And with impartial equity, Both to reward and doom. PSALM XCIX.

JEHOVAH reigns; let therefore all

The guilty nations quake:
On Cherubs' wings he sits enthron'd;
Let earth's foundations shake.
2 On Sion's hill he keeps his court,

His palace makes her towers;
Yet thence his sovereignty extends
Supreme o'er earthly powers.
3 Let therefore all with praise

dress

His great and dreadful name; And, with his unresisted might, His Holiness proclaim.

4 For truth and justice, in his reign,

ad

Of strength and power take place; His judgments are with righteousness Dispens'd to Jacob's race.

5 Therefore exalt the Lord our God; Before his footstool fall;

Glad homage pay, with awful mirth, And sing bore him songs of praise 3 Convinc'd that he is God alone, From whom both we and all pro ceed;

We, whom he chooses for his own, The flock that he vouchsafes to feed. 4 O enter then his temple gate,

Thence to his courts devoutly press; And still your grateful hymns repeat, And still his name with praises bless, 5 For he's the Lord, supremely good, His mercy is for ever sure; His truth, which always firmly stood, To endless ages shall endure. PSALM CI.

Ο

F mercy's never-failing spring, And steadfast judgment, I will sing, And since they both to thee belong, To thee, O Lord, address my song. 2 When, Lord, thou shalt with me re side,

Wise discipline my reign shall guide; With blameless life myself I'll make A pattern for my court to take. 3 No ill design will I pursue, Nor those my fav'rites make that do. 4 Who to reproof has no regard, Him will I totally discard. 15 The private slanderer shall be In public justice doom'd by me: From haughty looks I'll turn aside, And mortify the heart of pride. 6 But honesty, call'd from her cell, In splendour at my court shall dwell: Who virtue's practice make their care, Shall have the first preferments there.

« AnteriorContinuar »