1 Would you behold the works of God,His wonders in the world abroad,Go with the mariners, and traceThe unknown regions of the seas.
2 They leave their native shores behind,And seize the favour of the wind,Till God command, and tempests riseThat heave the ocean to the skies.
3 Now to the heavens they mount amain,Now sink to dreadful deeps again;What strange affrights young sailors feel,And like a staggering drunkard reel!
4 When land is far, and death is nigh,Lost to all hope, to God they cry;His mercy hears the loud address,And sends salvation in distress.
5 He bids the winds their wrath assuage;The furious waves forget their rage;'Tis calm; and sailors smile to seeThe haven where they wish'd to be.
6 O may the sons of men recordThe wondrous goodness of the Lord!Let them their private offerings bring,And in the church his glory sing.
Psalm 107:5. Fourth Part. C. M.The Mariner's psalm.
1 Thy works of glory, mighty Lord,Thy wonders in the deeps,The sons of courage shall recordWho trade in floating ships.
2 At thy command the winds arise,And swell the towering waves;The men astonish'd mount the skiesAnd sink in gaping graves.
3 [Again they climb the watery hills,And plunge in deeps again;Each like a tottering drunkard reels,And finds his courage vain.
4 Frighted to hear the tempest roar,They pant with fluttering breath,And, hopeless of the distant shore,Expect immediate death.]
5 Then to the Lord they raise their cries,He hears the loud request,And orders silence thro' the skies,And lays the floods to rest.
6 Sailors rejoice to lose their fears,And see the storm allay'd:Now to their eyes the port appears;There let their vows be paid.
7 'Tis God that brings them safe to land;Let stupid mortals knowThat waves are under his command,And all the winds that blow,
8 O that the sons of men would praiseThe goodness of the Lord!And those that see thy wondrous ways,Thy wondrous love record.
Psalm 107:6. Last Part.Colonies planted; or,Nations blest and punished.
A psalm for New England.
1 When God, provok'd with daring crimes,Scourges the madness of the times,He turns their fields to barren sand,And dries the rivers from the land.
2 His word can raise the springs again,And make the wither'd mountains green,Send showery blessings from the skies,And harvests in the desert rise.
3 [Where nothing dwelt but beasts of prey,Or men as fierce and wild as they;He bids th' opprest and poor repair,And builds them towns and cities there.
4 They sow the fields, and trees they plant,Whose yearly fruit supplies their want:Their race grows up from fruitful stocks,Their wealth increases with their flocks.
5 Thus they are blest; but if they sin,He lets the heathen nations in,A savage crew invades their lands,Their princes die by barbarous hands.
6 Their captive sons, expos'd to scorn,Wander unpity'd and forlorn;The country lies unfenc'd, untill'd,And desolation spreads the field.
7 Yet if the humbled nation mourns,Again his dreadful hand he turns;Again he makes their cities thrive,And bids the dying churches live.]
8 The righteous, with a joyful sense,Admire the works of providence;And tongues of atheists shall no moreBlaspheme the God that saints adore.
9 How few, with pious care, recordThe wondrous dealings of the Lord!But wise observers still shall findThe Lord is holy, just, and kind.
Psalm 109. 1-5 31.Love to enemies, from the example of Christ.
1 God of my mercy and my praise,Thy glory is my song;The sinners speak against thy graceWith a blaspheming tongue.
2 When in the form of mortal manThy Son on earth was found,With cruel slanders, false and vain,They compass'd him around.
3 Their miseries his compassion move,Their peace he still pursu'd;They render hatred for his love,And evil for his good.
4 Their malice rag'd without a cause,Yet, with his dying breath,He pray'd for murderers on his cross,And blest his foes in death.
5 Lord, shall thy bright example shineIn vain before my eyes?Give me a soul a-kin to thineTo love mine enemies.
6 The Lord shall on my side engage,And, in my Saviour's name,I shall defeat their pride and rageWho slander and condemn.
Psalm 110:1. First Part. Christ exalted, and multitudes converted; or, The success of the gospel.
1 Thus the eternal Father spakeTo Christ the Son, "Ascend and sit"At my right hand, till I shall make"Thy foes submissive at thy feet.
2 "From Zion shall thy word proceed,"Thy word, the sceptre in thy hand,"Shall make the hearts of rebels bleed,"And bow their wills to thy command.
3 "That day shall shew thy power is great,"When saints shall flock with willing minds,"And sinners crowd thy temple gate,"Where holiness in beauty shines."
4 O blessed power! 0 glorious day!What a large victory shall ensue!And converts, who thy grace obey,Exceed the drops of morning dew.
Psalm 110:2. Second Part.The kingdom and priesthood of Christ.
1 Thus the great Lord of earth and seaSpake to his Son, and thus he swore;"Eternal shall thy priesthood be,"And change from hand to hand no more.
2 "Aaron and all his sons must die;"But everlasting life is thine,"To save for ever those that fly"For refuge from the wrath divine.
3 "By me Melchisedek was made"On earth a king and priest at once;"And thou, my heavenly priest, shalt plead,"And thou, my king, shalt rule my sons."
4 Jesus the priest ascends his throne,While counsels of eternal peace,Between the Father and the Son,Proceed with honour and success.
5 Thro' the whole earth his reign shall spread,And crush the powers that dare rebel;Then shall he judge the rising dead,And send the guilty world to hell.
6 Tho' while he treads his glorious way,He drink the cup of tears and blood,The sufferings of that dreadful dayShall but advance him near to God.
Psalm 110:3. C. M.Christ's kingdom and priesthood.
1 Jesus, our Lord, ascend thy throne,And near the Father sit;In Zion shall thy power be known,And make thy foes submit.
2 What wonders shall thy gospel do!Thy converts shall surpassThe numerous drops of morning dew,And own thy sovereign grace.
3 God hath pronounc'd a firm decree,Nor changes what he swore;"Eternal shall thy priesthood be,"When Aaron is no more.
4 "Melchisedek, that wondrous priest,"That king of high degree,"That holy man who Abr'am blest,"Was but a type of thee."
