PSALM XXXVIII. *
1 AMIDST thy wrath, remember love,
Restore thy servant, Lord;
Nor let a Father's chast'ning prove
Like an avenger's sword.
2 My sins a heavy burden are,
And o'er my head are gone;
Too heavy they for me to bear,
Too hard for me t' atone.
3 My thoughts are like a troubled sea,
My head still bending down;
And I go mourning all the day,
Beneath my Father's frown.
4 All my desire to thee is known,
Thine eye counts ev'ry tear;
And ev'ry sigh and ev'ry groan
Are noticed by thine ear.
5 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.
6 My God, forgive my follies past,
And be for ever nigh;
O Lord of my salvation haste,
And save me, or I die.
7 Thyself the victim didst prepare,
On whom my sorrows roll;
Nor did my Lord refuse to bear
The burdens of my soul.
PSALM XXXIX.
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 Diseases are thy servants, Lord,
They come at thy command;
I'll not attempt a murm'ring word
Against thy chast'ning hand.
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.
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.
What should I wait or wish for, then,
From creatures, earth, and dust?
They make our expectations vain,
And disappoint our trust.
I'm but a sojourner below,
As all my fathers were;
May I be well prepared to go
When I the summons hear!
But if my life be spared awhile,
Before my last remove,
Thy praise shall be my business still,
And I'll declare thy love.
I WAITED meekly for the Lord,
He bow'd to hear my cry;
He saw me resting on his Word,
And brought salvation nigh.
He raised me from a horrid pit,
Where mourning long I lay ;
From all my bonde released my
And from the 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 grateful song.
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!
Nor words nor hours sufficient prove
Their numbers to repeat.
He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second, by which (will) we are sanctified.
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 with delight
To what thy lips impart."
4 And see! the blest Redeemer comes;
Th' eternal Son appears;
And at th' appointed time assumes
The body God prepares.
5 With love and duty in his eyes,
In sight our heavy load,
"Behold I come," the Saviour cries,
"To do thy will, O God!"
1 BLEST who with gen'rous pity glows,
Who learns to feel another's woes;
Bows to the poor man's wants his ear,
And wipes the helpless orphan's tear!
In ev'ry want, in ev'ry woe,
Himself thy pity, Lord, shall know.
2 Thy love his life shall guard, thy hand
Give to his lot the chosen land;
Nor leave him, in the dreadful day,'
To unrelenting foes a prey:
In sickness thou shalt raise his head,
And make, with tend'rest care, his bed.
Oh! thankful, bless th' Almighty Lord,
The God by Jacob's sons adored!
His fame, ere time its course began,
O'er heaven's wide region echoing ran :
To Him, through endless ages, raise
One song of oft-repeated praise.
PSALM XLII.
AS pants the hart for cooling springs,
So longs my soul, O King of kings,
Thy face in near approach to see,
And thirsts, great Source of Life, for thee.
2 Thy mercies Lord, before my eyes
Shall yet in sweet remembrance rise:
Amidst the storm, amidst the wave,
Thy love the beams of comfort gave.
3 Thy name to rapture prompts my tongue,
My joy by day, by night my song;
To thee my soul ascends in prayer,
And in thy bosom pours its care.
4 Then why my soul with care opprest?
And whence the woes that fill my breast?
In all thy care, in all thy woes,
On God thy stedfast hope repose.
PSALM XLIII.
1 JUDGE me, Lord, in righteousness,
Plead for me in my distress,
Good and merciful thou art,
Bind this bleeding broken heart;
Cast me not despairing hence,
Be my love, my confidence.
2 Send thy light and truth to guide
Me, too prone to turn aside,
On thy holy hill to rest
In thy tabernacles blest;
There to God my chiefest joy,
Praise shall all my powers employ.
3 Why my soul art thou dismay'd,
Why of earth or hell afraid?
Trust in God, disdain to yield
While o'er thee he casts his shield,
And his countenance divine
Sheds the light of heaven on thine.
I wrought for my name's sake. Ezek. 20.
argument of supplication well introduced into the Litany.
OFT have our ears, great God, been taught
What for our fathers thou hast wrought;
While with adoring minds they told
The wonders of thy works of old.
2 From morning dawn to evening close,
On thee alone our hopes repose:
Our Saviour, to thy name we'll raise
The tribute of eternal praise.
3 Though midst the oppressor's fiery breath,
Or covered with the gloom of death,
Yet will we not forget thy name,
Nor e'er thy covenant oath disclaim.
4 Why does thy face where mercies dwell
Its beams of majesty conceal,
Regardless of the woes that wait
Around our long afflicted state?
5 Behold! our soul with sorrow bends,
And down to dust our life descends;
And while thine arm its aid denies,
Prostrate on earth deserted lies.
6 Rise for our help, eternal Lord!
Be now as heretofore adored;
Thy mercy, Lord, we also claim,
Redeem us, and exalt thy name.
PSALM XLV.
1 AWAKE my heart, with joy record
The brilliant triumphs of thy Lord,
My tongue divinely influenced sing
Messiah's praise, th' eternal King.
2 O fairer than the sons of men !
Truth, grace, and mercy, mark thy reign;
Celestial joys thy steps surround,
Of God with bliss eternal crown'd.
3 Ride on and conquer, mighty Lord!
Direct the arrows of thy Word,
Subdue thy foes, thy conquests spread,
Triumphs of mercy crown thy head,
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