2 Her towers, the joy of all the earth,
with beauteous prospect rise;

On her north side th' Almighty King's
imperial city lies.

3 God in her palaces is known;

his presence is her guard:

4 Confed'rate kings withdrew their siege, and of success despair'd.

5 They view'd her walls, admir'd, and fled, with grief and terror struck;

6 Like women, whom the sudden pangs of travail had o'ertook.

7 No wretched crew of mariners

appear like them forlorn,

When fleets from Tarshish' wealthy coasts by eastern winds are torn.

8 In Šion we have seen perform'd

a work that was foretold,

In pledge that God, for times to come,
his city will uphold.

9 Not in our fortresses and walls
did we, O God, confide;

But on the temple fix'd our hopes,
in which thou dost reside.

10 According to thy Sov'reign name,
thy praise through earth extends;
Thy powerful arm, as justice guides,
chastises or defends.

"

11 Let Sion's mount with joy resound;
her daughters all be taught
In songs his judgments to extol,
who this deliv'rance wrought.
12 Compass her walls in solemn pomp;
your eyes quite round her cast;
Count all her towers, and see if there
you find one stone displac'd.

13 Her forts and palaces survey;
observe their order well;

That, with assurance, to your heirs
his wonders you may tell.

14 This God is ours, and will be ours,
whilst we in him confide;

Who, as he has preserv'd us now,
till death will be our guide.

PSALM XLIX.

1, 2 LET all the list'ning world attend,

and my instruction hear;

Let high and low, and rich and poor,
with joint consent give ear.

3 My mouth, with sacred wisdom fill'd,
shall good advice impart ;

The sound result of prudent thoughts,
digested in my heart.

4 To parables of weighty sense
I will my ear incline;

Whilst to my tuneful harp I sing
dark words of deep design.

5 Why should my courage fail in times
of danger and of doubt.

When sinners, that would me supplant,
have compass'd me about?

6 Those men, that all their hope and trust
in heaps of treasure place,
And boast in triumph, when they see
their ill-got wealth increase,

7 Are yet unable from the grave
their dearest friend to free;

Nor can, by force of bribes, reverse
th' Almighty Lord's decree.

8, 9 Their vain endeavours they must quit; the price is held too high;

No sums can purchase such a grant, that man should never die.

10 Not wisdom can the wise exempt, nor fools their folly save;

But both must perish, and in death their wealth to others leave.

11 For though they think their stately seats shall ne'er to ruin fall,

But their remembrance last in lands which by their names they call; 12 Yet shall their fame be soon forgot, how great soe'er their state;

With beasts their memory, and they, shall share one common fate.

PART II.

13 How great their folly is, who thus absurd conclusions make!

And yet their children, unreclaim'd,
repeat the gross mistake.

14 They all, like sheep to slaughter led,
the prey of death are made;
Their beauty, while the just rejoice,
within the grave shall fade.

15 But God will yet redeem my soul;
and from the greedy grave

His greater power shall set me free, and to himself receive.

16 Then fear not thou, when worldly men in envy'd wealth abound;

Nor though their prosp'rous house increase, with state and honour crown'd.

17 For when they're summon'd hence by death, they leave all this behind;

No shadow of their former pomp

within the grave they find:

18 And yet they thought their state was blest,
caught in the flatt'rer's snare,
Who with their vanity comply'd,
and prais'd their worldly care.
19 In their forefathers' steps they tread;
and when like them they die,
Their wretched ancestors and they
in endless darkness lie.

20 For man, how great soe'er his state,
unless he's truly wise,

As like a sensual beast he lives, so like a beast he dies.

TH

PSALM L.

1, 2 HE Lord hath spoke, the mighty God Hath sent his summons all abroad, from dawning light, till day declines: The list'ning earth his voice hath heard, And he from Sion hath appear'd,

where beauty in perfection shines.

3, 4 Our God shall come, and keep no more Misconstru'd silence, as before;

but wasting flames before him send: Around shall tempests fiercely rage, Whilst he does heaven and earth engage his just tribunal to attend.

