13, 14 But 'twas c'en thou, my guide, my friend, whom tend'rest love did join; Whose sweet advice I valued most; whose pray'rs were mix'd with mine. 15 Sure vengeance, equal to their crimes, such traitors must surprise, they wickedly devise. shall in my aid appear; and he my voice shall hear. The Third Part. 18 God has releas'd my soul from those And made a num'rous host of friends 19 For he, who was my help of old, And punish them whose prosp'rous state20 Whom can I trust, if faithless men To ruin me, their peaceful friend, 21 Though soft and melting are their words, Their speeches are more smooth than oil, 22 Do thou, my soul, on God depend, He aids the just, whom to supplant 23 My foes, that trade in lies and blood, Whilst I, for health and length of days, D PSALM LVI. O thou, O God, in mercy help; 2 Continually my spiteful foes 4 God's faithful promise I shall praise, that did with me contend; my righteous cause defend. shall now his suppliant hear; makes them no God to fear. perfidiously devise and break the strongest ties? their hearts with war abound; and yet like swords they wound. and he shall thee sustain; the wicked strive in vain. shall all untimely die; on thec, my God, rely. for man my life pursues: he daily strife renews. to ruin me combine; what mighty numbers join. on danger's first alarm; on thy almighty arm. on which I now rely; the arm of flesh defy. a scnse they never meant; on my destruction bent. and wicked projects lay; to make my soul their prey. O righteous God, arise; this impious race chastise, I was compell'd to flee; and register'd by thee. my foes shall be o'erthrown; my righteous cause will own. the force that man can raise; to thee I'll render praise. and thou wilt still secure and make my footsteps sure: I may this light enjoy; my lengthen'd days employ. 5 They wrest my words, and make them speak 9 When therefore I invoke thy aid, ΤΗ PSALM LVII, HY mercy, Lord, to me extend; on thy protection I depend; And to thy wing for shelter haste, till this outrageous storm is pass'd. 2 To thy tribunal, Lord, I fly, thou sov'reign Judge, and God most high, Who wonders hast for me begun, and wilt not leave thy work undone, 3 From heav'n protect me by thine arm, and shame all those who seek my harm;, To my relief thy mercy send, and truth, on which my hopes depend. like hungry lions wild and fierce; 4 For I with savage men converse, 5 Be thou, O God, exalted high; and as thy glory fills the sky, [swords. till thou art here, as there, obey'd. and had almost my soul ensnar'd; into the pit they made for me. its thankful tribute to present; to thee, my God, in songs of praise: no longer let your strings be mute; 7 O God, my heart is fix'd, 'tis bent, And, with my heart, my voice I'll raise, 8 Awake, my glory; harp and lute, And I, my tuneful part to take, 9 Thy praises, Lord, I will resound will with the early dawn awake. to all the list'ning nations round; 10 Thy mercy highest heav'n transcends; thy truth beyond the clouds extends. 11 Be thou, O God, exalted high; So let it be on earth display'd, and, as thy glory fills the sky, till thou art here, as there, obey'd. PSALM LVIII. SPEAK, O ye judges of the earth, Or must not innocence appeal 2 Your wicked hearts and judgements are 5 Unmov'd by good advice, and deaf if just your sentence be; their infant steps went wrong; as adders they remain ; can no attention gain. and timely break their pow'r; e'er practis'd to devour. like ebbing tides be spent ; when they their bow have bent. like hasty births, become and dead within the womb. tempestuous wrath shall come to their eternal doom. their crimes with vengeance meet; shall dip their harmless feet. 9 E'er thorns can make the flesh pots boil, 11 Transgressors then with grief shall see just men rewards obtain ; PSALM LIX. DELIVER mere opprde my God, In my defence oppose thy pow'r 2 Preserve me from a wicked race, Protect me from remorseless men, 3 They lie in wait, and mighty pow'rs Implacable; yet, Lord, thou know'st, 4 In haste they run about, and watch Look down, O Lord, on my distress, from all my spiteful foes; their heathen rage suppress; who stubbornly transgress. like growling dogs they meet; 5 Thou, Lord of hosts, and Israel's God, Relentless vengeance take on those 6 At ev❜ning, to beset my house, While others through the city range, and ransack ev'ry street. [swords; 7 Their throats envenom'd slander breathe; their tongues are sharpen'd "Who hears?" say they, "or, hearing, dares reprove our lawless words?" 