5 Jesus our priest for ever livesTo plead for us above;Jesus our king for ever givesThe blessings of his love.
6 God shall exalt his glorious head,And his high throne maintain,Shall strike the powers and princes deadWho dare oppose his reign.
Psalm 111:1. First Part.The wisdom of God in his works.
1 Songs of immortal praise belongTo my almighty God;He has my heart, and he my tongueTo spread his Name abroad.
2 How great the works his hand has wrought!How glorious in our sight!And men in every age have soughtHis wonders with delight.
3 How most exact is nature's frame!How wise th' Eternal mind!His counsels never change the schemeThat his first thoughts design'd.
4 When he redeem'd his chosen Son,He fix'd his covenant sure:The orders that his lips pronounceTo endless years endure.
5 Nature and time, and earth and skies,Thy heavenly skill proclaim:What shall we do to make us wise,But learn to read thy Name?
6 To fear thy power, to trust thy graceIs our divinest skill;And he's the wisest of our race,That best obeys thy will.
Psalm 111:2. Second Part.The perfections of God.
1 Great is the Lord; his works of mightDemand our noblest songs;Let his assembled saints uniteTheir harmony of tongues.
2 Great is the mercy of the Lord,He gives his children food;And ever mindful of his word,He makes his promise good.
3 His Son, the great Redeemer, cameTo seal his covenant sure:Holy and reverend is his Name,His ways are just and pure.
4 They that would grow divinely wiseMust with his fear begin;Our fairest proof of knowledge liesIn hating every sin.
Psalm 112:1. As the 113th Psalm.The blessings of the liberal man.
1 That man is blest who stands in aweOf God, and loves his sacred law:His seed on earth shall be renown'd;His house the seat of wealth shall be,An inexhausted treasury,And with successive honours crown'd.
2 His liberal favours he extends,To some he gives, to others lends;A generous pity fills his mind:Yet what his charity impairsHe saves by prudence in affairs,And thus he's just to all mankind.
3 His hands, while they his alms bestow'd,His glory's future harvest sow'd;The sweet remembrance of the just,Like a green root, revives and bearsA train of blessings for his heirs,When dying nature sleeps in dust.
4 Beset with threatening dangers round,Unmov'd shall he maintain his ground;His conscience holds his courage up:The soul that's fill'd with virtue's light,Shines brightest in affliction's night,And sees in darkness beams of hope.
5 [Ill tidings never can surpriseHis heart that fix'd on God relies,Tho' waves and tempests roar around:Safe on the rock he sits, and seesThe shipwreck of his enemies,And all their hope and glory drown'd.
6 The wicked shall his triumph see,And gnash their teeth in agonyTo find their expectations crost:They and their envy, pride and spite,Sink down to everlasting night,And all their names in darkness lost.]
Psalm 112:2. L. M.The blessings of the pious and charitable.
1 Thrice happy man who fears the Lord,Loves his commands, and trusts his word;Honour and peace his days attend,And blessings to his seed descend.
2 Compassion dwells upon his mind,To works of mercy still inclin'd:He lends the poor some present aid,Or gives them, not to be repaid.
3 When times grow dark, and tidings spreadThat fill his neighbours round with dread,His heart is arm'd against the fear,For God with all his power is there.
4 His soul, well fix'd upon the Lord,Draws heavenly courage from his word;Amidst the darkness light shall rise,To cheer his heart, and bless his eyes.
5 He hath dispers'd his alms abroad,His works are still before his God;His name on earth shall long remain,While envious sinners fret in vain.
Psalm 112:3. C. M,Liberality rewarded.
1 Happy is he that fears the Lord,And follows his commands,Who lends the poor without reward,Or gives with liberal hands.
2 As pity dwells within his breastTo all the sons of need;So God shall answer his requestWith blessings on his seed,
3 No evil tidings shall surpriseHis well-establish'd mind;His soul to God his refuge flies,And leaves his fears behind.
4 In times of general distress,Some beams of light shall shineTo shew the world his righteousness,And give him peace divine.
5 His works of piety and loveRemain before the Lord;Honour on earth and joys aboveShall be his sure reward.
Psalm 113:1. Proper Time.The majesty and condescension of God.
1 Ye that delight to serve the Lord,The honours of his Name record,His sacred Name for ever bless:Where'er the circling sun displaysHis rising beams, or setting rays,Let lands and seas his power confess.
2 Not time, nor nature's narrow rounds,Can give his vast dominion bounds,The heavens are far below his height:Let no created greatness dareWith our eternal God compare,Arm'd with his uncreated might.
3 He bows his glorious head to viewWhat the bright hosts of angels do,And bends his care to mortal things;His sovereign hand exalts the poor,He takes the needy from the door,And makes them company for kings.
4 When childless families despair,He sends the blessings of an heirTo rescue their expiring name:The mother with a thankful voiceProclaims his praises and her joys:Let every age advance his fame.
Psalm 113:2. L. M.God sovereign and gracious.
1 Ye servants of th' Almighty King,In every age his praises sing;Where'er the sun shall rise or set,The nations shall his praise repeat.
2 Above the earth, beyond the sky,Stands his high throne of majesty:Nor time, nor place, his power restrain,Nor bound his universal reign.
3 Which of the sons of Adam dare,Or angels, with their God compare?His glories how divinely bright,Who dwells in uncreated light!
4 Behold his love: he stoops to viewWhat saints above and angels do;And condescends yet more to knowThe mean affairs of men below.
5 From dust and cottages obscureHis grace exalts the humble poor;Gives them the honour of his sons,And fits them for their heavenly thrones.
6 [A word of his creating voiceCan make the barren house rejoice:Tho' Sarah's ninety years were past,The promis'd seed is born at last.
7 With joy the mother views her son,And tells the wonders God has done:Faith may grow strong when sense despairs,If nature fails, the promise bears.]
Psalm 114.Miracles attending Israel's journey.
1 When Israel, freed from Pharaoh's hand,Left the proud tyrant and his land,The tribes with cheerful homage ownTheir King, and Judah was his throne.
