I

THE

PSALMS

OF

DAVID,

IMITATED IN THE LANGUAGE

OF THE

NEW-TESTAMENT.

PSALM I. Common Metre. The way and end of the righteous and the wicked.

B

LEST is the man who fhuns the place
Where finners love to meet ;

Who fears to tread their wicked ways,
And hates the fcoffer's feat:

2 But in the ftatutes of the Lord
Has plac'd his chief delight;
By day he reads or hears the word,
And meditates by night.

3 [He, like a plant of gen'rous kind,
By living waters set,

Safe from the ftorms and blafting wind, Enjoys a peaceful state.]

4 Green as the leaf, and ever fair
Shall his profeffion fhine;

While fruits of holiness appear
Like clusters on the vine.

B

5 Not fo the impious and unjust ;
What vain defigns they form !
Their hopes are blown away, like duft,
Or chaff before the ftorm.

6 Sinners in judgment fhall not stand
Amongst the fons of grace,

When Christ the Judge at his right hand
Appoints his faints a place.

7 His eye beholds the path they tread;
His heart approves it well

I

2

;

But crooked ways of finners lead
Down to the gates of hell.

PSALM I. Short Metre.
The faint happy, the finner miferable.
HE man is ever bleft

THE

Who fhuns the finner's ways,
Amongst their councils never ftands,
Nor takes the fcorner's place :

But makes the law of God
His study and delight,

Amidft the labours of the day
And watches of the night.

3 He, like a tree, fhall thrive,
With waters near the root:

4

5

Fresh as the leaf his name shall live ;

His works are heavenly fruit.

Not fo th' ungodly race,

They no fuch bleffings find:

Their hopes fhall flee like empty chaff

Before the driving wind.

How will they bear to ftand
Before that judgment-feat,

Where all the faints at Chrift's right hand In full affembly meet?

6 He knows and he approves

The way the right'ous go;

But finners and their works fhall meet
A dreadful overthrow.

PSALM I. Long Metre.

H

The difference between the righteous and the wicked. APPY the man, whofe cautious feet Shun the broad way which finners go, Who hates the place where atheists meet, And fears to talk as fcoffers do.

2 He loves t' employ his morning light Amongst the ftatutes of the Lord; And fpends the wakeful hours of night With pleasure, pond'ring o'er his word. 3 He, like a plant, by gentle streams, Shall flourish in immortal green;

And heav'n will fhine with kindeft beams
On ev'ry work his hands begin.

4 But finners find their counsels croft :
As chaff before the tempeft flies;
So fhall their hopes be blown and loft,
When the last trumpet shakes the skies.
5 In vain the rebel feeks to stand
In judgment with the pious race;
The dreadful Judge, with ftern command,
Divides him to a diff'rent place.

6 "Straight is the way my faints have trod;
I blefs'd the path, and drew it plain;
But
you would choose the crooked road,
And down it leads to endless pain."

I

PSALM II. Short Metre.
Tranflated according to the divine pattern.
Acts iv. 24, &c.

Christ dying, rifing, interceding, and reigning.
AKER and fov'reign Lord

M of heav'n, and earth, and feas,

Of

Thy providence confirms thy word,
And anfwers thy decrees.

2 The things fo long foretold
By David, are fulfill'd,

3

4

5

6

7

When Jews and Gentiles join to flay
Jefus, thine holy child.]

Why did the Gentiles rage,
And Jews, with one accord,
Bend all their counfels to deftroy
Th' anointed of the Lord ?

Rulers and kings agree

To form a vain defign;

Against the Lord their pow'rs unite,

Against his Christ they join.

The Lord derides their rage,

And will fupport his throne:

He who hath rais'd him from the dead
Hath own'd him for his Son.

PAUSE.

Now he's afcended high,
And afks to rule the earth;
The merit of his blood he pleads,
And pleads his heav'nly birth.
He afks, and God bestows
A large inheritance ;

Far as the world's remoteft ends
His kingdom fhall advance.

9

ΙΟ

Muft feel his iron rod;

He'll vindicate thofe honours well
Which he receiv'd from God.

[Be wife, ye rulers, now,

And worship at his throne;

With trembling joy, ye people, bow
To God's exalted Son.

If once his wrath arife,

Ye perifh on the place;

I

Then bleffed is the foul that flies
For refuge to his grace.]

PSALM II.

WHY

Common Metre.

HY did the nations join to flay The Lord's anointed Son ? Why did they caft his laws away, And tread his gospel down?

z The Lord, who fits above the fkies,
Derides their rage below,

He speaks with vengeance in his eyes
And strikes their fpirits through.

3 "I call him my eternal Son,

And raise him from the dead;
I make my holy hill his throne,
And wide his kingdom fpread.

4 "Ask me, my Son, and then enjoy
The utmoft Heathen lands:
Thy rod of iron fhall deftroy
The rebel who withstands."

5 Be wife, ye rulers of the earth,
Obey th' anointed Lord,