PSALM XXXVI.

1 MY crafty foe, with flatt'ring art,
His wicked purpose would disguise;
But reason whispers to my heart,

He ne'er sets God before his eyes.
2 He soothes himself, retir'd from sight,
Secure he thinks his treach'rous game;
Till his dark plots, expos'd to light,

Their false contriver brand with shame. 3 In deeds he is my foe confest,

Whilst with his tongue he speaks me fair;
True wisdom's banish'd from his breast,
And vice has sole dominion there.
4 His wakeful malice spends the night
In forging his accurs'd designs;
His obstinate ungen'rous spite

No execrable means declines.
5 But, Lord, thy mercy, my sure hope,
Above the heav'nly orb ascends;
Thy sacred truth's unmeasur'd scope
Beyond the spreading sky extends.
6 Thy justice, like the hills, remains;
Unfathom'd depths thy judgments are;
Thy providence the world sustains;
The whole creation is thy care.

7 Since of thy goodness all partake,
With what assurance should the just
Thy shelt'ring wings their refuge make,
And saints to thy protection trust.
8 Such guests shall to thy courts be led
To banquet on thy love's repast;
And drink, as from a fountain's head
Of joys that shall for ever last.
9 With thee the springs of life remain;
Thy presence is eternal day:

10 O! let thy saints thy favour gain;

To upright hearts thy truth display. 11 Whilst pride's insulting foot would spurn, And wicked hands my life surprise ; 12 Their mischiefs on themselves return; Down, down they're fall'n, no more to rise.

PSALM XXXVII.

1 THOUGH wicked men grow rich or great, Yet let not their successful state

Thy anger or thy envy raise:

2 For they, cut down like tender grass,
Or like young flow'rs, away shall pass,
Whose blooming beauty soon decays.

3 Depend on God, and him obey;
So thou within the land shalt stay,
Secure from danger and from want:
4 Make his commands thy chief delight;
And he, thy duty to requite,

Shall all thy earnest wishes grant.

5 In all thy ways trust thou the Lord,
And he will needful help afford
To perfect ev'ry just design:

6 He'll make, like light, serene and clear,
Thy clouded innocence appear,
And as a midday sun to shine.

7 With quiet mind on God depend,
And patiently for him attend;
Nor let thy anger fondly rise:
Though wicked men with wealth abound,
And with success the plots are crown'd,
Which they maliciously devise.

8 From anger cease, and wrath forsake;
Let no ungovern'd passion make

Thy wav'ring heart espouse their crime : 9 For God shall sinful men destroy; Whilst only they the land enjoy,

Who trust on him, and wait his time. 10 How soon shall wicked men decay! Their place shall vanish quite away,

Nor by the strictest search be found; 11 Whilst humble souls possess the earth, Rejoicing still with godly mirth,

With peace and plenty always crown'd.

The Second Part.

12 While sinful crowds, with false design, Against the righteous few combine,

And gnash their teeth, and threat'ning stand;

13 God shall their empty plots deride, And laugh at their defeated pride;

He sees their ruin near at hand.

14 They draw the sword, and bend the bow, The poor and needy to o'erthrow,

And men of upright lives to slay;

15 But their strong bows shall soon be broke, Their sharpen'd weapon's mortal stroke

Through their own hearts shall force its way.

16 A little, with God's favour blest,

That's by one righteous man possest,
The wealth of many bad excels:
17 For God supports the just man's cause,
But as for those that break his laws,
Their unsuccessful pow'r he quells.

18 His constant care the upright guides, And over all their life presides;

Their portion shall for ever last:

19 They, when distress o'erwhelms the earth,
Shall be unmov'd, and e'en in dearth
The happy fruits of plenty taste.

20 Not so the wicked men, and those
Who proudly dare God's will oppose;
Destruction is their hapless share:
Like fat of lambs, their hopes and they
Shall in an instant melt away,

And vanish into smoke and air.

The Third Part.

21 While sinners, brought to sad decay, Still borrow on and never pay,

The just have will and pow'r to give; 22 For such as God vouchsafes to bless, Shall peaceably the earth possess,

And those he curses shall not live. 23 The good man's way is God's delight, He orders all the steps aright

Of him that moves by his command; 24 Though he sometimes may be distress'd, Yet shall he ne'er be quite oppress'd, For God upholds him with his hand. 25 From my first youth, till age prevail'd, I never saw the righteous fail'd,

Or want o'ertake his num'rous race;

26 Because compassion fill'd his heart, And he did cheerfully impart,

God made his offspring's wealth increase.