2 Across the deep their journey lay;The deep divides to make them way:Jordan beheld their march, and fledWith backward current to his head.
3 The mountains shook like frighted sheep,Like lambs the little hillocks leap;Not Sinai on her base could stand,Conscious of sovereign power at hand.
4 What power could make the deep divide?Make Jordan backward roll his tide?Why did ye leap, ye little hills?And whence the fright that Sinai feels?
5 Let every mountain, every flood,Retire and know th' approaching God,The king of Israel: see him here;Tremble, thou earth, adore and fear.
6 He thunders, and all nature mourns,The rock to standing pools he turns;Flints spring with fountains at his word,And fires and seas confess the Lord.
Psalm 115:1. First Metre. The true God our refuge; or, Idolatry reproved.
1 Not to ourselves, who are but dust,Not to ourselves is glory due,Eternal God, thou only just,Thou only gracious, wise, and true.
2 Shine forth in all thy dreadful Name;Why should a heathen's haughty tongueInsult us, and to raise our shameSay, "Where's the God you've serv'd so long?"
3 The God we serve maintains his throneAbove the clouds, beyond the skies,Thro' all the earth his will is done,He knows our groans, he hears our cries.
4 But the vain idols they adoreAre senseless shapes of stone and wood;At best a mass of glittering ore,A silver saint, or golden god.
5 [With eyes, and ears they carve their head,Deaf are their ears, their eyes are blind;In vain are costly offerings made,And vows are scatter'd in the wind.
6 Their feet were never made to move,Nor hands to save when mortals pray;Mortals that pay them fear or loveSeem to be blind and deaf as they.]
7 O Israel, make the Lord thy hope,Thy help, thy refuge, and thy rest;The Lord shall build thy ruins up,And bless the people and the priest.
8 The dead no more can speak thy praise,They dwell in silence and the grave;But we shall live to sing thy grace,And tell the world thy power to save.
Psalm 115:2. Second Metre.As the new tune of the 50th Psalm.Popish idolatry reproved.
A psalm for the 5th of November.
1 Not to our names, thou only Just and True,Not to our worthless names is glory due;Thy power and grace, thy truth and justice claimImmortal honours to thy sovereign Name:Shine thro' the earth from heaven, thy blest abode,Nor let the heathens say, "And where's your God?"
2 Heaven is thine higher court; there stands thy throne,And thro' the lower worlds thy will is done:Our God fram'd all this earth, these heavens he spread,But fools adore the gods their hands have made:The kneeling crowd, with looks devout, beholdTheir silver saviours, and their saints of gold.
3 [Vain are those artful shapes of eyes and ears;The molten image neither sees nor hears:Their hands are helpless, nor their feet can move,They have no speech, nor thought, nor power, nor love;Yet sottish mortals make their long complaintsTo their deaf idols, and their moveless saints.
4 The rich have statues well adorn'd with gold;The poor, content with gods of coarser mould,With tools of iron carve the senseless stock,Lopt from a tree, or broken from a rock:People and priest drive on the solemn trade,And trust the gods that saws and hammers made.]
5 Be heaven and earth amaz'd! 'Tis hard to sayWhich is more stupid, or their gods or they:O Israel, trust the Lord, he hears and sees,He knows thy sorrows, and restores thy peace:His worship does a thousand comforts yield,He is thy help, and he thy heavenly shield.
6 O Britain, trust the Lord: thy foes in vainAttempt thy ruin, and oppose his reign;Had they prevail'd, darkness had clos'd our days,And death and silence had forbid his praise;But we are sav'd, and live: let songs arise,And Britain bless the God that built the skies.
Psalm 116:1. First Part.Recovery from sickness.
1 I love the Lord; he heard my cries,And pity'd every groan:Long as I live, when troubles rise,I'll hasten to his throne.
2 I love the Lord; he bow'd his ear,And chas'd my griefs away;O let my heart no more despair,While I have breath to pray!
3 My flesh declin'd, my spirits fell,And I drew near the dead,While inward pangs, and fears of hellPerplex'd my wakeful head.
4 "My God," I cry'd "thy servant save,"Thou ever good and just;"Thy power can rescue from the grave,"Thy power is all my trust."
5 The Lord beheld me sore distrest,He bid my pains remove:Return, my soul, to God thy rest,For thou hast known his love.
6 My God hath sav'd my soul from death,And dry'd my failing tears;Now to his praise I'll spend my breath,And my remaining years.
Psalm 116:2. 12 &c. Second Part. Vows made in trouble paid in the church; or, Public thanks for private deliverance.
1 What shall I render to my GodFor all his kindness shown?My feet shall visit thine abode,My songs address thy throne.
2 Among the saints that fill thine house,My offerings shall be paid;There shall my zeal perform the vowsMy soul in anguish made.
3 How much is mercy thy delight,Thou ever blessed God!How dear thy servants in thy sight!How precious is their blood!
4 How happy all thy servants are!How great thy grace to me!My life which thou hast made thy care,Lord, I devote to thee.
5 Now I am thine, for ever thine,Nor shall my purpose move;Thy hand hath loos'd my bonds of pain,And bound me with thy love.
6 Here in thy courts I leave my vow,And thy rich grace record;Witness, ye saints, who hear me now,If I forsake the Lord.
Psalm 117:1. C. M.Praise to God from all nations.
1 O all ye nations, praise the Lord,Each with a different tongue;In every language learn his word,And let his Name be sung.
2 His mercy reigns thro' every land;Proclaim his grace abroad;For ever firm his truth shall stand,Praise ye the faithful God.
Psalm 117:2. L. M.
1 From all that dwell below the skies,Let the Creator's praise arise!Let the Redeemer's name be sungThro' every land, by every tongue.
2 Eternal are thy mercies, Lord;Eternal truth attends thy word:Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore,Till suns shall rise and set no more.
Psalm 117:3. S. M.
1 Thy Name, almighty Lord,Shall sound thro' distant lands;Great is thy grace, and sure thy word,Thy truth for ever stands.