8 But from thy throne thou shalt, O Lord, their baffled plots deride; And soon to shame and scorn expose 9 On thee I wait; 'tis on thy strength 'Tis thou, O God, art my defence, 10 Thy mercy, Lord, which has so oft Shall crown my wishes, and subdue their boasted heathen pride for succour I depend; who only can defend. from danger set me free, my haughty foes to me. 11 Destroy them not, O Lord, at once; restrain thy vengeful blow; Lest we, ungratefully, too soon forget their overthrow. Disperse them through the nations round by thy avenging pow'r; Do thou bring down their haughty pride, O Lord, our shield and tow'r. 12 Now, in the height of all their hopes, their arrogance chastise; Whose tongues have sinn'd without restraint and curses join'd with lies. 13 Nor shalt thou, whilst their race endures, thine anger, Lord, suppress; That distant lands, by their just doom, 14 At ev❜ning let them still persist Still wander all the city round, 15 Then, as for malice now they do, And yell their vain complaints aloud, 16 Whilst early I thy mercy sing, For thou hast been my sure defence, 17 To thee with never ceasing praise, Thou art my God, the Rock from whence PSALM LX. may Israel's God confess. like growling dogs to meet, o'erjoy'd, on his firm word rely: fair Sichem's soil, Samaria's pride; my commands, with Ephraim's tribe; and measure out her vale by line. GOD, who hast our troops dispers'd, forsaking those who left thee first; As we thy just displeasure mourn, 2 Our strength, that firm as earth did stand, is rent by thy avenging hand; to us, in mercy, Lord, return. O! heal the breaches thou hast made : we shake, we fall, without thy aid! 3 Our folly's sad effects we feel; for, drunk with discord's cup we reel: 4 But now, for them who thee rever'd, thou hast thy truth's bright banner rear'd. 5 Let thy right hand thy saints protect; Lord, hear the pray'rs that we direct: 6 The holy God has spoke; and I, To thee in portions I'll divide To Sichem, Succoth next I'll join, 7 Manasseh, Gilead, both subscribe to Ephraim by arms supports my cause, and Judah by religious laws. 8 Moab my slave and drudge shall be, nor Edom from my yoke get free; Proud Palestine's imperious state 9 But who shall quell these mighty pow'rs, and clear my way to Edom'stow'rs? shall humbly on our triumph wait. Or through her guarded frontiers tread the path that doth to conquest lead? 10 E'en thou, O God, who hast dispers'd our troops (for we forsook thee first;) Those whom thou didst in wrath forsake, aton'd, thou wilt victorious make. 11 Do thou our fainting cause sustain ; for buman succours are but vain. 12 Fresh strength and courage God bestows: 'tis he treads down our proudest foes. PSALM LXI. LORD, hear my cry, regard my pray's, which I, oppress'd with grief, 2 From earth's remotest parts address to thee for kind relief. O! lodge me safe, beyond the reach 5 In sign my vows are heard, once more MY of persecuting pow'r; hast been my shelt'ring tow'r. PSALM LXII. Y soul for help on God relies; from him alone my safety flows: [foes! My Rock, my Health, that strength supplies to bear the shock of all my 3 How long will ye contrive my fall, which will but hasten on your own? You'll totter like a bending wall, 4 To make my envied honours less they For they, tho' with their mouths they bless, 5,6 But thou, my soul, on God rely; My Rock and Health will strength supply 7 God does his saving health dispense, He is my fortress and defence; 8 In him, ye people, always trust; For God, the merciful and just, 9 The vulgar fickle are and frail; And, laid in truth's impartial scale, 10 Then trust not in oppressive ways; Nor let your hearts, if wealth increase, Il For God has oft his will express'd, To be of boundiess pow'r possess'd, 12 Though mercy is his darling grace, Yet will he all the human race or fence of uncemented stone. strive with