No politics shall recommend 8 All those who wicked courses take, PSALM CII. W Do thon, O Lord. attend; THEN I pour out my soul in prayer, To thy eternal throne of grace 2 0 hide not thou thy glorious face 3 Each cloudy portion of my life, 4 My heart, like grass that feels the Of some infectious wind, 14 Her scatter'd ruins by thy saints They grieve to see her lofty spires In dust and rubbish laid. 15, 16 The name and glory of the All heathen kings shall fear; 17, 18 When he regards the poor's re- Nor slights their earnest prayer; 19 For God, from his abode on high, 20 He listen'd to the captives' moans, 21 That they in Sion, where he dwells, Does languish so with grief, that scarce And through the holy city sing My needful food I mind. 5 By reason of my sad estate I spend my breath in groans; My flesh is worn away, my skin Scarce hides my starting bones. 6 I'm like a pelican become, That does in deserts mourn; Or like an owl, that sits all day On barren trees forlorn. 7 In watchings, or in restless dreams, The night by me is spent, As by those solitary birds. That lonesome roofs trequent. For thou, to make my fall more great, their Are like an evening shade; For now her time is come, thy own Loud praises to his name: 22 When all the tribes assembling there, The Lord their God confess. 24 Lord, end not thou my life, said I, 25 The strong foundations of the earth Thy hands the beauteous arch of heaven Like that, when thou ordain'st their To thy command they bend; 28 Thou to the children of thy saints PSALM CIII. M'God's holy name for ever bless; Y soul, inspir'd with sacred love, Of all his favours mindful prove, And still thy grateful thanks express. 3, 4 Tis he that all thy sins forgives, And after sickness makes thee sound; From danger be thy life retrieves, By him with grace and mercy crown'd. 5, 6 He with good things thy mouth supplies, Thy vigour, eagle-like, renews: Were to the sons of Jacob shown. is willing mercy flies apace. Heaven's curtains stretch beyond the globe, Thy canopy of state to make. 4 As bright as flame, as swift as wind, All proud to serve their Sov'reign's 5, 6 Earth on her centre fix'd, he set, Has such as fear'd him always loved. 14, 15 For God, who all our frame sur-19 veys, Considers that we are but clay; How fresh soe'er we seem, our days Like grass or flowers must fade away. 16, 17 Whilst they are nipt with sudden blasts, Nor can we find their former place; To those that fear him and their race. In whose great strength his power is Ye that his just commands obey, And hear and do his sacred will, BLE LESS God, my soul; thou, Lord, alone, Possessest empire without bounds; With honour thou art crown'd, thy throne Eternal majesty surrounds. 2 With light thou dost thyself enrobe, And glory for a garment take; And by their haste confess'd their dread. 8 Thence up by secret tracts they creep, And,gushing from the mountain's side, Through valleys travel to the deep. Appointed to receive their tide. There hast thou fix'd the ocean's bounds, The threat'ning surges to repel; That they no more o'erpass their mounds, Nor to a second deluge swell. 10 Yet thence in smaller parties draws, 11 The field's tame beasts are thither led, Have sense to find these currents out. 12 There shady trees from scorching beams Yield shelter to the feather'd throng They drink,and to the bounteous streams Return the tribute of their song. 13 His rains from heaven parch'd hill recruit, That soon transmit the liquid store, Till earth is burden'd with her fruit, And nature's lap can hold no more. 14 Grass, for our cattle to devour, He makes the growth of every field: Herbs, for man's use, of various power, That either food or physic yield. 15 With cluster'd grapes he crowns the vine, To cheer man's heart, oppress'd with Gives oil, that makes his face to shine, PART III. 16 The trees of God, without the care Or art of man, with sap are fed: The mountain-cedar looks as fair As those in royal gardens bred. 17 Safe in the lofty cedar's arms The wanderers of the air may rest; The hospitable pine from harms Protects the stork, her pious guest. 18 Wild goats the craggy rock ascend, Its towering heights their fortress make, Whose cells in labyrinths extend, Where feebler creatures refuge take. 19 The moon's inconstant aspect shows Th' appointed seasons of the year; Th' instructed sun his duty knows, His hour to rise and disappear. 20, 21 Darkness he makes the earth to shroud, 181 Thus through successive ages stands Firm fix'd thy providential care; Pleased with the work of thy own hands, Thou dost the waste of time repair. 32 One look of thine, one wrathful look, Earth's panting breast with terror fills; One touch from thee, with clouds of smoke In darkness shrouds the proudest hills. 33 In praising God, while he prolongs My breath, I will that breath employ; 34 And join devotion to my songs, Sincere, as in him is my joy. 35 While sinners from earth's face are hurl'd, My soul, praise thou his holy name Till with my song the list'ning world Join concert, and his praise proclaim. PSALM CV. Render thanks, and bless the Lord; When forest beasts securely stray;voke his sacred name; Young lions roar their wants aloud To providence, that sends them prey. 22 They range all night on slaughter bent, Till summon'd by the rising morn, To skulk in dens, with one consent The conscious ravagers return. 