5, 6 Assemble all my saints to me,
(Thus runs the great divine decree)
that in my lasting cov'nant live,
And off'rings bring with constant care:
The heavens his justice shall declare;
for God himself shall sentence give.
7, 8 Attend, my people; Israel, hear;
Thy strong accuser I'll appear;

I :

thy God, thy only God am 'Tis not of off'rings I complain, Which, daily in my temple slain, my sacred altar did supply.

9 Will this alone atonement make? No bullock from thy stall I'll take,

nor he-goat from thy fold accept : 10 The forest beasts, that range alone, The cattle too are all my own,

that on a thousand hills are kept. 11 I know the fowls, that build their nests In craggy rocks; and savage beasts, that loosely haunt the open fields:

12 If seiz'd with hunger I could be, I need not seek relief from thee,

since the world's mine, and all it yields. 13 Think'st thou that I have any need On slaughter'd bulls and goats to feed,

to eat their flesh and drink their blood? 14 The sacrifices I require,

Are hearts which love and zeal inspire, and vows with strictest care made good. 15 In time of trouble call on me,

And I will set thee safe and free;

and thou returns of praise shalt make, 16 But to the wicked thus saith God: How dar'st thou teach my laws abroad, or in thy mouth my cov'nant take? 17 For stubborn thou, confirm'd in sin, Hast proof against instruction been,

and of my word didst lightly speak: 18 When thou a subtle thief didst see, Thou gladly with him didst agree,

and with adult'rers didst partake.
19 Vile slander is thy chief delight;
Thy tongue, by envy mov'd, and spite,
deceitful tales does hourly spread :

20 Thou dost with hateful scandals wound
Thy brother, and with lies confound
the offspring of thy mother's bed.

21 These things didst thou, whom still I strove
To gain with silence, and with love,
till thou didst wickedly surmise,
That I was such a one as thou;
But I'll reprove and shame thee now,
and set thy sins before thine eyes.

22 Mark this, ye wicked fools, lest I Let all my bolts of vengeance fly,

whilst none shall dare your cause to own:

23 Who praises me, due honour gives;

1

And to the man that justly lives,

my strong salvation shall be shown.

PSALM LI.

HAVE mercy, Lord, on me,

as thou wert ever kind;

Let me, oppress'd with loads of guilt, thy wonted mercy find.

2, 3 Wash off my foul offence,

and cleanse me from my sin; For I confess my crime, and see how great my guilt has been.

4 Against thee, Lord, alone, and only in thy sight,

Have I transgress'd; and, though condemn'd, must own thy judgment right.

5 In guilt each part was form'd

of all this sinful frame;

In guilt I was conceiv'd, and born the heir of sin and shame.

6 Yet thou, whose searching eye does inward truth require,

In secret didst with wisdom's laws my tender soul inspire.

7 With hyssop purge me, Lord,

and so I clean shall be:

I shall with snow in whiteness vie, when purify'd by thee:

8 Make me to hear with joy

thy kind forgiving voice;

That so the bones which thou hast broke may with fresh strength rejoice.

9, 10 Blot out my crying sins,

nor me in anger view:

Create in me a heart that's clean, an upright mind renew.

PART II.

11 Withdraw not thou thy help, nor cast me from thy sight; Nor let thy holy Spirit take its everlasting flight.

12 The joy thy favour gives,

let me again obtain;

And thy free Spirit's firm support my fainting soul sustain.

13 So I thy righteous ways

to sinners will impart;

Whilst my advice shall wicked men to thy just laws convert.

14 My guilt of blood remove,

my Saviour and my God;

And my glad tongue shall loudly tell thy righteous acts abroad.

15 Do thou unlock my lips,

with sorrow clos'd and shame;

So shall my mouth thy wondrous praise to all the world proclaim.

16 Could sacrifice atone,

whole flocks and herds should die; But on such off'rings thou disdain'st to cast a gracious eye.

17 A broken spirit is

by God most highly priz'd; By him a broken contrite heart shall never be despis'd.