And safe, as on a rock, abide
In that secure recess :-

6 Whilst God o'er all my haughty foes
My lofty head shall raise,
And I my joyful tribute bring,
With grateful songs of praise.

PART II.

7 Continue, Lord, to hear my voice,
Whene'er to thee I cry;

In mercy my complaints receive,
Nor my request deny.

8 When us to seek thy glorious face
Thou kindly dost advise,

"Thy glorious face I'll always seek," My grateful heart replies.

9 Then hide not thou thy face, O Lord, Nor me in wrath reject;

My God and Saviour, leave not him
Thou didst so oft protect.

10 Though all my friends, and kindred too, Their helpless charge forsake,

Yet thou, whose love excels them all,
Wilt care and pity take.

11 Instruct me in thy paths, O Lord,
My ways directly guide,

Lest envious men, who watch my steps,
Should see me tread aside.

12 Lord, disappoint my cruel foes;
Defeat their ill desire,

Whose lying lips, and bloody hands,
Against my peace conspire.

13 I trusted that my future life

Should with thy love be crowned,
Or else my fainting soul had sunk,
With sorrow compassed round.

14 God's time with patient faith expect,
Who will inspire thy breast

With inward strength: do thou thy part,
And leave to him the rest.

PSALM 28.

LORD, my Rock, to thee I cry,
In sighs consume my breath;
O! answer, or I shall become
Like those that sleep in death.
2 Regard my supplication, Lord,
The cries that I repeat,

With weeping eyes, and lifted hands,
Before thy mercy-seat.

3 Let me escape the sinners' doom,
Who make a trade of ill,

And ever speak the person fair,
Whose blood they mean to spill.
4 According to their crimes' extent,
Let justice have its course;
Relentless be to them, as they
Have sinned without remorse.

5 Since they the works of God despise,
Nor will his grace adore,
His wrath shall utterly destroy,
And build them up no more.

6 But I, with due acknowledgment,
His praises will resound,

From whom the cries of my distress
A gracious answer found.

7 My heart its confidence reposed

In God, my Strength and Shield;
In him I trusted, and returned
Triumphant from the field.

As he hath made my joys complete,
'Tis just that I should raise
The cheerful tribute of my thanks,
And thus resound his praise :-

8" His aiding power supports the troops,
"That my just cause maintain :
""Twas he advanced me to the throne;
""Tis he secures my reign."

9 Preserve thy chosen, and proceed
Thine heritage to bless;

With plenty prosper them in peace;
In battle, with success.

1

YE

PSALM 29.

E princes, that in might excel,
Your grateful sacrifice prepare;
God's glorious actions loudly tell,
His wondrous power to all declare.
2 To his great name fresh altars raise;
Devoutly due respect afford;

Him in his holy temple praise,

Where he's with solemn state adored. 3 'Tis he that, with amazing noise,

The watery clouds in sunder breaks;
The ocean trembles at his voice,

When he from heaven in thunder speaks. 4, 5 How full of power his voice appears! With what majestic terror crowned! Which from their roots tall cedars tears,

And strews their scattered branches round. 6 They, and the hills on which they grow, Are sometimes hurried far away, And leap, like hinds that bounding go, Or unicorns in youthful play.

7, 8 When God in thunder loudly speaks,
And scattered flames of lightning sends,
The forest nods, the desert quakes,

And stubborn Kadesh lowly bends.
9 He makes the hinds to cast their young,
And lays the beasts' dark coverts bare ;
While those that to his courts belong
Securely sing his praises there.

10, 11 God rules the angry floods on high;
His boundless sway shall never cease;
His saints with strength he will supply,
And bless his own with constant peace.

1

PSALM 30.

T'LL celebrate thy praises, Lord,
Who didst thy power employ

To raise my drooping head, and check

My foes' insulting joy.

2, 3 In my distress I cried to thee,

Who kindly didst relieve,

And from the grave's expecting jaws
My hopeless life retrieve.

4 Thus to his courts, ye saints of his,
With songs of praise repair;
With me commemorate his truth
And providential care.

5 His wrath has but a moment's reign,
His favour no decay;

Your night of grief is recompensed
With joy's returning day.

6 But I, in prosperous days, presumed ;
No sudden change I feared;
Whilst, in my sunshine of success,
No lowering cloud appeared.

7 But soon I found thy favour, Lord,
My empire's only trust;

For, when thou hidd'st thy face, I saw
My honour laid in dust.

8 Then, as I vainly had presumed,
My error I confessed;

And thus, with supplicating voice, Thy mercy's throne addressed :9"What profit is there in my blood, Congealed by death's cold night? "Can silent ashes speak thy praise, "Thy wondrous truth recite?

66

10" Hear me, O Lord, in mercy hear; Thy wonted aid extend;

66

"Do thou send help, on whom alone
"I can for help depend."

11 'Tis done! thou hast my mournful scene
To songs and dances turned;
Invested me with robes of state,

Who late in sackcloth mourned.

12 Exalted thus, I'll gladly sing
Thy praise in grateful verse;
And, as thy favours endless are,
Thy endless praise rehearse.

1

PSALM 31.

EFEND me, Lord, from shame,
For still I trust in thee;

As just and righteous is thy name,
From danger set me free.

2 Bow down thy gracious ear,
And speedy succour send;

Do thou my steadfast Rock appear,
To shelter and defend.

3 Since thou, when foes oppress,
My Rock and Fortress art,
To guide me forth from this distress,
Thy wonted help impart.

4 Release me from the snare,

Which they have closely laid,
Since I, O God, my Strength, repair
To thee alone for aid.

5 To thee, the God of truth,
My life, and all that's mine,

(For thou preserv'dst me from my youth,)
I willingly resign.

6 All vain designs I hate

Of those that trust in lies;
And still my soul, in every state,
To God for succour flies.

PART II.

7 Those mercies thou hast shown,

I'll cheerfully express;

For thou hast seen my straits, and known
My soul in deep distress.

8 When Keilah's treacherous race

Did all my strength enclose,
Thou gav'st my feet a larger space,
To shun my watchful foes.

9 Thy mercy, Lord, display,

And hear my just complaint;
For both my soul and flesh decay,
With grief and hunger faint.

10 Sad thoughts my life oppress;

My years are spent in groans;
My sins have made my strength decrease,
And e'en consumed my bones.

11 My foes my sufferings mocked;
My neighbours did upbraid;