PSALM XXXVII. ver. 23,-37. Third part. The way and end of the righteous and wicked. My God! the fteps of pious men Tho' they should fall they rise again, 2. The Lord delights to fee their Their virtue he approves; ways, He'll ne'er deprive them of his grace 3. The heav'nly heritage is theirs, Their portion and their home; He feeds them now, and makes them heirs Of bleffings long to come. 4. Wait on the Lord ye fons of men! Nor fear when tyrants frown; Ye shall confefs their pride was vain PAUSE. 5. The haughty finner have I feen Nor fearing man nor God, Like a tall baytree fair and green Spreading his arms abroad; 8 12 16 20 6. And lo! he vanish'd from the ground, Destroy'd by hands unfeen; Nor root, nor branch, nor leaf, was found 24 7. But mark the man of righteoufnefs, His fev'ral fteps attend: True pleasure runs thro' all his ways, And peaceful is hisend f. PSALM XXXVIII. 28 Guilt of confcience and relief, or, Repentance and prayer for pardon and health. AMIDST thy wrath remember love, Reftore thy fervant Lord, Nor let a father's chaft'ning prove Like an avenger's sword. 2. Thine arrows ftick within my heart, My flesh is forely preft; Between the forrow and the smart My fpirit finds no reft. Too heavy they for me to bear, Too hard for me t' atone. 4. My thoughts are like a troubled fea, My head ftill bending down, And I go mourning all the day 12 16 + This long Pfalm abounds with useful inftructions and encouragements to piety, but the verses are very much unconnected and independent, therefore I have contracted and tranf pofed them fo as to reduce them to three hymns of a mo derate length, and with fome connexion of the fente. 5. Lord I am weak and broken fore, 6. All my defire to thee is known, Thine eye counts ev'ry tear, And ev'ry figh and ev'ry groan 20 Is notic'd by thine ear. 24 7. Thou art my God, my only hope, My God will hear my cry, My God will bear my spirit up When Satan bids me die. 28 [8. My foot is ever apt to slide, My foes rejoice to fee 't; They raise their pleasure and their pride When they fupplant my feet. 9. But I'll confefs my guilt to thee 32 PSALM XXXIX. ver. 1, 2, 3. Firft part. Watchfulness over the tongue, or, Prudence and zeal, THUS I refolv'd before the Lord, "Now will I watch my tongue, "Left I let flip one finful word "Or do my neighbour wrong." 2. And if I'm e'er constrain'd to stay With men of lives profanc, I'll fet a double guard that day, Nor let my talk be vain. 3. I'll fcarce allow my lips to speak The pious thoughts I feel, Left fcoffers fhould th' occafion take To mock my holy zeal. 4. Yet if fome proper hour appear I'll not be overaw'd, But let the fcoffing finners hear 8 12 That we can speak for God ‡. 16 I have not confined myself here to the fenfe of the Pfalmift, but have taken occation from the three firft verfes to write a fhort hymn on the government of the tongue. PSALM XXXIX. Ver. 4, 5, 6, 7. Second part. The vanity of man as mortal. TEACH me the measure of my days, Thou Maker of my frame! I would furvey life's narrow space, 2. A span is all that we can boaft, An inch or two of time: Man is but vanity and duft In all his flow'r and prime. 3. See the vain race of mortals move Like fhadows o'er the plain, They rage and strive, defire and love, They make our expectations vain And disappoint our trust. 6. Now I forbid my carnal hope, My fond defires recall, I give my mortal int'reft up, 20 24 |