2 Far be thine honour spread,And long thy praise endure,Till morning light and evening shadeShall be exchang'd no more.
Psalm 118:1. 6-15. First Part.Deliverance from a tumult.
1 The Lord appears my helper now,Nor is my faith afraidWhat all the sons of earth can do,Since heaven affords its aid.
2 'Tis safer, Lord, to hope in thee,And have my God my friend,Than trust in men of high degree,And on their truth depend.
3 Like bees my foes beset me round,A large and angry swarm;But I shall all their rage confoundBy thine almighty arm.
4 'Tis thro' the Lord my heart is strong,In him my lips rejoice;While his salvation is my song,How cheerful is my voice!
5 Like angry bees they girt me round;When God appears they fly:So burning thorns, with crackling sound,Make a fierce blaze and die.
6 Joy to the saints and peace belongs;The Lord protects their days:Let Israel tune immortal songsTo his almighty grace.
Psalm 118:2. 17-21. Second Part.Public praise for deliverance from death.
1 Lord, thou hast heard thy servant cry,And rescu'd from the grave;Now shall he live: (and none can dieIf God resolve to save.)
2 Thy praise, more constant than before,Shall fill his daily breath;Thy hand that hath chastis'd him sore,Defends him still from death.
3 Open the gates of Zion now,For we shall worship there,The house where all the righteous goThy mercy to declare.
4 Among th' assemblies of thy saintsOur thankful voice we raise!There we have told thee our complaints,And there we speak thy praise.
Psalm 118:3. 22 23. Third Part.Christ the foundation of his church.
1 Behold the sure foundation-stoneWhich God in Zion laysTo build our heavenly hopes upon,And his eternal praise.
2 Chosen of God, to sinners dear,And saints adore the Name,They trust their whole salvation here,Nor shall they suffer shame.
3 The foolish builders, scribe and priest,Reject it with disdain;Yet on this rock the church shall rest,And envy rage in vain.
4 What tho' the gates of hell withstood,Yet must this building rise:'Tis thy own work, almighty God,And wondrous in our eyes.
Psalm 118:4. 24 25 26. Fourth Part. Hosanna; the Lord's day; or, Christ's resurrection and our salvation.
1 This is the day the Lord hath made,He calls the hours his own;Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad,And praise surround the throne.
2 To-day he rose and left the dead,And Satan's empire fell;To-day the saints his triumphs spread,And all his wonders tell.
3 Hosanna to th' anointed King,To David's holy Son:Help us, O Lord; descend and bringSalvation from the throne.
4 Blest be the Lord, who comes to menWith messages of grace;Who comes in God his Father's NameTo save our sinful race.
5 Hosanna in the highest strainsThe church on earth can raise;The highest heavens, in which he reigns,Shall give him nobler praise.
Psalm 118:5. 22-27. S. M.An hosanna for the Lord's day; or,A new song of salvation by Christ.
1 See what a living-stoneThe builders did refuse;Yet God hath built his church thereonIn spite of envious Jews.
2 The scribe and angry priestReject thine only Son;Yet on this rock shall Zion rest,As the chief corner-stone.
3 The work, O Lord, is thine,And wondrous in our eyes;This day declares it all divine,This day did Jesus rise.
4 This is the glorious dayThat our Redeemer made;Let us rejoice, and sing, and pray,Let all the church be glad.
5 Hosanna to the KingOf David's royal blood:Bless him, ye saints; he comes to bringSalvation from your God.
6 We bless thine holy word,Which all this grace displays;And offer on thine altar, Lord,Our sacrifice of praise.
Psalm 118:6. 22-27. L. M.An hosanna for the Lord's day; or,A new song of salvation by Christ.
1 Lo! what a glorious corner-stoneThe Jewish builders did refuse;But God hath built his church thereon,In spite of envy and the Jews.
2 Great God, the work is all divine,The joy and wonder of our eyes;This is the day that proves it thine,The day that saw our Saviour rise.
3 Sinners rejoice, and saints be glad:Hosanna, let his Name be blest:A thousand honours on his head,With peace, and light, and glory, rest.
4 In God's own name he comes to bringSalvation to our dying race:Let the whole church address their KingWith hearts of joy, and songs of praise.
Psalm 119. I have collected and disposed the most useful verses of this psalm under eighteen different heads, and formed a divine song upon each of them. But the verses are much transposed to attain some degree of connection.
In some places, among the words "law," "commands," "judgments," "testimonies," I have used "gospel," "word," "grace," "truth," "promises," &c. as more agreeable to the language of the New Testament, and the common language of Christians, and it equally answers the design of the Psalmist, which was to recommend the holy scripture.
Psalm 119:01. First Part.The blessedness of saints, and misery of sinners.
Ver. 1 2 3.1 Blest are the undefil'd in heart,Whose ways are right and clean;Who never from thy law depart,But fly front every sin.
2 Blest are the men that keep thy word,And practise thy commands;With their whole heart they seek the Lord,And serve thee with their hands.
Ver. 165.3 Great is their peace who love thy law;How firm their souls abide!Nor can a bold temptation drawTheir steady feet aside.
Ver. 6.4 Then shall my heart have inward joy,And keep my face from shame,When all thy statutes I obey,And honour all thy name.
Ver. 21 118.5 But haughty sinners God will hate,The proud shall die accurst;The sons of falsehood and deceitAre trodden to the dust.
Ver. 119 155.6 Vile as the dross the wicked are;And those that leave thy waysShall see salvation from afar,But never taste thy grace.
Psalm 119:02. Second Part. Secret devotion and spiritual mindedness; or, Constant converse with God.
Ver. 147 55.1 TO thee, before the dawning light,My gracious God, I pray;I meditate thy Name by night,And keep thy law by day.
Ver. 81.2 My spirit faints to see thy grace,Thy promise bears me up;And while salvation long delays,Thy word supports my hope.
Ver. 164.3 Seven times a day I lift my hands,And pay my thanks to thee;Thy righteous providence demandsRepeated praise from me.
