16 Lord, hear the humble prayer I make, | For my deliverance, Lord, appear, heart; I look'd for some to take my part, torn, To bleed afresh, with sharper scorn. And celebrate with thanks thy name. see, And hope for like redress with me. And all the world resound his praise. 36 This blessing they shall, at their death, PSALM 70. LORD, to my relief draw near; and add to that deliverance speed 2 Confusion on their heads return, who to destroy my soul combine, Let them, defeated, blush and mourn, ensnared in their own vile design. 3 Their doom let desolation be; with shame their malice be repaid, Who mock'd my confidence in thee, and sport of my afflictions made. 4 While those who humbly seek thy face, to joyful triumphs shall be raised; And all who prize thy saving grace, with me shall sing, The Lord be praised. 5 Thus, wretched though I am and poor, the mighty Lord of me takes care: Thou, God, who only canst restore, to my relief with speed repair. PSALM 71. defend me, Lord, from shame 3 Be thou my strong abiding place For, from my earliest youth till now, 6 Thy constant care did safely guard my tender infant days; Thou took'st me from my mother's womb, 7,8 While some on me with wonder gaze, 10 My foes against my fame and me 11"His God," say they, "forsakes him "on whom he did rely; Pursue and take him, whilst no hope "of timely aid is nigh." 12 But thou, my God, withdraw not far 13 To shame and ruin bring my foes, 15 Thy righteous acts, and saving health though summ'd with utmost care thy strength and power have shown. 19 How high thy justice soars, O God! how great and wondrous are The mighty works which thou hast done! who may with thee compare! 20 Me, whom thy hand has sorely press'd, thy grace shall yet relieve; And from the lowest depth of woe, with tender care retrieve. 21 Through thee,my time to come shall be with power and greatness crown'd; And me, who dismal years have pass'd, thy comforts shall surround. 22 Then I with psaltery and harp, thy truth, O Lord, will praise; To thee, the God of Jacob's race, my voice in anthems raise. [songs 23 Then joy shall fill my mouth, and employ my cheerful voice; My grateful soul,by thee redeem'd, shall in thy strength rejoice. 24 My tongue thy just and righteous acts shall all the day proclaim; Because thou didst confound my foes,. and brought'st them all to shame. PSALM 72. Lin all his ways direct; ORD, let thy just decrees the king And let his son, throughout his reign, S Then hills and mountains shall bring the work of righteousness: [forth 4 Whilst he the poor and needy race shall rule with gentle sway; And from their humble neck shall take oppressive yokes away. 5 In every heart thy awful fear shall then be rooted fast, As long as sun and moon endure, or time itself shall last. 6 He shall descend like rain, that cheers the meadow's second birth; Or like warm showers, whose gentle refresh the thirsty earth. [drops 7 In his blest days the just and good shall be with favour crown'd; The happy land shall every where with endless peace abound. 8 His uncontroll'd dominion shall 9 To him the savage nations round 10 The king of Tarshish, and the isles, 11 To him shall every king on earth 13 His providence for needy souls from fraud and rapine tree; And, in his sight, their guiltless blood of mighty price shall be. 15 Therefore shall God his life and reign to many years extend; Whilst eastern princes tribute pay, and golden presents send. For him shall constant prayers be made, through all his prosperous days; His just dominion shall afford a lasting theme of praise. 16 Of useful grain through all the land, great plenty shall appear; A handful, sown on mountains top, . a mighty crop shall bear : Its fruits, like cedars shook by winds, a rattling noise shall yield; The city too shall thrive, and vie for plenty with the field. 17 The memory of his glorious name through endless years shall run; His spotless fame shall shine as bright and lasting as the sun. In him the nations of the world shall be completely bless'd, And his unbounded happiness by every tongue confess'd. 18 Then bless'd be God, the mighty Lord, the God whom Israel fears; Who only wondrous in his works, beyond compare appears. 19 Let earth be with his glory fill'd; for ever bless his name; Whilst to his praise the listening world their glad assent proclaim. PSALM 75. A Tlength, by certain proofs, 'tis plam that God will to his saints be kind 1 hat all whose hearts are pure and clean shall his protecting favour find. 2, 3 Till this sustaining truth I knew, my staggering feet had almost fail'd; I grieved the sinner's wealth to view, and envy'd when the fools prevail'd. 4,5 They to the grave in peace descend, and, whilst they live, are hale and strong; No plagues or troubles them offend, which oft to other men belong. 