Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

PSALM XLII.-No. 2.

HEARKEN, Lord, to my complaints,
For my soul within me faints;
Thee, far off, I call to mind,

In the land I left behind,

Where the streams of Jordan flow,
Where the heights of Hermon glow.

Tempest-tost, my failing bark
Founders on the ocean dark;
Deep to deep around me calls,
With the rush of water-falls;
While I plunge to lower caves,
Overwhelm'd by all thy waves.
Once the morning's earliest light
Brought thy mercy to my sight,
wakeful song was heard
Later than the evening bird;
Hast Thou all my prayers forgot?
Dost Thou scorn, or hear them not?

And my

Why, my soul, art thou perplex'd?
Why with faithless trouble vex'd?
Hope in God, whose saving name
Thou shalt joyfully proclaim,
When his countenance shall shine
Through the clouds that darken thine.

PSALM XLIII.-No. 3.

[CONTINUATION OF PSALM XLII.] JUDGE me, Lord, in righteousness; Plead for me in my distress: Good and merciful Thou art,

Bind this bleeding, broken heart;

Cast me not despairing hence,
Be thy love my confidence.

Send thy light and truth to guide
Me, too prone to turn aside,
On thy holy hill to rest,

In thy tabernacles blest;

There, to God, my chiefest joy,
Praise shall all my powers employ.

Why, my soul, art thou dismay'd?
Why of earth or hell afraid?
Trust in God;-disdain to yield,
While o'er thee He casts his shield,

And his countenance divine

Sheds the light of Heaven on thine.

PSALM XLVI.-No. 1.

GOD is our refuge and defence,

In trouble our unfailing aid;

Secure in his omnipotence,

What foe can make our soul afraid?

Yea, though the earth's foundations rock,
And mountains down the gulf be hurl'd,

His people smile amid the shock,

They look beyond this transient world.

There is a river pure and bright,

Whose streams make glad the heavenly plains;

Where, in eternity of light,

The city of our God remains.

Built by the word of his command,

With his unclouded presence blest, Firm as his throne the bulwarks stand;

There is our home, our hope, our rest.

Thither let fervent faith aspire;

Our treasure and our heart be there: Oh for a seraph's wing of fire!

No, on the mightier wings of prayer,

We reach at once the last retreat,

And, ranged among the ransom'd throng, Fall with the Elders at his feet,

Whose name alone inspires their song. Ah, soon, how soon! our spirits droop; Unwont the air of heaven to breathe: Yet God in very deed will stoop,

And dwell Himself with men beneath.

Come to thy living temples, then,

As in the ancient times appear;

Let earth be paradise again,

And man, O God! thine image here.

PSALM XLVI.-No. 2.

COME and behold the works of God,
What desolations he will make;
In vengeance when He wields his rod,
The heathen rage, their kingdoms quake:
He utters forth his voice ;—'tis felt;
Like wax the world's foundations melt;
The Lord of Hosts is in the field,
The God of Jacob is our shield.

Again he maketh wars to cease,

He breaks the bow, unpoints the spear,
And burns the chariot ;-joy and peace
In all his glorious march appear :
Silence, O Earth! thy Maker own ;
Ye Gentiles, He is God alone;
The Lord of Hosts is in the field,
The God of Jacob is our shield.

PSALM XLVII.

EXTOL the Lord, the Lord most high,
King over all the earth;
Exalt his triumphs to the sky
In songs of sacred mirth.

Where'er the sea-ward rivers run,
His banner shall advance,
And every realm beneath the sun
Be his inheritance.

God is gone up with loud acclaim,
And trumpets' tuneful voice;
Sing praise, sing praises to his name;
Sing praises, and rejoice!

Sing praises to our God! sing praise

To every creature's King!

His wondrous works, his glorious ways, All tongues, all kindred sing.

God sits upon his holy throne,

God o'er the heathen reigns;

His truth through all the world is known, That truth his throne sustains.

Princes around his footstool throng,

Kings in the dust adore;

Earth and her shields to God belong :
Sing praises evermore!

PSALM XLVIII.

JEHOVAH is great, and great be his praise; In the city of God He is King; Proclaim ye his triumphs in jubilant lays, On the mount of his holiness sing.

The joy of the earth, from her beautiful height,

Is Zion's impregnable hill;

The Lord in her temple still taketh delight,
God reigns in her palaces still.

At the sight of her splendour, the kings of the earth
Grew pale with amazement and dread;

Fear seized them like pangs of a premature birth;
They came, they beheld her, and fled.

Thou breakest the ships from the sea-circled climes,
When the storm of thy jealousy lowers;

As our fathers have told of thy deeds, in their times, So, Lord, have we witness'd in ours.

In the midst of thy temple, O God! hath our mind Remember'd thy mercy of old;

Let thy name, like thy praise, to no realm be confined;
Thy power may all nations behold.

Let the daughters of Judah be glad for thy love,
The mountain of Zion rejoice,

For Thou wilt establish her seat from above,
-Wilt make her the throne of thy choice.

Go, walk about Zion, and measure the length,
Her walls and her bulwarks mark well;
Contemplate her palaces, glorious in strength,
Her towers and their pinnacles tell.

Then say to your children:-Our stronghold is tried;
This God is our God to the end;

His people for ever his counsels shall guide,
His arm shall for ever defend.

PSALM LI.

HAVE mercy on me, O my God!
In loving-kindness hear my prayer;
Withdraw the terror of thy rod;

Lord! in thy tender mercy, spare.

« ZurückWeiter »