lies, their chief delight; in private curse with inward spite. on him alone thy trust repose: to bear the shock of all my foes. and flowing blessings daily send : on him my soul shall still depend. before his throne pour out your hearts; his timely aid to us imparts. the great dissemble and betray; the lightest things will both outweigh. by spoil and rapine grow not vain; be set too much upon your gain. and I this truth have fully known; belongs, of right, to God alone. in which he chiefly takes delight; according to their works requite PSALM LXIII. GOD, my gracious God, to thee my morning pray'rs shall offer'd be; My fainting flesh implores thy grace within this dry and barren place, 2 O to my longing eyes, once more, that view of glorious pow'r restore. Which thy majestick house displays : 3 Because to me thy wondrous love than life itself does dearer prove, My iips shall always speak thy praise. 4 My life, while I that life enjoy, in blessing God I will employ ;` With lifted hands adore his name: 5 My soul's content shall be as great as theirs who choicest dainties cat, While I with joy his praise proclaim. 6 When down I lie, sweet sleep to find, thou, Lord, art present to my mind And when I wake in dead of night: 7 Because thou still doth succour bring, beneath the shadow of thy wing I rest with safety and delight. [pow'r 8 My soul, when foes would me devour, cleaves fast to thee, whose matchless In her support is daily shown: 9 But those the righteous Lord shall slay, that my destruction wish; and ther That seek my life, shall lose their own. 10 They by untimely ends shall die, their flesh a prey to foxes lie; But God shall fill the king with joy : 11 Who thee confess shall still rejoice; whilst the false tongue, and lying voice, Thou, Lord, shalt silence and destroy. ORD, hear the voice of my complaint, to my request give ear; and free my soul from fear. in some secure retreat, they whet their tongues like swords; and all their plots defeat. sharp lies, and bitter words. they take their secret aim; quite void of fear and shame. they mutually agree; and think that none shall see. their wicked plots they lay; are only to betray. 3 See how, intent to work my harm, And bend their bows to shoot their darts, 4 Lurking in private, at the just And suddenly at him they shoot, 5 To carry on their ill designs They speak of laying private snares, 6 With utmost diligence and care The deep designs of all their hearts 7 But God, to anger justly mov'd, And on his flying arrow's point his dreadful bow shall bend, 8 Those slanders which their mouth did vent, upon themselves shall fall; shall swift destruction send. Their crimes disclos'd shall make them be despis'd and shun'd by all. 9 The world shall then God's pow'r confess, and nations trembling stand, Convinc'd that 'tis the mighty work 10 Whilst righteous men, whom Godsecures, in him shall gladly trust; of his avenging hand: And all the list'ning earth shall hear loud triumphs of the just. F PSALM LXV. NOR thee, O God, our constant praise in Sion waits, thy chosen seat; Our promis'd altars there we'll raise, and all ourzealous vows complete. 2 O thou, who to my humble pray'r To thee shall all mankind repair, didst always bend thy list'ning ear, and at thy gracious throne appear. 3 Our sins, though numberless, in vain Whilst thou o'erlook'st the guilty stain, to stop thy flowing mercy try; 4 Blest is the man who, near thee plac'd, within thy sacred dwelling lives! and washest out the crimson dye. Whilst we at humble distance taste 5 By wondrous acts, O God most just, have we thy gracious answer found: the vast delights thy temple gives. In thee remotest nations trust, 6,7 God, by his strength, sets fast the hills, and does his matchless pow'rengage, and those whom stormy waves surround. With which the sea's loud waves he stills, and angry crowds' tumultuousrage. The Second Part. 8 Thou, Lord,dost barb'rous landsdismay, when they thy dreadfultokens view; With joy they see the night and day 9 From out thy unexhausted store Makes lands, that barren were before, each other's track, by turns, pursue. with corn and useful fruits abound. thy rain relieves the thirsty ground; 1 |