149 Lord, hear my supplicating voice, 150 My persecuting foes advance, and hourly nearer draw; What treatment can I hope from them that violate thy law? 151 Though they draw nigh, my comfort is, thou, Lord, art yet more near; Thou, whose commands are righteous all, thy promises sincere. 152 Concerning thy divine decrees, my soul has known of old, That they were true, and shall their truth to endless ages hold. RESCH. 153 Consider my affliction, Lord, and me from bondage draw; Think on thy servant in distress, who ne'er forgets thy law. 154 Plead thou my cause; to that and me thy timely aid afford; With beams of mercy quicken me, according to thy word. 155 From harden'd sinners thou remov'st salvation far away; 'Tis just thou shouldst withdraw from them who from thy statutes stray. 156 Since great thy tender mercies are to all who thee adore; According to thy judgments, Lord, my fainting hopes restore. 157 A numerous host of spiteful foes against my life combine; But all too few to force my soul thy statutes to decline. 158 Those bold transgressors I beheld, and was with grief oppress'd, To see with what audacious pride thy covenant they transgress'd. 159 Yet while they slight, consider, Lord, how I thy precepts love; O therefore quicken me with beams of mercy from above. 160 As from the birth of time thy truth has held through ages past, So shall thy righteous judgments firm to endless ages last." SCHIN. -161 Though mighty tyrants, without cause, conspire my blood to shed, Thy sacred word has power alone 162 And yet that word my joyful breast 163 Perfidious practices and lies But to thy laws affection bear, 164 Seven times a day, with grateful voice, thy praises I resound, Because I find thy judgments all with truth and justice crown'd. 165 Secure substantial peace have they No smiling mischief them can tempt, 166 For thy salvation I have hop'd, Because the love I bore to them 168 From strict observance of thy laws Convinc'd that my most secret ways TAU. 169 To my request and earnest cry, Inspire my heart with heavenly skill, 170 Let my repeated prayer at last 171 Then shall my grateful lips return the tribute of their praise, When thou thy counsels hast reveal'd, and taught me thy just ways. 172 My tongue the praises of thy word with truth and justice crown'd. 173 Let thy Almighty arm appear, and bring me timely aid; For I the laws thou hast ordain'd my heart's free choice have made. 174 My soul has waited long to see thy saving grace restor❜d; Nor comfort knew, but what thy laws, 175 Prolong my life that I may sing Whose justice, from the depths of woe my fainting soul shall raise. 176 Like some lost sheep I've stray'd, till I despair my way to find; 1 Thou, therefore, Lord, thy servant seek, who keeps thy laws in mind. PSALM CXX. N deep distress I oft have cry'd to rescue me oppress'd with wrongs; 2 Once more, O Lord, deliv'rance send, From lying lips my soul defend, and from the rage of sland'ring tongues. 3 What little profit can accrue, And yet what heavy wrath is due, O thou perfidious tongue, to thee! 4 Thy sting upon thyself shall turn; Of lasting flames, that fiercely burn, the constant fuel thou shalt be. 15 But, O! how wretched is my doom, Who am a sojourner become in barren Mesech's desert soil! With Kedar's wicked tents enclos'd, To lawless savages expos'd, who live on nought but theft and spoil. 6 My hapless dwelling is with those Who peace and amity oppose, and pleasure take in other's harms : 7 Sweet peace is all I court and seek; But when to them of peace I speak, they straight cry out, To arms, to arms. PSALM CXXI. 5 Shelter'd beneath th' Almighty's wings thou shalt securely rest, 6 Where neither sun nor moon shall theex by day or night molest. 7 From common accidents of life his care shall guard thee still; 8 From the blind strokes of chance, and foes that lie in wait to kill. 9 At home, abroad, in peace, in war, 0 PSALM CXXII. 'TWAS a joyful sound to hear Up, Israel, to the temple haste, 2 At Salem's courts we must appear, 3 In strong and beauteous order rang'd, Before his ark to celebrate his name with praise and prayer. 5 Tribunals stand erected there, where equity takes place: There stand the courts and palaces 6 O, pray we then for Salem's peace, who bear true love to thee. With plenty and prosperity thy palaces be crown'd. 8 For my dear brethren's sake, and friends no less than brethren dear, I'll pray---May peace in Salem's towers a constant guest appear. 9 But most of all I'll seek thy good, and ever wish thee well, For Sion and the temple's sake, where God vouchsafes to dwell. 1, 2 PSALM CXXIII. N thee, who dwell'st above the skies, For mercy wait my longing eyes; As servants wait their masters' hands, And maids their mistresses' commands. 3, 4 O then have mercy on us, Lord; 1 PSALM CXXIV. AD not the Lord, may Israel say, H been pleas'd to interpose; 2 Had he not then espous'd our cause when men against us rose; 3, 4, 5 Their wrath had swallow'd us alive, and rag'd without control; Their spite and pride's united floods had quite o'erwhelm'd our soul. 6 But prais'd be our eternal Lord, who rescued us that day, Nor to their savage jaws gave up our threaten'd lives a prey. 7 Our soul is like a bird escap'd from out the fowler's net; The snare is broke, their hopes are cross'd, and we at freedom set. 8 Secure in his Almighty name 1 our confidence remains, Who, as he made both heaven and earth, of both sole Monarch reigns. WHO PSALM CXXV. HO place on Sion's God their trust, like Sion's rock shall stand; Like her immoveable be fix'd by his Almighty hand. 2 Look how the hills on every side Jerusalem enclose; So stands the Lord around his saints, to guard them from their foes. 3 The wicked may afflict the just, but ne'er too long oppress, Nor force him by despair to seek base means for his redress. 4 Be good, O righteous God, to those who righteous deeds affect; The heart that innocence retains, let innocence protect. 5. All those who walk in crooked paths, the Lord shall soon destroy, 1 Cut off th' unjust, but crown the saints with lasting peace and joy. PSALM CXXVI. HEN Sion's God her sons recall'd W from long captivity, |