6 Thy word, like silver seven times try'd,
Through ages shall endure ;
The men who in thy truth confide,
Shall find the promise sure.
PSALM XIII. Common Metre.
Complaint under Temptation.
1 HOW long wilt thou conceal thy face ?
My God, how long delay ?
When wilt thou send thy heavenly rays
To drive my fears away?
2 How long shall my distressed soul
Struggle and toil in vain ?
Thy word can all my foes control,
And ease my raging pain.
3 Be thou my sun, and thou my shield,
My soul in safety keep;
Make haste, before my eyes are seal'd
In death's eternal sleep.
4 How would the tempter boast aloud,
If I become his prey,
And all the host of hell grow proud
At thy so long delay !
5 But they shall fly at thy rebuke,
And Satan hide his head;
He knows the terrors of thy look,
And hears thy voice with dread.
6 Thou wilt display that sovereign grace
On which my hopes have hung;
I shall employ my lips in praise,
And victory shall be sung.
WATIS.
PSALM XIV. Common Metre.
1 FOOLS in their hearts believe and say,
"That all religion's vain :
"There is no God that reigns on high,
"Or minds th' affairs of men."
2 From thoughts so dreadful and profane
Corrupt discourse proceeds;
And by their impious hands are done
Abominable deeds.
3 The Lord, from his celestial throne,
Look'd down on things below,
To find the men that sought his grace,
Or did his justice know.
4 He saw that all were gone astray,
Their practice all the same ;
That none did fear his Maker's hand,
That none did love his name.
5 Their tongues are us'd to speak deceit,
Their slanders never cease,
How swift to mischief are their feet,
Nor know the paths of peace!
6 Such seeds of sin, that bitter root,
In every heart are found;
Nor will they bear diviner fruit
Till grace refine the ground.
Common Metre. * or b
The Citizen of Zion.
1 LORD, who's the happy man that may
To thy blest courts repair ?
And whilst he bows before thy throne,
Shall find acceptance there?
2 'Tis he, whose truly honest heart
By rules of virtue moves;
Whose generous tongue disdains to speak
The thing his heart disproves.
3 Who never will a slander forge,
His neighbour's fame to wound.;
Nor hearken to a false report,
By malice whisper'd round.
4 Who vice, when drest in pomp and power,
Can treat with just neglect;
And piety, though cloth'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 Who seeks not in oppressive ways
His treasure to employ;
Whom no reward can ever bribe
The guiltless to destroy.
7 The man, who by his steady course
Has happiness insur'd,
When earth's foundations shake, shall stand,
By Providence secur'd.
PSALM XV. Long Metre. # or b
The Virtues of a Christian.
1 WHO shall ascend thy heavenly place,
Great God, and dwell before thy face ?
The man who loves religion now,
And humbly walks with God below.
2 Whose hands are pure, whose heart is clean, Whose lips still speak the thing they mean;
No slanders dwell upon his tongue,
He hates to do his neighbour wrong.
3. He will not trust an ill report,
Nor vent it to his neighbour's hurt ;
Sinners of state he can despise,
But saints are honour'd in his eyes.
4 Firm to his word ne ever stood,
And always makes his promise good;
Nor will he change the thing he swears,
Whatever pain or loss he bears.
5 He never deals in bribing gold,
And mourns that justice should be sold;
If others vex and grind the poor,
Sweet charity attends his door.
6 He loves his enemies, and prays
For those who curse him to his face ;
And doth to all men still the same
That he could hope or wish from them.
7 Yet, when his holiest works are done,
His soul depends on grace alone :
This is the man thy face shall see,
And dwell forever, Lord, with thee.
PSALM XVI. First Part. L. M. b
Good Works preftable to Men.
1 PRESERVE me, Lord, in time of need;
For succour to thy throne I flee;
But have no merit there to plead,
My goodness cannot reach to thee.
Oft have my heart and tongue confest
How empty and how poor I am ;
My praise can never make thee blest,
Nor add new glory to thy name.
3 Yet, Lord, thy saints on earth may reap Some profit by the good I do; These are the company I keeр,
These are the choicest friends I know.
4 Let others choose the sons of mirth
To give a relish to their wine;
I love the men of heavenly birth
Whose works and language are divine.
PSALM XVI. Second Part. С. М. Б The Blessings of Nature and Grace. 1 LET heathens to their idols haste, And worship wood or stone; But my delightful lot is cast Where the true God is known. 2 In this enlighten'd, pleasant land, My happy portion lies; Where nature's ever bounteous hand All human want supplies.
3 Therefore my soul shall bless the Lord, Whose precepts give me light,
And consolation still afford
In sorrow's dismal night.
4 I strive each action to approve
To thine all-seeing eye;
No danger shall my hope remove,
For thou art ever nigh.
5 Thou shalt the paths of life display,
Which to thy presence lead;
Where pleasures dwell without allay,
And joys which never fade.
WATTS and TATE varied.
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