PSALM LXI

Yet Thy lovingkindness, Lord,
Smooths affliction's stormy sea;
In the night I hear Thy voice,
Morning lifts my heart to Thee.

Why art thou cast down, my soul?
Faint not at the chastening rod!
Hope in Him; He is thy all,

Thy salvation and thy God.

201

MRS. FOLLEN

79

PSALM LXI

Wilt Thou listen, O God, to my prayer;
Unto Thee for relief will I cry;

Lead my heart, overwhelmed with despair,
To the Rock that is higher than I.

O Thou Refuge for all the oppressed,
Thy praises, O Lord, I will sing,
Thou art ever my shelter of rest;

I will rest in the shade of Thy wing.

For my prayer, O my God, Thou wilt hear,
And a blessed inheritance give

To those who shall serve Thee with fear,
And in holy obedience live.

MRS. FOLLEN

80

PSALM LXVI

Happy sons of Israel,

Who in pleasant Canaan dwell,
Fill the air with shouts of joy—
Shouts redoubled from the sky;
Sing the great Jehovah's praise;
Trophies to His glory raise.

Say: How wonderful Thy deeds!
Lord, Thy power all power exceeds!
Conquest on Thy sword doth sit—
Trembling foes through fear submit.

Let this many-peopled earth,
All of high and humble birth,
Worship our Eternal King-

Hymns unto His honor sing.

Come and see what God hath wroughtTerrible to human thought!

He the billows did divide,

Walled with waves on either side,

While we passèd safe and dry;

Then our souls were rapt with joy.

Endless His dominion—

All beholding from His throne.
Let not those who hate us most,
Let not the rebellious boast.

PSALM LXVI

Bless the Lord! His praise be sung
While an ear can hear a tongue!
He our feet establisheth,

He our souls redeems from death.

Lord, as silver purified,

Thou hast with affliction tried;
Thou hast driven into the net;
Burdens on our shoulders set.

Trod on by their horses' hooves-
Theirs whom pity never moves—
We through fire with flames embraced,
We through raging floods have passed;
Yet by Thy conducting hand
Brought into a wealthy land.

I will to Thy house repair,
Worship, and Thy power declare;
Offerings on Thy altar lay,

All my vows devoutly pay,

Uttered with my heart and tongue,

When oppressed with powerful wrong.

Fatlings I will sacrifice;

Incense in perfume shall rise;

Bullocks, shaggy goats, and rams,

Offered up in sacred flames.

You who great Jehovah fear,

Come, oh! come, ye blest, and hear
What for me the Lord hath wrought
When I was near to ruin brought.

203

Fervently to Him I cried;
I His goodness magnified;
If I vices should affect,

Would He not my prayers reject?

But the Lord my prayers hath heard
Which my tongue with tears preferred.
Source of mercy, be Thou blest,
That hast granted my request!

GEORGE SANDYS

81

PSALM XC

O Lord! before the mountains' birth,
Ere sun and stars obeyed Thy nod,
Or ever Thou hadst formed the earth,
From everlasting Thou art God.

Thou say'st to man, Return to dust!
Quickly he droops away in death;
For youth, and strength, and wisdom must
At Thy command resign their breath.

For in Thine all-eternal sight,

A thousand long-revolving years
Seem like a silent watch of night,
Or like a yesterday appears.

With Thee, like rolling waves they pass,
Or like the morning's wingèd dream,

Or like the tender, springing grass
That sparkles in its dewy beam.

PSALM XCII

Exulting in its glittering crown,
It swiftly grows, and blossoms fair;
But in the evening is cut down,

And withers in the chilling air.

So teach us, Lord, to count our days,
And thus life's certain end to see,
That we may walk in wisdom's ways,
And all our days rejoice with Thee.

205

MRS. FOLLEN

82

PSALM XCII

Thou who art enthroned above-
Thou by whom we live and move!
Oh, how sweet, how excellent,
Is't with tongue and heart's consent,
Thankful hearts and joyful tongues,
To renown Thy name in songs—

When the morning paints the skies,
When the sparkling stars arise,
Thy high favors to rehearse,-
Thy firm faith in grateful verse!

Take the lute and violin;
Let the solemn harp begin-

Instruments strung with ten strings—

While the silver cymbal rings.