DE And own a God, whose justice will the guilty earth arraign. PSALM LIX. 1 ELIVER me, O Lord, my God, from all my spiteful foes; In my defence oppose thy power to theirs, who me oppose. 2 Preserve me from a wicked race, who make a trade of ill; Protect me from remorseless men, who seek my blood to spill. 3 They lie in wait, and mighty powers against my life combine, Implacable; yet, Lord, thou know'st, for no offence of mine.. 4 In haste they run about, and watch my guiltless life to take; Look down, O Lord, on my distress, and to my help awake. 5 Thou, Lord of Hosts, and Israel's God, their heathen rage suppress; Relentless vengeance take on those who stubbornly transgress. 6 At evening, to beset my house, like growling dogs they meet ; While others through the city range, and ransack every street. 7 Their throats envenom'd slander breathe; their tongues are sharpen'd swords; “Who hears ?" say they,“ or, hearing, dares reprove our lawless words ?" 8 But from thy throne thou shalt, O Lord, their baffled plots deride; And soon to shame and scorn expose their boasted heathen pride. 9 On thee I wait; 'tis on thy strength for succour I depend; 'Tis thou, O God, art my defence, who only can defend. 10 Thy mercy, Lord, which has so oft from danger set me free, Shall crown my wishes, and subdue my haughty foes to me. 11 Destroy them not, O Lord, at once; restrain thy vengeful blow; Lest we, ungratefully, too soon forget their overthrow. Disperse them through the nations round by thy avenging power; Do thou bring down their haughty pride, O Lord, our shield and tower. 12 Now, in the height of all their hopes, their arrogance chastise; Whose tongues have sinn'd without restrair and curses join'd with lies. 13 Nor shalt thou, whilst their race endures, thine anger, Lord, suppress; That distant lands, by their just doom, may Israel's God confess. 14 At evening let them still persist like growling dogs to meet, Still wander all the city round, and traverse every street. 15 Then, as for malice now they do, for hunger let them stray; And yell their vain complaints aloud, defeated of their prey. 16 Whilst early I thy mercy sing, thy wondrous power confess; For thou hast been my sure defence, my refuge in distress. 17 To thee, with never-ceasing praise, O God, my strength, I'll sing; PSALM LX, Forsaking those who left thee first; To us, in mercy, Lord, return. Is rent by thy avenging hand; We shake, we fall, without thy aid! 3 Our folly's sad effects we feel; For, drunk with discord's cup we reel : 4 But now, for them who thee rever'd, Thou hast thy truth's bright banner rear'd. 5 Let thy right hand thy saints protect; Lord, hear the prayers that we direct : 6 The holy God has spoke ; and I, O'erjoy'd, on his firm word rely : And measure out her vale by line. 7 Manasseh, Gilead, both subscribe To my commands, with Ephraim's tribe ; And Judah by religious laws. Proud Palestine's imperious state Shall humbly ou our triumph wait. And clear my way to Edom's towers? The path that doth to conquest lead? Our troops (for we forsook thee first); Aton'd, thou wilt victorious make. 11 Do thou our fainting cause sustain; For human succours are but vain. 12 Fresh strength and courage God bestows: 'Tis he treads down our proudest foes. PSALM LXI. 1 hear my cry, regard my prayer, which I, oppressd with grief, 2 From earth’s remotest part address to thee for kind relief. O lodge me safe beyond the reach of persecuting power; 3 Thou, who so oft from spiteful foes hast been my sheltring tower. 4 So shall I in thy sacred courts secure from danger lie; Beneath the covert of thy wings, all future storms defy. 5 In sign my vows are heard, once more I o'er thy chosen reign; 6 O! bless with long and prosp'rous life the king thou didst ordain. 7 Confirm his thronę, and make his reign accepted in thy sight; And let thy truth and mercy both in his defence unite. 8 So shall I ever sing thy praise, thy name for ever bless; Devote my prosp'rous days to pay the vows of my distress. PSALM LXII. from him alone my safety flows; My Rock, my Health, that strength supplies to bear the shock of all my foes. 3 How long will ye contrive my fall, which will but hasten on your own? You'll totter like a bending wall, or fence of uncemented stone. 4 To make my envy'd honours less, they strive with lies, their chief delight; 1, 2 For they, though with their mouths they bless, in private curse with inward spite. 5, 6 But thou, my soul, on God rely; on him alone thy trust repose : to bear the shock of all my foes. and flowing blessings daily send : He is my fortress and defence; on him my soul shall still depend. 8 In him, ye people, always trust; before his throne pour out your hearts; For God, the merciful and just, his timely aid to us imparts. 9 The vulgar fickle are and frail ; the great dissemble and betray; And, laid in truth's impartial scale, the lightest things will both outweigh. 10 Then trust not in oppressive ways; by spoil and rapine grow not vain; Nor let your hearts, if wealth increase, be set too much upon your gain. 11 For God has oft his will expressid, and I this truth have fully known ; To be of boundless power possess'd belongs, of right, to God alone. 12 Though mercy is his darling grace, in which he chiefly takes delight; Yet will he all the human race according to their works requite. PSALM LXIII. 1 O GOD, my gracious God, to thee My morning prayers shall offer'd be; where I refreshing waters want. which thy majestic house displays: 3 Because to me thy wondrous love Than life itself does dearer prove, my lips shall always speak thy praise. 4 My life, while I that life enjoy, In blessing God I will employ; with lifted hands adore his name: 5 My soul's content shall be as great As theirs, who choicest dainties eat, while I with joy his praise proclaim. 6 When down I lie, sweet sleep to find, Thou, Lord, art present to my mind; and when I wake in dead of night; 7 Because thou still dost succour bring, Beneath the shadow of thy wing I rest with safety and delight. 8 My soul, when foes would me devour, Cleaves fast to thee, whose matchless power in her support is daily shown: 9 But those the righteous Lord shall slay, That my destruction wish; and they that seek my life shall lose their own. 10 They by untimely ends shall die, Their flesh a prey to foxes lie; but God shall fill the king with joy : 11 Who thee confess shall still rejoice; Whilst the false tongue, and lying voice, thou, Lord, shalt silence and destroy, PSALM LXIV. L 1 ORD, hear the voice of my complaint, to my request give ear; Preserve my life from cruel foes, and free my soul from fear. in some secure retreat, and all their plots defeat. they whet their tongues like swords; And bend their bows to shoot their darts, sharp lies, and bitter words. 4 Lurking in private, at the just they take their secret aim ; And suddenly at him they shoot, quite void of fear and shame. 5 To carry on their ill designs they mutually agree; and think that none shall see. 6 With utmost diligence and care their wicked plots they lay; are only to betray, his dreadful bow shall bend, And on his flying arrow's point shall swift destruction send. 8 Those slanders which their mouths did vent, upon themselves shall fall; Their crimes disclos'd, shall make them be despis'd and shunn'd by all. 9 The world shall then God's power confess, and nations trembling stand, |