Ver. 62.4 When midnight darkness veils the skies,I call thy works to mind;My thoughts in warm devotion rise,And sweet acceptance find.
Psalm 119:03. Third Part.Profession: of sincerity, repentance, and obedience.
Ver. 57 60.1 Thou art my portion, O my God;Soon as I know thy way,My heart makes haste t' obey thy word,And suffers no delay.
Ver. 30 14.2 I choose the path of heavenly truth,And glory in my choice:Not all the riches of the earthCould make me so rejoice.
3 The testimonies of thy graceI set before my eyes;Thence I derive my daily strength,And there my comfort lies.
Ver. 59.4 If once I wander from thy path,I think upon my ways,Then turn my feet to thy commands,And trust thy pardoning grace.
Ver. 94 114.5 Now I am thine, for ever thine,O save thy servant, Lord;Thou art my shield, my hiding-place,My hope is in thy word.
Ver. 112.6 Thou hast inclin'd this heart of mine,Thy statutes to fulfil;And thus till mortal life shall endWould I perform thy will.
Psalm 119:04. Fourth Part.Instruction from scripture.
Ver. 9.1 How shall the young secure their hearts,And guard their lives from sin?Thy word the choicest rules impartsTo keep the conscience clean.
Ver. 130.2 When once it enters to the mind,It spreads such light abroad,The meanest souls instruction find,And raise their thoughts to God.
Ver. 105.3 'Tis like the sun, a heavenly light,That guides us all the day;And thro' the dangers of the night,A lamp to lead our way.
Ver. 99 100.4 The men that keep thy law with care,And meditate thy word,Grow wiser than their teachers are,And better know the Lord.
Ver. 104 113.5 Thy precepts make me truly wise:I hate the sinner's road;I hate my own vain thoughts that rise,But love thy law, my God.
Ver. 89 90 91.6 [The starry heavens thy rule obey,The earth maintains her place;And these thy servants night and dayThy skill and power express!
7 But still thy law and gospel, Lord,Have lessons more divine;Not earth stands firmer than thy word,Nor stars so nobly shine.]
Ver. 160 140 9 116.8 Thy word is everlasting truth;How pure is every page!That holy book shall guide our youth,And well support our age.
Psalm 119:05. Fifth Part. Delight in scripture; or, The word of God dwelling in us.
Ver. 97.1 O How I love thy holy law!'Tis daily my delight;And thence my meditations drawDivine advice by night.
Ver. 148.2 My waking eyes prevent the dayTo meditate thy word;My soul with longing melts awayTo hear thy gospel, Lord.
Ver. 3 13 54.3 How doth thy word my heart engage!How well employ my tongue!And, in my tiresome pilgrimage,Yields me a heavenly song.
Ver. 19 103.4 Am I a stranger, or at home,'Tis my perpetual feast;Not honey dropping from the combSo much allures the taste.
Ver. 72 127.5 No treasures so enrich the mind;Nor shall thy word be soldFor loads of silver well refin'd,Nor heaps of choicest gold.
Ver. 28 49 175.6 When nature sinks, and spirits droop,Thy promises of graceAre pillars to support my hope,And there I write thy praise.
Psalm 119:06. Sixth Part.Holiness and comfort from the word.
Ver. 128.1 Lord, I esteem thy judgments right,And all thy statutes just;Thence I maintain a constant fightWith every flattering lust.
Ver. 97 9.2 Thy precepts often I survey;I keep thy law in sight,Thro' all the business of the day,To form my actions right.
Ver. 62.3 My heart in midnight silence cries,"How sweet thy comforts be!"My thoughts in holy wonder rise,And bring their thanks to thee.
Ver. 162.4 And when my spirit drinks her fillAt some good word of thine,Not mighty men that share the spoilHave joys compar'd to mine.
Psalm 119:07. Seventh Part. Imperfection of nature, and perfection of scripture.
Ver. 96. paraphrased.1 Let all the heathen writers joinTo form one perfect book,Great God, if once compar'd with thine,How mean their writings look!
2 Not the most perfect rules they gaveCould shew one sin forgiven,Nor lead a step beyond the grave;But thine conduct to heaven.
3 I've seen an end of what we callPerfection here below;How short the powers of nature fall,And can no farther go!
4 Yet men would fain be just with GodBy works their hands have wrought;But thy commands, exceeding broad,Extend to every thought.
5 In vain we boast perfection here,While sin defiles our frame,And sinks our virtues down so far,They scarce deserve the name.
6 Our faith and love, and every grace,Fall far below thy word;But perfect truth and righteousnessDwell only with the Lord.
Psalm 119:08. Eighth Part.The word of God is the saint's portion; or,The excellency and variety of scripture.
Ver. 111. paraphrased.1 Lord, I have made thy word my choice,My lasting heritage;There shall my noblest powers rejoice,My warmest thoughts engage.
2 I'll read the histories of thy love,And keep thy laws in sight,While thro' the promises I rove,With ever fresh delight.
3 'Tis a broad land of wealth unknownWhere springs of life arise,Seeds of immortal bliss are sown,And hidden glory lies.
4 The best relief that mourners have,It makes our sorrows blest;Our fairest hope beyond the grave,And our eternal rest.
Psalm 119:09. Ninth Part. Desire of knowledge; or, The teachings of the Spirit with the word.
Ver. 64 66 18.1 Thy mercies fill the earth, O Lord,How good thy works appear!Open mine eyes to read thy word,And see thy wonders there.
Ver. 73 125.2 My heart was fashion'd by thy hand,My service is thy due:O make thy servant understandThe duties he must do.
Ver. 19.3 Since I'm a stranger here below,Let not thy path be hid;But mark the road my feet should go,And be my constant guide.
Ver. 26.4 When I confess'd my wandering ways,Thou heardst my soul complain;Grant me the teachings of thy grace,Or I shall stray again.
Ver. 33 34.5 If God to me his statutes shew,And heavenly truth impart,His work for ever I'll pursue,His laws shall rule my heart.