6,7 With pride, as with a chain, they're held, and rapine seems their robe of state; Their eyes stand out,with fatness swell'd; they grow, beyond their wishes, great. ,9 With hearts corrupt, and lofty talk, oppressive methods they defend; Their tongue thro' all the earth does walk; their blasphemies to heaven ascend. 10 And yet admiring crowds are found, who servile visits duly make; Because with plenty they abound, of which their flattering slaves partake. 11 Their fond opinions these pursue, till they with them profanely cry, "How should the Lord our actions view? "can he perceive, who dwells so high" 12 Behold the wicked! these are they, who openly their sins profess; And yet their wealth's increased each day, and all their actions meet success. 13, 14 "Then have I cleansed my heart,” said I, "and wash'd my hands from guilt, in vain, "If all the day oppress'd I lie, "and every morning suffer pain." 15 Thus did I once to speak intend; but if such things I rashly say, Thy children, Lord, I must offend, and basely should their cause betray. PART II. 16, 17 To fathom this my thoughts I bent, but found the case too hard for me; Till to the house of God I went; then I their end did plainly see. 18 How high soe'er advanced, they all on slippery places loosely stand; Thence into ruin headlong fall, cast down by thy avenging hand. 19, 20 How dreadful and how quick their fate despised bythee,when they're destroy'd; As waking men with scorn do treat the fancies that their dreams employ'd. 21, 22 Thus was my heart with grief opprest, my reins were rack'd with restless So stupid was 1, like a beast, (pains; who no reflecting thought retains. 23, 24 Yet still thy presence me supply'd, and thy right hand assistance gave: Thou first shalt with thy counsel guide, and then to glory me receive. none 25 Whom then in heaven, but thee alone, have I, whose favour I require? Throughout the spacious earth there's that I besides thee can desire 26 My trembling flesh, and aching heart, may often fail to succour me; But God shall inward strength impart, and my eternal portion be. 27 For they that far from thee remove, shall into sudden ruin fall; If after other gods they rove, thy vengeance shall destroy them all 28 But as for me, 'tis good and just that I should still to God repair; In him I always put my trust, and will his wondrous works declare PSALM 74. WHY hast thou cast us off, O God? wilt thou no more return? O! why against thy chosen flock does thy fierce anger burn? 2 Think on thy ancient purchase, Lora, the land that is thy own, By thee redeem'd; and Sion's mount, where once thy glory shone. 3 0! come and view our ruin'd state; 4 Thy foes blaspheme thy name; where 8 Thy worship wholly to destroy, maliciously they aim'd; And all the sacred places burn'd, where we thy praise proclaim'd. 9 Yet of thy presence thou vouchsaf'st no tender signs to send; We have no prophet now, that knows when this sad state shall end. PART II. 10 But, Lord, how long wilt thou perm the insulting foe to boast? Shall all the honour of thy name for evermore be lost? 11 Why hold'st thou back thy strong right hand, and on thy patient breast, When vengeance calls to stretch it forth, so calmly lett'st it rest? 12 Thou heretofore, with kingly power, in our defence hast fought; For us, throughout the wandering world, hast great salvation wrought. 13 'Twas thou, O God, who didst the sea by thy own strength divide; Thou break'st the watery monsters' heads; the waves o'erwhelm'd their pride. 14 The greatest, fiercest of them all, that seem'd the deep to sway, Was by thy power destroy'd, and made to savage beasts a prey. 5 Thou clavest the solid rock, and mad'st the waters largely flow; Again, thou mad'st thro' parted streams thy wandering people go. 16 Thine is the cheerful day, and thine the black return of night; Thou hast prepared the glorious sun, and every feebler light. 17 By thee the borders of the earth in perfect order stand; The summer's warmth, and winter's cold, attend on thy command. PART III. 18 Remember, Lord, how scornful foes 19 0! free thy mourning turtle-dove, 20 Thy ancient covenant, Lord, regard, is fill'd with men of blood. 21 O! let not the oppress'd return with sorrow clothed, and shame; But let the helpless and the poor for ever praise thy name. 22 Arise, O God, in our behalf; thy cause and ours maintain; Remember how insulting fools, each day thy name profane. 23 Make thou the boastings of thy foes for evermore to cease; Whose insolence, if unchastised, will more and more increase. PSALM 75. To thee, O God, we render praise, to thee, with thanks repair; For, that thy name to us is nigh, thy wondrous works declare. 3 In Israel when my throne is fix'd, with me shall justice reign: 3 The land with discord shakes; but I the sinking frame sustain. 