PSALM X. 1 'THY presence why withdraw'st thou, Lord ?

Why hid’st thou now thy face,
When dismal times of deep distress

Call for thy wonted grace?
2 The wicked, swelld with lawless pride,

Have made the poor their prey ;
O let them fall by those designs

Which they for others lay.
3 For straight they triumph, if success

Their thriving crimes attend ;
And sordid wretches whom God hates,

Perversely they commend.
4 To own a power above themselves,

Their haughty pride disdains ;
And therefore in their stubborn mind

No thought of God remains.
5 Oppressive methods they pursue,

And all their foes they slight;
Because thy judgments unobserv'd,

Are far above their sight.
6 They fondly think their prosp'rous state

Shall unmolested be ;
They think their vain designs shall thrive,

From all misfortunes free.
7 Vain and deceitful is their speech,

With curses fill'd, and lies;
By which the mischief of their heart

They study to disguise.
8 Near public roads they lie conceal'd,

And all their art employ,
The innocent and poor at once

To rifle and destroy.
9 Not lions, couching in their dens,

Surprise their hecdless prey
With greater cunning, or express

More savage rage than they.
to Sometimes they act the harmless man,

And modest looks they wear ;
That so deceiv'd, the poor may less
Their sudden onset fear.

PART II.
11 For God, they think, no notice takes

of their unrighteous deeds;

He never minds the suff'ring poor,

Nor their oppression heeds.
12 But thou, O Lord, at length arise,

Stretch forth thy mighty arm ;
And, by the greatness of thy pow'r,

Defend the poor from harm. 13 No longer let the wicked vaunt,

And, proudly boasting, say,
“ Tush, God regards not what we do ;

“ He never will repay!
14 But sure thou seest, and all their deeds

Impartially dost try ;
The orphan, therefore, and the poor,

On thee for aid rely.
15 Defenceless let the wickeci fall,

Of all their strength bereft ;
Confound, O God, their dark designs,

Till no remains are left.
16 Assert thy just dominion, Lord,

Which shall for ever stand ;
Thou who the heathen didst expel

From this thy chosen land.
17 Thou hear'st the humble supplicants

That to thy throne repair ;
Thou first prepar'st their hearts to pray,

And then accept'st their pray'r. 18 Thou, in thy righteous judgment, weigh'st

The fatherless and poor ;
That so the tyrants of the earth
May persecute no more.

PSALM XI.
1
SINCE I have plac'd my trust in God,

A refuge always nigh,
Why should I, like a tim'rous bird,

To distant mountains fly?
2 Behold, the wicked bend their bow,

And ready fix their dart,
Lurking in ambush to destroy

The men of upright heart.
3 When once the firm assurance fails,

Which public faith imparts, 'Tis time for innocence to fly

From such deceitful arts. 4 The Lord hath both a temple here, And righteous throne above;

B

When he surveys the sons of men,

And how their councils move.
5 If God the righteous, whom he loves,

For trial does correct,
What must the sons of violence,

Whom he abhors, expect? 6 Snares, fire, and brimstone, on their heads

Shall in one tempest show'r;
This dreadful mixture his revenge

Into their cup shall pour. 7 The righteous Lord will righteous deeds

With signal favour grace,
And to the upright man disclose
The brightness of his face.

PSALM XII.
1
SINCE godly men decay, O Lord,

Do thou my cause defend ;
For scarce these wretched times afford

One just and faithful friend.
2 One neighbour now can scarce believe

What t'other does impart ;
With flatt'ring lips they all deceive,

And with a double heart.
3 But lips that with deceit abound

Can never prosper long;
God's righteous vengeance will confound

The proud blaspheming tongue. 4 In vain those foolish boasters say,

« Our tongues are sure our own; « With doubtful words we'll still betray,

“ And be contrould by none."
5 For God, who hears the suff'ring poor,

And their oppression knows,
Will soon arise and give them rest,

In spite of all their foes.
6 The word of God shall still abide,

And void of falsehood be,
As is the silver, sev'n times try'd,

From drossy mixture free.
The promise of his aiding grace

Shall reach its purpos'd end ;
His servants from this faithless race

IIc crer shall defend.

a

?

3

8 Then shall the wicked be perplex’d,

Nor know which way to fly;
When those whom they despis’d and ves'd,
Shall be advanc'd on high.

PSALM XIII.
1 TOW long wilt thou forget me, Lord?

Must I forever mourn ?
How long wilt thou withdraw from me,

Oh, never to return ?
2 How long shall anxious thoughts my soul,

And grief my heart oppress?
How long my enemies insult,

And I have no redress?
3 Oh! hear, and to my longing eyes

Restore thy wonted light,
And suddenly, or I shall sleep

In everlasting night.
4 Restore me, lest they proudly boast

'Twas their own strength o'ercame ;
Permit not them that vex my soul

To triumph in my shame.
5. Since I have always plac'd my trust

Beneath thy mercy's wing,
Thy saving health will come ; and then

My heart with joy shall spring:
6 Then shall my song with praise inspir’d,

To thee my God ascend,
Who to thy servant in distress
Such bounty didst extend.

PSALM XIV.
1 NURE wicked fools must needs suppose
SURE

That God is nothing but a name ;
Corrupt and lewd their practice grows;

No breast is warm’d with holy flame.
2 The Lord look'd down from Heav'n's high tow'r,

And all the sons of men did view,
To see if any own'd his pow'r ;

If any truth or justice knew.
3 But all, he saw, were gone aside,

All were degen’rate grown and base;
None took religion for their guide,

Not one of all the sinful race.
4 But can these workers of deceit

Be all so dull and senseless grow'n,

That they, like bread my people eat,

And God's almighty pow'r disown? 5 How will they tremble then for fear,

When his just wrath shall them o'ertake ? For to the righteous God is near,

And never will their cause forsake. 6 Ill men, in vain, with scorn expose

Those methods which the good pursue ; Since God a refuge is for those

Whom his just eyes with favour view.
7 Would he his saving pow'r employ

To break his people's servile band,
Then shouts of universal joy
Should loudly echo through the land.

PSALM XV.

I LORD, who's the happy man that may

7

To thy blest ,
Not, stranger-like, to visit them,

But to inhabit there?
2 "Tis he, whose ev'ry thought and deed

By rules of virtue moves ;
Whose gen'rous tongue disdains to speak

The thing his heart disproves.
3 Who never did a slander forge,

His neighbour's fame to wound;
Nor hearken to a false report,

By malice whisper'd round.
4 Who vice, in all its pomp and pow'r,

Can treat with just neglect;
And piety, though cloath'd in rags,

Religiously respect.
5 Who to his plighted vows and trust

Has ever firmly stood;
And though he promise to his loss,

He makes his promise good.
6 Whose soul in usury

disdains
His treasure to employ ;
Whom no reward can ever bribe

The guiltless to destroy.
7 The man, who by his steady course qui

Has happiness insur'd,
When earth's foundation shakes, shall stand,

By Providence secur'd.