Ver. 50 71.6 This was my comfort when I boreVariety of grief;It made me learn thy word the more,And fly to that relief.
Ver. 51.7 [In vain the proud deride me now;I'll ne'er forget thy law,Nor let that blessed gospel goWhence all my hopes I draw.
Ver. 27 121.8 When I have learn'd my Father's willI'll teach the world his ways;My thankful lips inspir'd with zealShall loud pronounce his praise.]
Psalm 119:10. Tenth Part.Pleading the promises.
Ver. 38 49.1 Behold thy waiting servant, Lord,Devoted to thy fear;Remember and confirm thy word,For all my hopes are there.
Ver. 41 58 107.2 Hast thou not writ salvation down,And promis'd quickening grace?Doth not my heart address thy throne?And yet thy love delays.
Ver. 132 42.3 Mine eyes for thy salvation fail;O bear thy servant up;Nor let the scoffing lips prevail,Who dare reproach my hope.
Ver. 49 74.4 Didst thou not raise my faith, O Lord?Then let thy truth appear:Saints shall rejoice in my reward,And trust as well as fear.
Psalm 119:11. Eleventh Part.Breathing after holiness.
Ver. 5 33.1 O that the Lord would guide my waysTo keep his statutes still!O that my God would grant me graceTo know and do his will!
Ver. 29.2 O send thy Spirit down to writeThy law upon my heart!Nor let my tongue indulge deceit,Nor act the liar's part.
Ver. 37 36.3 From vanity turn off my eyes:Let no corrupt design,Nor covetous desires ariseWithin this soul of mine.
Ver. 133.4 Order my footsteps by thy word,And make my heart sincere,Let sin have no dominion, Lord,But keep my conscience clear.
Ver. 176.5 My soul hath gone too far astray,My feet too often slip;Yet since I've not forgot thy way,Restore thy wandering sheep.
Ver. 35.6 Make me to walk in thy commands,'Tis a delightful road;Nor let my head, or heart, or hands,Offend against my God.
Psalm 119:12. Twelfth Part.Breathing after comfort and deliverance.
Ver. 153.1 My God, consider my distress,Let mercy plead my cause;Tho' I have sinn'd against thy grace,I can't forget thy laws.
Ver. 39 116.1 Forbid, forbid the sharp reproachWhich I so justly fear;Uphold my life, uphold my hopes,Nor let my shame appear.
Ver. 122 135.3 Be thou a surety, Lord, for me,Nor let the proud oppress;But make thy waiting servant seeThe shinings of thy face.
Ver. 82.4 My eyes with expectation fail,My heart within me cries,"When will the Lord his truth fulfil,"And make my comforts rise?"
Ver. 132.5 Look down upon my sorrows, Lord,And shew thy grace the sameAs thou art ever wont t' affordTo those that love thy Name.
Psalm 119:13. Thirteenth Part.Holy fear, and tenderness of conscience.
Ver. 10.1 With my whole heart I've sought thy face,O let me never strayFrom thy commands, O God of grace,Nor tread the sinner's way.
Ver. 11.2 Thy word I've hid within my heartTo keep my conscience clean,And be an everlasting guardFrom every rising sin.
Ver. 63 53 158.3 I'm a companion of the saintsWho fear and love the Lord;My sorrows rise, my nature faints,When men transgress thy word.
Ver. 161 163.4 While sinners do thy gospel wrong,My spirit stands in awe;My soul abhors a lying tongue,But loves thy righteous law.
Ver. 161 120.5 My heart with sacred reverence hearsThe threatenings of thy word:My flesh with holy trembling fearsThe judgments of the Lord.
Ver. 166 174.6 My God, I long, I hope, I waitFor thy salvation still;While thy whole law is my delight,And I obey thy will.
Psalm 119:14. Fourteenth Part.Benefit of afflictions, and support under them.
Ver. 153 81 82.1 Consider all my sorrows, Lord,And thy deliverance send;My soul for thy salvation faints,When will my troubles end?
Ver. 71.2 Yet I have found, 'tis good for meTo bear my Father's rod;Afflictions make me learn thy law,And live upon my God.
Ver. 50.3 This is the comfort I enjoyWhen new distress begins,I read thy word, I run thy way,And hate my former sins.
Ver. 92.4 Had not thy word been my delightWhen earthly joys were fled,My soul opprest with sorrow's weightHad sunk amongst the dead.
Ver. 75.5 I know thy judgments, Lord, are right,Tho' they may seem severe;The sharpest sufferings I endureFlow from thy faithful care.
Ver. 67.6 Before I knew thy chastening rodMy feet were apt to stray;But now I learn to keep thy word,Nor wander from thy way.
Psalm 119:15. Fifteenth Part.Holy resolutions.
Ver. 93.That thy statutes every hourMight dwell upon my mind!Thence I derive a quickening power,And daily peace I find.
Ver. 15 16.2 To meditate thy precepts, Lord,Shall be my sweet employ;My soul shall ne'er forget thy word,Thy word is all my joy.
Ver. 32.3 How would I run in thy commands,If thou my heart dischargeFrom sin and Satan's hateful chains,And set my feet at large!
Ver. 13 46.4 My lips with courage shall declareThy statutes and thy Name;I'll speak thy word, tho' kings should hearNor yield to sinful shame.
Ver. 61 69 70.5 Let bands of persecutors riseTo rob me of my right,Let pride and malice forge their lies,Thy law is my delight.
Ver. 115.6 Depart from me, ye wicked race,Whose hands and hearts are ill;I love my God, I love his ways,And must obey his will.
Psalm 119:16. Sixteenth Part.Prayer for quickening grace.
Ver. 25 37.1 My soul lies cleaving to the dust;Lord, give me life divine;From vain desires and every lustTurn off these eyes of mine.
2 I need the influence of thy graceTo speed me in thy way,Lest I should loiter in my race,Or turn my feet astray.
Ver. 107. 3 When sore afflictions press me down, I need thy quickening powers; Thy word that I have rested on shall help my heaviest hours.