4 Deluded wretches I advised their errors to redress; And warn'd bold sinners, that they should 6 For that promotion, which to gain 7 For God the great disposer is, 8 His hand holds forth a dreadful cup 9 His prophet, I, to all the world Exalt the just, and seat him high IN Judah the Almighty's known, 3 He brake the bow and arrows there, 5 Their valiant chiefs, who came for spoil, Themselves met there a shameful foll securely down to sleep they lay; But waked no more, their stoutest band Ne'er lifted one resisting hand 'gainst his, that did their legions slay. 6 When Jacob's God began to frown, Both horse and charioteers, o'erthrown, together slept in endless night: 7 When thou, whom earth and heaven revere, Dost once with wrathful look appear, what mortal power can stand thy sight 8 Pronounced from heaven, earth heard its doom, Grew hush'd with fear, when thou didst 2 In trouble's dismal day I sought my God with humble prayer. All night my festering wound did run; no medicine gave relief; My soul no comfort would admit; my soul indulged her grief. 3 I thought on God, and favours past; 4 Through every watch of tedious night 5 I call'd to mind the days of old, with signal mercy crown'd; Those famous years of ancient times, for miracles renown'd. 6 By night I recollect my songs, on former triumphs made; Then search, consult, and ask my heart, where's now that wondrous aid? 7 Has God for ever cast us off? withdrawn his favours quite? 8 Are both his mercy and his truth retired to endless night? 9 Can his long practised love forget its wonted aids to bring? Has he in wrath shut up and seal'd his mercy's healing spring? 10 I said, my weakness hints these fears; but I'll my fears disband; I'll yet remember the Most High, and years of his right hand. 11 I'll call to mind his works of old, the wonders of his might; 12 On them my heart shall meditate, my tongue shall them recite. 13 Šafe lodg'd from human search on O God, thy counsels are! Who is so great a God as ours? who can with him compare? [high, 14 Long since a God of wonders thee thy rescued people found; 15 Long since hast thou thy chosen seed with strong deliverance crown'd. 16 When thee, O God, the waters saw, the frighted billows shrunk; The troubled depths themselves for fear beneath their channels sunk. 17 The clouds pour'd down,while rending did with their noise conspire; Thy arrows all abroad were sent, wing'd with avenging fire. [skies [torn, 18 Heaven with thy thunder's voice was whilst all the lower world With lightnings blazed; earth shook, and seem'd from her foundations hurl'd. 19 Thro' rolling streams thou find'st thy thy paths in waters lie; [way, Thy wondrous passage, where no sight thy footsteps can descry. 20 Thou ledd'st thy people like a flock, safe through the desert laud. By Moses, their meek skilful guide, and Aaron's sacred hand. PSALM 78. Hderout attention lend; Let the instruction of my mouth Dark oracles, but understood, and own'd for truths of old: 3 Which we from sacred registers of ancient times have known, And our forefathers' pious care to us has handed down. 4 We will not hide them from our sons our offspring shall be taught The praises of the Lord, whose strength has works of wonder wrought. 5 For Jacob he this law ordain'd, this league with Israel made; With charge to be from age to age, from race to race, convey'd. 6 That generations yet to come should to their unborn heirs Religiously transmit the same, and they again to theirs. 7 To teach them that in God alone their hope securely stands; That they should never his works forget, but keep his just commands. 8 Lest, like their fathers, they might a stiff rebellious race, [prove False-hearted, fickle to their God, unsteadfast in his grace. 9 Such were revolting Ephraim's sons, who, though to warfare bred, And skilful archers, arm'd with bows, from field ignobly fled. 10,11 They falsified their league with God, his orders disobey'd, Forgot his works and miracles before their eyes display'd. 12 Nor wonders, which their fathers saw, did they in mind retain, Prodigious things in Egypt done, and Zoan's fertile plain. 13 He cut the sea to let them pass, restrain'd the pressing flood; While piled on heaps, on either side the solid waters stood. 14 A wondrous pillar led them on, composed of shade and light; A sheltering cloud it proved by day, a leading fire by night. 15 When drought oppress'd them, where the wilderness supply'd, [no stream He cleft the rock, whose flinty breast dissolved into a tide. 16 Streams from the solid rock he bro't, which down in rivers fell, That, travelling with their camp, each renew'd the miracle. [day 17 Yet there they sinn'd against him provoking the Most High, [more |