23 Forth to the tillage of his soil The husbandman securely goes, Commencing with the sun his toil, With him returns to his repose. 24 How various, Lord, thy works are found; For which thy wisdom we adore! The earth is with thy treasure crown'd, Till nature's hand can grasp no more. PART IV. 25 But still the vast unfathom'd main, Of every form, and every size. And have their daily alms from thee. The craving worid, is all supply'd. 29 Thou for a moment kid'st thy face, The num'rous ranks of creatures mourn; Thou tak'st their breath, all nature's race Forthwith to mother earth return. 30 Again thou send'st thy spirit forth Acquaint the nations with his deeds, And let their hearts o'erflow with joy 4 Seek ye the Lord, his saving strength And, where he's ever present, seek 5 The wonders that his hands have Keep thankfully in mind; 6 Know ye, his servant Abraham's seed, For num'rous ages past, 9 First sign'd to Abra'm, next, by oath 10 To Jacob and his heirs a law, 11 That Canaan's land should be th 1 lot, When yet but few there were; 14 Whilst proudest monarchs, for their 15 These mine anointed are,' said he; (34 He spake the word, and locusts came, 'Let none my servants wrong; "Nor treat the poorest prophet ill, 'That does to me belong.' 16 A dearth, at last, by his command, Did through the land prevail; Till corn, the chief support of life, Sustaining corn, did fail. 17 But his indulgent providence 18 His feet with heavy chains were crush'd, With calumny his fame; 19 Till God's appointed time and word To his deliv'rance came. 20 The king his sov'reign order sent, 21 His court, revenues, realms, were all Subjected to his will; 22 His greatest princes to control, And teach his statesmen skill. PART II. 23 To Egypt then, invited guests, And Jacob held, by royal grant, And caterpillars join'd; They prey'd upon the poor remains 35 From trees to herbage they descend, With Egypt's borrow'd wealth; And, what transcends all treasure else, Enrich'd with vig'rous health. 38 Egypt rejoiced, in hopes to find Her plagues with them removed; Taught dearly now to fear worse ills By those already proved. 39 Their shrouding canopy by day A journeying cloud was spread; A fiery pillar all the night Their desert marches led. 40 They long'd for flesh; with evening quails He furnish'd ev'ry tent; From heaven's high morn, granary, each The bread of angels sent. 24 Th' Almighty there with such in- 41 He smote the rock, whose flinty crease His people multiply'd, Till with their proud oppressors they 25 Their vast increase th' Egyptians' hearts With jealous anger fired, By treacherous arts conspired. 27 Empower'd with signs and miracles, To prove their mission true. 28 He call'd for darkness, darkness came, Nature his summons knew; 29 Each stream and lake, transform'd to blood, The wand'ring fishes slew. 30 In putrid floods, throughout the land, The pest of frogs was bred; From noisome fens sent up to croak At Pharaoh's board and bed. 31 He gave the sign, and swarms of flies Came down in cloudy hosts; Whilst earth's enliven'd dust below Bred lice through all their coasts. 32 He sent them batt'ring hail for rain, And fire for cooling dew; 53 He smote their vines, and forest plants, And garden's pride o'erthrew. breast Pour'd forth a gushing tide; Whose flowing stream, where'er they march'd, The desert's drought supply'd. 42 For still he did on Abra'm's faith And ancient league reflect; 43 He brought his people forth with joy, With triumph his elect. 44_Quite rooting out their heathen foes From Canaan's fertile soil, To them in cheap possession gave 45 That they his statutes might observe, His sacred laws obey: For benefits so vast, let us Render thanks to God above, 4 Extend to me that favour, Lord, Who their misdeeds have acted o'er, 9 To right and left, at his command, way. 23 Thus urged, his vengeful hand he rear'd, But Moses in the breach appear'd; 24 Yet they his pleasant land despised, To perish in the wilderness; 27 Or else to be by heathen's hands O'erthrown, and scatter'd through the lands. PART III. 28 Yet, unreclaim'd, this stubborn raee 29 Thus they persisted to provoke God's vengeance to the final stroke: 'Tis come-the deadly pest is come, To execute their general doom. 10 Thus rescued from their foes they 30 But Phineas, fired with holy rage, That proved the rash pursuers' graves. 12 The watery mountains sudden fall Olerwhelm'd proud Pharaoh, host and all; This proof did stupid Israel move 18 But soon these wonders they forgot, And to the molten image pray'd; 20 Adoring what their hands did frame, They changed their glory to their shame. 21 Their God and Saviour they forgot, And all his works in Egypt wrought; 22 His signs in Ham's astonish'd coast, And where proud Pharaoh's troops were lost. Th' Almighty vengeance to assuage, Did they perform the Lord's command, 39 Nor did these savage cruelties |