Ver. 156 140.4 Are not thy mercies sovereign still?And thou a faithful God?Wilt thou not grant me warmer zealTo run the heavenly road?
Ver. 159 40.5 Does not my heart thy precepts love,And long to see thy face?And yet how slow my spirits moveWithout enlivening grace!
Ver. 93.6 Then shall I love thy gospel more,And ne'er forget thy word,When I have felt its quickening powerTo draw me near the Lord.
Psalm 119:17. Seventeenth Part. Courage and perseverance under persecution; or, Grace shining in difficulties and trials.
Ver. 143 28.1 When pain and anguish seize me, Lord,All my support is from thy word:My soul dissolves for heaviness,Uphold me with thy strengthening grace.
Ver. 51 69 110.2 The proud have fram'd their scoffs and lies,They watch my feet with envious eyes,And tempt my soul to snares and sin,Yet thy commands I ne'er decline.
Ver. 161 78.3 They hate me, Lord, without a cause,They hate to see me love thy laws:But I will trust and fear thy Name,Till pride and malice die with shame.
Psalm 119:18. Last Part.Sanctified afflictions; or,Delight in the word of God.
Ver. 67 59.1 Father, I bless thy gentle hand;How kind was thy chastising rod,That forc'd my conscience to a stand,And brought my wandering soul to God!
2 Foolish and vain I went astrayEre I had felt thy scourges, Lord,I left my guide, and lost my way;But now I love and keep thy word.
Ver. 71.3 'Tis good for me to wear the yoke,For pride is apt to rise and swell;'Tis good to bear my Father's stroke,That I might learn his statutes well.
Ver. 72.4 The law that issues from thy mouthShall raise my cheerful passions moreThan all the treasures of the south,Or western hills of golden ore.
Ver. 73.5 Thy hands have made my mortal frame,Thy spirit form'd my soul within;Teach me to know thy wondrous Name,And guard me safe from death and sin.
Ver. 74.6 Then all that love and fear the LordAt my salvation shall rejoice;For I have hoped in thy word,And made thy grace my only choice.
Psalm 120. Complaint of quarrelsome neighbours; or, A devout wish for peace.
1 Thou God of love, thou ever blest,Pity my suffering state;When wilt thou set my soul at restFrom lips that love deceit?
2 Hard lot of mine! my days are castAmong the sons of strife,Whose never-ceasing brawlings wasteMy golden hours of life.
3 O might I fly to change my place,How would I chuse to dwellIn some wide lonesome wilderness,And leave these gates of hell.
4 Peace is the blessing that I seek,How lovely are its charms;I am for peace; but when I speak,They all declare for arms.
6 New passions still their souls engage,And keep their malice strong:What shall be done to curb thy rage,O thou devouring tongue!
6 Should burning arrows smite thee thro',Strict justice would approve;But I had rather spare my foe,And melt his heart with love.
Psalm 121:1. L. M.Divine protection.
1 Up to the hills I lift mine eyes,Th' eternal hills beyond the skies;Thence all her help my soul derives;There my Almighty refuge lives.
2 He lives, the everlasting God,That built the world, that spread the flood;The heavens with all their hosts he made,And the dark regions of the dead.
3 He guides our feet, he guards our way;His morning-smiles bless all the day;He spreads the evening veil, and keepsThe silent hours while Israel sleeps.
4 Israel, a name divinely blest,May rise secure, securely rest;Thy holy Guardian's wakeful eyesAdmit no slumber nor surprise.
5 No sun shall smite thy head by day,Nor the pale moon with sickly rayShall blast thy couch; no baleful starDart his malignant fire so far.
6 Should earth and hell with malice burn,Still thou shalt go and still returnSafe in the Lord his heavenly careDefends thy life from every snare.
7 On thee foul spirits have no power;And in thy last departing hourAngels, that trace the airy road,Shall bear thee homeward to thy God.
Psalm 121:2. C. M.Preservation by day and night.
1 To heaven I lift my waiting eyes,There all my hopes are laid:The Lord that built the earth and skiesIs my perpetual aid.
2 Their feet shall never slide to fallWhom he designs to keep;His ear attends the softest call,His eyes can never sleep.
3 He will sustain our weakest powersWith his almighty arm,And watch our most unguarded hoursAgainst surprising harm.
4 Israel, rejoice and rest secure,Thy keeper is the Lord;His wakeful eyes employ his powerFor thine eternal guard.
5 Nor scorching sun, nor sickly moon,Shall have his leave to smite;He shields thy head from burning noon,From blasting damps at night.
6 He guards thy soul, he keeps thy breathWhere thickest dangers come;Go and return, secure from death,Till God commands thee home.
Psalm 121:3. As the 148th Psalm.God our preserver.
1 Upward I lift mine eyes,From God is all my aid;The God that built the skies,And earth and nature made:God is the tow'rTo which I fly:His grace is nighIn every hour.
2 My feet shall never slideAnd fall in fatal snares,Since God, my guard and guide,Defends me from my fears:Those wakeful eyesThat never sleepShall Israel keepWhen dangers rise.
3 No burning heats by day,Nor blasts of evening air,Shall take my health away,If God be with me there.Thou art my sun,And thou my shade,To guard my headBy night or noon.
4 Hast thou not given thy wordTo save my soul from death?And I can trust my LordTo keep my mortal breath;I'll go and come,Nor fear to die,Till from on highThou call me home.
Psalm 122:1.Going to church.1 How did my heart rejoice to hearMy friends devoutly say,"In Zion let us all appear,"And keep the solemn day!"
2 I love her gates, I love the road:The church adorn'd with graceStands like a palace built for God,To shew his milder face.
3 Up to her courts with joys unknownThe holy tribes repair;The Son of David holds his throne,And sits in judgment there.
4 He hears our praises and complaints;And while his awful voiceDivides the sinners from the saints,We tremble and rejoice.
5 Peace be within this sacred place,And joy a constant guest!With holy gifts, and heavenly graceBe her attendants blest!
6 My soul shall pray for Zion still,While life or breath remains;There my best friends, my kindred dwell,There God my Saviour reigns.
