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From the lxxxix. Psalm of David.

1 THY mercies, LORD, shall be my song,
My song on them shall ever dwell;
To ages yet unborn, my tongue

Thy never-failing truth shall tell.
2 I have affirm'd, and still maintain,
Thy mercy shall for ever last;
Thy truth, that does the heavens sustain,
Like them shall stand for ever fast.

3 Thus spak'st thou by thy prophet's voice:
"With David I a league have made;
To him, my servant, and my choice,
By solemn oath this grant convey'd :
4 "While earth, and seas, and skies endure,
Thy seed shall in my sight remain;
To them thy throne I will ensure,
They shall to endless ages reign."

5 For such stupendous truth and love,
Both heaven and earth just praises owe,
By choirs of angels sung above,
And by assembled saints below.

6 What seraph of celestial birth

To vie with Israel's GOD shall dare?
Or who among the gods of earth
With our Almighty LORD compare?

7 With reverence and religious dread,

His saints should to his temple press; His fear through all their hearts should spread, Who his almighty Name confess.

8 LORD GOD of armies, who can boast

Of strength or power like thine renown'd? Of such a num❜rous, faithful host,

As that which does thy throne surround?

9 Thou dost the lawless sea control,

And change the prospect of the deep; Thou mak'st the sleeping billows roll; Thou mak'st the rolling billows sleep.

10 In thee the sovereign right remains
Of earth and heaven; thee, LORD, alone,
The world, and all that it contains,
Their Maker and Preserver own.

11 Thine arm is mighty, strong thy hand, Yet, LORD, thou dost with justice reign; Possess'd of absolute command,

Thou truth and mercy dost maintain. 12 Happy, thrice happy they, who hear Thy sacred trumpet's joyful sound; Who may at festivals appear,

With thy most glorious presence crown'd.
13 Thy saints shall always be o'erjoy'd,
Who on thy sacred name rely;
And, in thy righteousness employ'd,
Above their foes be raised on high.

14 For in thy strength they shall advance,
Whose conquests from thy favor spring;
The LORD of hosts is our defence,
And Israel's GOD our Israel's King.

PSALM 69.

From the ac Psalm of David.

PART I. C. M.

1 O LORD, the Saviour and defence
Of us thy chosen race,

From age to age thou still hast been
Our sure abiding-place.

2 Before thou brought'st the mountains forth,
Or th' earth and world didst frame,
Thou always wast the mighty God,
And ever art the same.

3 Thou turnest man, O LORD, to dust,
Of which he first was made;

And when thou speak'st the word, 'Return,' 'Tis instantly obey'd.

4 For in thy sight a thousand years
Are like a day that's past;

Or like a watch in dead of night,
Whose hours unminded waste.

5 Thou sweep'st us off as with a flood,
We vanish hence like dreams:-
At first we grow like grass that feels
The sun's reviving beams;

6 But howsoever fresh and fair

Its morning beauty shows,

"T is all cut down, and wither'd quite
Before the evening close.

5

7 We by thine anger are consumed,
And by thy wrath dismay'd;
Our public crimes and secret sins
Before thy sight are laid.

8 Beneath thine anger's sad effects
Our drooping days we spend ;
Our unregarded years break off,
Like tales that quickly end.

9 Our term of time is seventy years,
An age that few survive:

But if, with more than common strength,
To eighty we arrive-

10 Yet then our boasted strength decays,
To sorrow turn'd and pain:
So soon the slender thread is cut,
And we no more remain.

PART II. C. M

1 BUT who thine anger's dread effects
Does, as he ought, revere?
And yet thy wrath does fall or rise,
As more or less we fear.

2 So teach us, LORD, th' uncertain sum
Of our short days to mind,

That to true wisdom all our hearts
May ever be inclined.

30 to thy servants, LORD, return,
And speedily relent!

As we of our misdeeds, do thou
Of our just doom repent.

4 To satisfy and cheer our souls,
Thy early mercy send;

That we may all our days to come
In joy and comfort spend.

5 To all thy servants, LORD, let this
Thy wondrous work be known;
And to our offspring yet unborn,
Thy glorious power be shown.

6 Let thy bright rays upon us shine,
Give thou our work success;

The glorious work we have in hand
Do thou vouchsafe to bless.

PSALM 70.

From the xci. Psalm of David.

PART I. II. 2.

1 HE that has GOD his guardian made,
Shall under the ALMIGHTY's shade
Secure and undisturb'd abide;
Thus to my soul of him I'll say,
He is my fortress and my stay,

My GoD, in whom I will confide.

2 His tender love and watchful care
Shall free thee from the fowler's snare,
And from the noisome pestilence;
He over thee his wings shall spread,
And cover thy unguarded head;

His truth shall be thy strong defence.
3 No terrors that surprise by night
Shall thy undaunted courage fright,
Nor deadly shafts that fly by day,
Nor plague, of unknown rise, that kills
In darkness, nor infectious ills

That in the burning noon-tide slay.
4 Because, with well-placed confidence,
Thou mak'st the LORD thy sure defence,
Thy refuge, even GoD most high;
Therefore no ill on thee shall come,
Nor to thy heaven-protected home
Shall overwhelming plagues draw nigh.

PART II. III. 3.

1 GOD shall charge his angel legions
Watch and ward o'er thee to keep;
Though thou walk through hostile regions,
Though in desert wilds thou sleep.

2 On the lion vainly roaring,

On his young, thy foot shall tread
And, the dragon's den exploring,

Thou shalt bruise the serpent's head.
3 Since, with pure and firm affection,
Thou on GoD hast set thy love,
With the wings of his protection
He will shield thee from above.
4 Thou shalt call on him in trouble,
He will hearken, he will save;
Here for grief reward thee double,
Crown with life beyond the grave.

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4 For through thy wondrous works, O LORD, Thou mak'st my heart rejoice;

The thoughts of them shall make me glad,
And shout with cheerful voice.

5 How wondrous are thy works, O LORD!
How deep are thy decrees!

Whose winding tracks, in secret laid,
No careless sinner sees.

6 He little thinks, when wicked men,
Like grass, look fresh and gay,

How soon their short-lived splendor must
For ever pass away.

7 But thou, my GoD, art still most high;
And all thy lofty foes,

Who thought they might securely sin,
Shall be o'erwhelm'd with woes.

8 But righteous men, like rising palms,
Shall grow and flourish still;

Thy flock shall spread, like cedars choice
On Lebanon's high hill.

9 These, planted in the house of God,
Within his courts shall thrive;

Their vigor and their lustre both
Shall in old age revive.

10 Thus will the LORD his justice show;
And GoD, my strong defence,
Shall due rewards to all the world
Impartially dispense.

PSALM 72. L. M.

From the xciii. Psalm of David.

1 WITH glory clad, with strength array'd,
The LORD, that o'er all nature reigns,
The world's foundation strongly laid,
And the vast fabric still sustains.

2 How surely stablish'd is thy throne!
Which shall no change or period see;
For thou, O LORD, and thou alone,
Art GOD from all eternity.

3 The floods, O LORD, lift up their voice,
And toss the troubled waves on high;
But GoD above can still their noise,
And make the angry sea comply.

4 Thy promise, LORD, is ever sure,

And they that in thy house would dwell, That happy station to secure,

Must still in holiness excel.

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