27 With caution shun each wicked deed, In virtue's ways with zeal proceed,

And so prolong your happy days: 28 For God, who judgment loves, does still Preserve his saints secure from ill,

While soon the wicked race decays. 29, 30, 31 The upright shall possess the land, His portion shall for ages stand;

His mouth with wisdom is supplied;
His tongue by rules of judgment moves,
His heart the law of God approves,
Therefore his footsteps never slide.
The Fourth Part.

32 In wait the watchful sinner lies,
In vain the righteous to surprise;
In vain his ruin doth decree :
33 God will not him defenceless leave,
To his revenge expos'd, but save;

And, when he's sentenc'd, set him free.

34 Wait still on God, keep his command,
And thou, exalted in the land,

Thy bless'd possession ne'er shall quit:
The wicked soon destroy'd shall be,
And, at his dismal tragedy,

Thou shalt a safe spectator sit.

35 The wicked I in power have seen, And like a bay tree, fresh and green, That spreads its pleasant branches round; 36 But he was gone as swift as thought, And, though in ev'ry place I sought, No sign or track of him I found.

37 Observe the perfect man with care,
And mark all such as upright are;
Their roughest days in peace shall end :
38 While on the latter end of those,
Who dare God's sacred will oppose,
A common ruin shall attend.

39 God to the just will aid afford,
Their only safeguard is the Lord;
Their strength in time of need is he:
40 Because on him they still depend,
The Lord will timely succour send,
And from the wicked set them free.

PSALM XXXVIII.

THY chast'ning wrath, O Lord, restrain,
Though I deserve it all;

Nor let at once on me the storm
Of thy displeasure fall.

2 In ev'ry wretched part of me
Thy arrows deep remain;

Thy heavy hand's afflicting weight
I can no more sustain.

3 My flesh is one continued wound,
Thy wrath so fiercely glows;
Betwixt my punishment and guilt
My bones have no repose.

4 My sins, that to a deluge swell,
My sinking head o'erflow,
And for my feeble strength to bear
Too vast a burden grow.

5 Stench and corruption fill my wounds,
My folly's just return;

6 With trouble I am warp'd and bow'd, And all day long I mourn.

7 A loath'd disease afflicts my loins, Infecting ev'ry part;

s With sickness worn, I groan and roar, Through anguish of my heart.

The Second Part.

9 But, Lord, before thy searching eyes
All my desires appear;

And sure my groans have been too loud
Not to have reach'd thine ear.

10 My heart's opprest, my strength's decay'd,
My eyes depriv'd of light;

11 Friends, lovers, kinsmen, gaze aloof
On such a dismal sight.

12 Meanwhile the foes that seek my life,
Their snares to take me set;
Vent slanders, and contrive all day
To forge some new deceit.

13 But I, as if both deaf and dumb,
Nor heard, nor once replied;

14 Quite deaf and dumb, like one whose tongue With conscious guilt is tied.

15 For, Lord, to thee I do appeal,
My innocence to clear;

Assur'd that thou, the righteous God,
My injur'd cause wilt bear.

16 "Hear me," said I," lest my proud foes
"A spiteful joy display,
"Insulting if they see my foot

"But once to go astray."

17 And, with continual grief opprest, To sink I now begin:

18 To thee, O Lord, I will confess,
To thee bewail my sin.

19 But whilst I languish, my proud foes
Their strength and vigour boast;
And they that hate me without cause
Are grown a dreadful host.

20 E'en they, whom I oblig'd, return
My kindness with despite ;

And are my enemies, because
I choose the path that's right.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord my God,
Nor far from me depart;

22 Make haste to my relief, O thou,
Who my salvation art.

1

RE

PSALM XXXIX.

ESOLV'D to watch o'er all my ways,
I kept my tongue in awe;

I curb'd my hasty words when 1

The wicked prosp'rous saw.

2 Like one that's dumb I silent stood,

And did my tongue refrain

From good discourse; but that restraint
Increas'd my inward pain.