Psalm 122:2. Proper Tune.Going to church.
1 How pleas'd and blest was ITo hear the people cry,"Come, let us seek our God to-day!"Yes, with a cheerful zeal,We haste to Zion's hill,And there our vows and honours pay.
2 Zion, thrice happy place,Adorn'd with wondrous grace,And walls of strength embrace thee round;In thee our tribes appearTo pray, and praise, and hearThe sacred gospel's joyful sound.
3 There David's greater SonHas fix'd his royal throne,He sits for grace and judgment there;He bids the saint be glad,He makes the sinner sad,And humble souls rejoice with fear.
4 May peace attend thy gate,And joy within thee waitTo bless the soul of every guest!The man that seeks thy peace,And wishes thine increase,A thousand blessings on him rest!
5 My tongue repeats her vows"Peace to this sacred house!"For there my friends and kindred dwell;And since my glorious GodMakes thee his blest abode,My soul shall ever love thee well.
Repeat the fourth stanza to complete the Tune.
Psalm 123.Pleading with submission.
1 O thou whose grace and justice reignEnthron'd above the skies,To thee our hearts would tell their pain,To thee we lift our eyes.
2 As Servants watch their master's hand,And fear the angry stroke;Or maids before their mistress stand,And wait a peaceful look;
3 So for our sins we justly feelThy discipline, O God;Yet wait the gracious moment still,Till thou remove thy rod.
4 Those that in wealth and pleasure liveOur daily groans deride,And thy delays of mercy giveFresh courage to their pride.
5 Our foes insult us, but our hopeIn thy compassion lies;This thought shall bear our spirits up,That God will not despise.
Psalm 124.A song for the fifth of November.
1 Had not the Lord, may Israel say,Had not the Lord maintain'd our side,When men to make our lives a prey,Rose like the swelling of the tide;
2 The swelling tide had stopt our breath,So fiercely did the waters roll,We had been swallow'd deep in death;Proud waters had o'erwhelm'd our soul.
3 We leap for joy, we shout and sing,Who just escap'd the fatal stroke;So flies the bird with cheerful wing,When once the fowler's snare is broke.
4 For ever blessed be the Lord,Who broke the fowler's cursed snare,Who sav'd us from the murdering sword,And made our lives and souls his care.
5 Our help is in Jehovah's Name,Who form'd the earth and built the skies;He that upholds that wondrous frameGuards his own church with watchful eyes.
Psalm 125:1. C. M.The saint's trial and safely.
1 Unshaken as the sacred hill,And firm as mountains be,Firm as a rock the soul shall restThat leans, O Lord, on thee.
2 Not walls nor hills could guard so wellOld Salem's happy ground,As those eternal arms of loveThat every saint surround.
3 While tyrants are a smarting scourgeTo drive them near to God,Divine compassion does allayThe fury of the rod.
4 Deal gently, Lord, with souls sincere,And lead them safely onTo the bright gates of Paradise,Where Christ their Lord is gone.
5 But if we trace those crooked waysThat the old serpent drew,The wrath that drove him first to hellShall smite his followers too.
Psalm 125:2. S. M. The saints' trial and safety; or, Moderated afflictions.
1 Firm and unmov'd are theyThat rest their souls on God;Firm as the mount where David dweltOr where the ark abode.
2 As mountains stood to guardThe city's sacred ground,So God and his almighty loveEmbrace his saints around.
3 What tho' the Father's rodDrop a chastising stroke,Yet, lest it wound their souls too deep,Its fury shall be broke.
4 Deal gently, Lord, with thoseWhose faith and pious fear,Whose hope, and love, and every graceProclaim their hearts sincere.
5 Nor shall the tyrant's rageToo long oppress the saint;The God of Israel will supportHis children lest they faint.
6 But if our slavish fearWill chuse the road to hell,We must expect our portion thereWhere bolder sinners dwell.
Psalm 126:1. L. M.Surprising deliverance.
1 When God restor'd our captive state,Joy was our song, and grace our theme;The grace beyond our hopes so great,That joy appear'd a painted dream.
2 The scoffer owns thy hand, and paysUnwilling honours to thy Name;While we with pleasure shout thy praise,With cheerful notes thy love proclaim.
3 When we review our dismal fears,'Twas hard to think they'd vanish so;With God we left our flowing tears,He makes our joys like rivers flow.
4 The man that in his furrow'd fieldHis scatter'd seed with sadness leaves,Will shout to see the harvest yieldA welcome load of joyful sheaves.
Psalm 126:2. C. M. The joy of a remarkable conversion; or, Melancholy removed.
1 When God reveal'd his gracious Name,And chang'd my mournful state,My rapture seem'd a pleasing dream,The grace appear'd so great.
2 The world beheld the glorious change,And did thy hand confess;My tongue broke out in unknown strains,And sung surprising grace:
3 "Great is the work," my neighbours cry'd,And own'd the power divine;"Great is the work," my heart reply'd,"And be the glory thine."
4 The Lord can clear the darkest skies,Can give us day for night,Make drops of sacred sorrow riseTo rivers of delight.
5 Let those that sow in sadness waitTill the fair harvest come,They shall confess their sheaves are great,And shout the blessings home.
6 Tho' seed lie bury'd long in dust,It shan't deceive their hope;The precious grain can ne'er be lost,For grace insures the crop.
Psalm 127:1. L. M. The blessing of God on the business and comforts of life.
1 If God succeed not, all the costAnd pains to build the house are lost:If God the city will not keep,The watchful guards as well may sleep.
3 What if you rise before the sun,And work and toil when day is done,Careful and sparing eat your bread,To shun that poverty you dread;
3 'Tis all in vain, till God hath blest;He can make rich, yet give us rest:Children and friends are blessings too,If God our sovereign make them so.
4 Happy the man to whom he sendsObedient children, faithful friends:How sweet our daily comforts proveWhen they are season'd with his love!
Psalm 127:2. C. M.God all in all.