18 Let Sion favour find,

of thy good will assur'd; And thy own city flourish long, by lofty walls secur'd. 19 The just shall then attend, and pleasing tribute pay; And sacrifice of choicest kind upon thy altar lay.

1

PSALM LII.

Novost's thyself in ill;

N vain, O man of lawless might,

Since God, the God in whom I trust, vouchsafes his favour still.

2 Thy wicked tongue doth sland'rous tales maliciously devise;

And, sharper than a razor set,

it wounds with treach'rous lies.

3, 4 Thy thoughts are more on ill than good,
on lies than truth, employ'd;
Thy tongue delights in words, by which
the guiltless are destroy'd.

5 God shall for ever blast thy hopes,
and snatch thee soon away;
Nor in thy dwelling-place permit,
nor in the world, to stay.

6 The just, with pious fear, shall see the downfall of thy pride;

And at thy sudden ruin laugh,

HE wicked fools must sure suppose
that God is but a name;

This gross mistake their practice shows,

since virtue all disclaim.

2 The Lord look'd down from heaven's high tower,

the sons of men to view;

To see if any own'd his power,

or truth or justice knew.

3 But all, he saw, were backward gone,
degen'rate grown and base;
None for religion car'd, not one
of all the sinful race.

4 But are those workers of deceit
so dull and senseless grown,
That they like bread my people eat,
and God's just power disown?

5 Their causeless fear shall strangely grow;
and they, despis'd of God,

Shall soon be foil'd; his hand shall throw
their shatter'd bones abroad.

6 Would he his saving power employ
to break our servile band,
Loud shouts of universal joy
should echo through the land.

1, 2

PSALM LIV.

ORD, save me, for thy glorious name,
and in thy strength appear,

To judge my cause; accept my prayer,
and to my words give ear.

3 Mere strangers, whom I never wrong'd,
to ruin me design'd;

And cruel men, that fear no God,
against my soul combin'd.

4, 5 But God takes part with all my friends,
and he's the surest guard;

The God of truth shall give my foes their falsehood's due reward;

6 While I my grateful off'rings bring, and sacrifice with joy;

And in his praise my time to come delightfully employ.

7 From dreadful danger and distress the Lord hath set me free; Through him shall I of all my foes the just destruction see.

1

PSALM LV.

MIVE ear, thou Judge of all the earth,

GIVE

G and listen when I pray;

Nor from thy humble suppliant turn thy glorious face away.

2 Attend to this my sad complaint, and hear my grievous moans; While I my mournful case declare, with artless sighs and groans.

3 Hark how the foe insults aloud! how fierce oppressors rage!

Whose sland'rous tongues, with wrathful hate, against my fame engage.

4, 5 My heart is rack'd with pain; my soul with deadly frights distress'd;

With fear and trembling compass'd round, with horror quite oppress'd.

6 How often wish'd I then, that I

the dove's swift wings could get; That I might take my speedy flight, and seek a safe retreat.

7, 8 Then would I wander far from hence, and in wild deserts stray,

Till all this furious storm were spent, this tempest past away.

PART II.

9 Destroy, O Lord, their ill designs, their counsels soon divide;

For through the city my griev'd eyes
have strife and rapine spy'd.
10 By day and night, on every wall
they walk their constant round;
And in the midst of all her strength
are grief and mischief found.

11 Whoe'er through every part shall roam,
will fresh disorders meet;
Deceit and guile their constant posts
maintain in every street.

12 For 'twas not any open foe

that false reflections made;

For then I could with ease have borne the bitter things he said:

'Twas none who hatred had profess'd, that did against me rise;

For then I had withdrawn myself from his malicious eyes.

13, 14 But 'twas e'en thou, my guide, my friend, whom tend'rest love did join;

Whose sweet advice I valued most; whose prayers were mix'd with mine. 15 Sure vengeance, equal to their crimes, such traitors must surprise,

And sudden death requite those ills
they wickedly devise.

16, 17 But I will call on God, who still
shall in my aid appear;

At morn, at noon, at night, I'll pray ;
and he my voice shall hear.

PART III.

18 God has releas'd my soul from those
that did with me contend;

And made a num'rous host of friends
my righteous cause defend.

19 For he, who was my help of old, shall now his suppliant hear;

And punish them whose prosp'rous state makes them no God to fear.

20 Whom can I trust, if faithless men perfidiously devise

To ruin me, their peaceful friend, and break the strongest ties?

21 Though soft and melting are their words, their hearts with war abound;

Their speeches are more smooth than oil, and yet like swords they wound.

22 Do thou, my soul, on God depend, and he shall thee sustain;

He aids the just, whom to supplant the wicked strive in vain.

23 My foes that trade in lies and blood, shall all untimely die;

1

Whilst I, for health and length of days, on thee, my God, rely.

PSALM LVI.

D for man my life pursues;

O thou, O God, in mercy help;

To crush me with repeated wrongs, he daily strife renews.

2 Continually my spiteful foes

to ruin me combine;

Thou seest, who sitt'st enthron'd on high,

what mighty numbers join.

3 But though sometimes surpris'd by fear, on danger's first alarm;

Yet still for succour I depend

on thy Almighty arm.

4 God's faithful promise I shall praise, on which I now rely;

In God I trust, and, trusting him,

the arm of flesh defy.

5 They wrest my words, and make them speak

a sense they never meant;

Their thoughts are all, with restless spite,
on my destruction bent.

6 In close assemblies they combine,

and wicked projects lay;

They watch my steps, and lie in wait

to make my soul their prey.

7 Shall such injustice still escape?
O righteous God, arise;

Let thy just wrath, too long provok'd,
this impious race chastise.

8 Thou numberest all my steps, since first
I was compell'd to flee;

My very tears were treasur'd up, and register'd by thee.

9 When therefore I invoke thy aid, my foes shall be o'erthrown; For I am well assur'd that God

my righteous cause will own.

10, 11 I'll trust God's word, and so despise the force that man can raise ;

12 To thee, O God, my vows are due; to thee I'll render praise.

13 Thou hast retriev'd my soul from death; and thou wilt still secure

The life thou hast so oft preserv'd, and make my footsteps sure: 14 That thus protected by thy power, I may this life enjoy;

1

And in the service of my God my lengthen'd days employ.

PSALM LVII.

THY mercy, Lord, to me extend;
On thy protection I depend;

And to thy wing for shelter haste,
Till this outrageous storm is pass'd.

2 To thy tribunal, Lord, I fly,

Thou sov'reign Judge, and God most high,
Who wonders hast for me begun,

And wilt not leave thy work undone.
3 From heaven protect me by thine arm,
And shame all those who seek my harm;
To my relief thy mercy send,

And truth, on which my hopes depend. 4 For I with savage men converse,

Like hungry lions wild and fierce;

With men whose teeth are spears, their words
Envenom'd darts, and two-edg'd swords.
5 Be thou, O God, exalted high;

And, as thy glory fills the sky,
So let it be on earth display'd,
Till thou art here, as there, obey'd.
6 To take me they their net prepar'd,
And had almost my soul ensnar'd;
But fell themselves, by just decree,
Into the pit they made for me.
7 O God, my heart is fix'd, 'tis bent,
Its thankful tribute to present;

And, with my heart, my voice I'll raise
To thee, my God, in songs of praise:
8 Awake, my glory; harp and lute,
No longer let your strings be mute;
And I, my tuneful part to take,
Will with the early dawn awake.