5

6

7

He sets his heart and hands and head,
To practice all that's ill.

But there's a dreadful God,
Though men renounce his fear;
His justice, hid behind a cloud,
Shall one great day appear.
His truth transcends the sky;
In heaven his mercies dwell:
Deep as the sea his judgments lie,
His anger burns to hell.

How excellent his love,
Whence all our safety springs!
Oh, never let my soul remove
From underneath his wings.

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Ver. 1-15. The Cure of Impatience and Unbelief.
THY should I vex my soul, and fret,
To see the wicked rise;

1- WHY

Or_envy sinners, waxing great
By violence and lies?

2 As flowery grass cut down at noon,
Before the evening fades;

So shall their glories vanish soon,
In everlasting shades.

3 Then let me make the Lord my trust,
And practice all that's good;
So shall I dwell among the just,
And he 'Il provide me food.

4 I to my God my ways commit,
And cheerful wait his will;

Thy hand, which guides my doubtful feet,
Shall my desires fulfill.

5 Mine innocence shalt thou display,
And make thy judgments known,
Fair as the light of dawning day,
And glorious as the noon.

6 The meek at last the earth possess,
And are the heirs of heaven;

True riches, with abundant peace,
To humble souls are given.

PAUSE.

7 Rest in the Lord, and keep his way,
Nor let your anger rise,

Though Providence should long delay
To punish haughty vice.

8 Let sinners join to break your peace,
And plot, and rage, and foam;
The Lord derides them, for he sees
Their day of vengeance come.

9 They have drawn out the threatening sword, Have bent the murderous bow,

To slay the men that fear the Lord,
And bring the righteous low.

10 My God shall break their bows, and burn
Their persecuting darts;

37

Shall their own swords against them turn,
And pain surprise their hearts.

SECOND PART.

Ver. 16, 21, 26-31. Charity to the Poor.

1 WHY do the wealthy wicked boast,
And grow profanely bold?

The meanest portion of the just
Excels the sinner's gold.

2 The wicked borrows of his friends,
But ne'er designs to pay;

The saint is merciful, and lends,
Nor turns the poor away.

3 His alms with liberal heart he gives
Among the sons of need;
His memory to long ages lives,
And blessed is his seed.

4 His lips abhor to talk profane,
To slander or defraud;

His ready tongue declares to men
What he has learned of God.

5 The law and gospel of the Lord
Deep in his heart abide;

Led by the Spirit and the Word,
His feet shall never slide.

6 When sinners fall, the righteous stand,
Preserved from every snare;

C. M.

They shall possess the promised land,
And dwell for ever there.

37

THIRD PART.

Ver. 23-37. The Righteous and the Wicked.
Y God, the steps of pious men

1 MY

Are ordered by thy will;

Though they should fall, they rise again;
Thy hand supports them still.

2 The Lord delights to see their ways;
Their virtue he approves;

He'll ne'er deprive them of his grace,
Nor leave the men he loves.

3 The heavenly heritage is theirs,
Their portion and their home;

He feeds them now, and makes them heirs
Of blessings long to come.

4 Wait on the Lord, ye sons of men,
Nor fear when tyrants frown;
Ye shall confess their pride was vain,
When justice casts them down.

PAUSE.

5 The haughty sinner have I seen,
Not fearing man nor God,
Like a tall bay tree, fair and green,
Spreading his arms abroad."

6 And lo, he vanished from the ground,
Destroyed by hands unseen;

Nor root nor branch nor leaf was found,
Where all that pride had been.

7 But mark the man of righteousness;
His several steps attend;

True pleasure runs through all his ways,
And peaceful is his end.

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Guilt of Conscience, and Relief.

1 AMIDST thy wrath remember love,

thy servant, Lord;

Nor let a father's chastening prove
Like an avenger's sword.

2 Thine arrows stick within my heart,
My flesh is sorely pressed;

C. M.

C. M.

Between the sorrow and the smart,
My spirit finds no rest.

3 My sins a heavy load appear,
And o'er my head are gone;
Too heavy they for me to bear,
Too hard for me t' atone.

4 My thoughts are like a troubled sea,
My head still bending down;
And I go mourning all the day,
Beneath my Father's frown.

5 Lord, I am weak and broken sore,
None of my powers are whole;
The inward anguish makes me roar,
The anguish of my soul.

6 All my desire to thee is known,
Thine eye counts every tear;
And every sigh and every groan
Is noticed by thine ear.

7 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.

8 My foot is ever apt to slide,
My foes rejoice to see 't;"

They raise their pleasure and their pride,
When they supplant my feet.

9 But I'll confess my guilt to thee,
And grieve for all my sin;

I'll mourn how weak my graces be,
And beg support divine.

10 My God, forgive my follies past,
And be for ever nigh;

O Lord of my salvation, haste,
Before thy servant die.

Ver. 1, 2, 3. Watchfulness over the Tongue.

39

FIRST PART.

1

HUS I resolved before the Lord

Now will I watch my tongue,

THU

Lest I let slip one sinful word,

Or do my neighbor wrong."

C. M.

2. And if I'm e'er constrained to stay
With men of lives profane,
I'll set a double guard that day,
Nor let my talk be vain.

3 I'll scarce allow my lips to speak
The pious thoughts I feel;

Lest scoffers should th' occasion take
To mock my holy zeal.

4 Yet if some proper hour appear,
I'll not be over-awed;

But let the scoffing sinners hear
That I can speak for God.

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SECOND PART.

Ver. 4-7. The Vanity of Man as mortal.

1 TEA

EACH 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 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.

3 See the vain race of mortals move
Like shadows o'er the plain;

They rage and strive, desire and love,
But all the noise is vain.

4 Some walk in honor's gaudy show;
Some dig for golden ore;

They toil for heirs they know not who,
And straight are seen no more.

5 What should I wish or wait for, then,
From creatures, earth, and dust?
They make our expectations vain,
And disappoint our trust.

6 Now I forbid my carnal hope,
My fond desires recall;

I give my mortal interest up,
And make my God my

all.

C. M.