BY the Bishops, the Clergy, and the Laity of the Protestant

Episcopal Church in the United States of America, in Çonvention, this 13th day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine

This Translation of the Whole Book of Psalms into Metre, with Hymns, is set forth, and allowed to be sung in all Congregations of the said Church, before and after Morning and Evening Prayer, and also before and after Sermons, at the discretion of the Minister.

And it shall be the duty of every Minister of any Church, either by standing directions, or from time to time, to appoint the Por. tions of Psalms which are to be sung.

And further, it shall be the duty of every Minister, with such assistance as he can obtain from persons skilled in music, to give order concerning the Tunes to be sung; at any time, in his Church: And, especially, it shall be his duty, to suppress all light and unseemly music, and all indecency and irreverence in the performance; by which vain and ungodly persons profane the service of the Sanctuary.

THE

PSALMS OF DAVID,

IN METRE.

HO

?

PSALM I.

11 Worship the Lord with holy fear; TOW blest is he, who ne'er consents Rejoice with awful mirth. By ill advice to walk,

12 Appease the Son with due respect, Nor stands in sinners' ways, nor sits

Your timely homage pay ; Where men profanely talk;

Lest he revenge the bold neglect,

Incens'd by your delay. 2 But makes the perfect law of God His business and delight;

13 If but in part his anger rise,

Who can endure the flame?
Devoutly reads therein by day,
And meditates by night.

Then blest are they, whose hope relies 3 Like some fair tree, which, fed by streams,

On his most holy name. With timely fruit does bend,

PSALM III. He still shall tourish, and success

TOW many, Lord, of late are grown All his designs attend. 4 Ungodly men, and their attempts, And as their numbers hourly rise, No lasting root shall find;

So does their rage increase. Untimely blasted and dispers’d

2 Insulting, they my soul upbraid, Like chaff before the wind.

And him whom I adore ; 5 Their guilt shall strike the wicked dumb “The God in whom he trusts,” say they, Before their Judge's face:

“ Shall rescue him no more. No formal hypocrite shall then

3 But thou, O Lord, art my defence; Among the saints have place.

On thee my hopes rely ;
6 For God approves the just man's ways; Thou art my glory, and shall yet
To happiness they tend :

Lift up my head on high.
But sinners, and the paths they tread, 4 Since whensne'er, in like distress,
Shall both in ruin end.

To God I made my prayer:
PSALM JI.

He heard me from his holy hill;
TITH restless and ungovern'd rage,

Why should I now despair?
5 Guarded by him, I laid me down

My sweet
Why in such rash attempts engage,

repose

to take;

For I through him securely sleep, As they can ne'er perform?

Through him in safety wake. 2 The great in council and in might

6 No force nor fury of my foes Their various forces bring;

My courage shalí confound, Against the Lord they all unite,

Were they as many hosts as men, And his anointed King.

That have beset me round. 3 “Must we submit to their commands ?"

17 Arise, and save me, O my God, Presumptuously they say:

Who oft hast own'd my cause, * No, let us break their slavish bands,

And scatter'd oft these foes to me, “And cast their chains away.” 4 But God, who sits enthron'd on high,

And to thy righteous laws.

8 Salvation to the Lord belongs ; And sees how they combine, Does their conspiring strength defy,

He only can defend: And mocks their vain design.

His blessing he extends to all

That on his power depend.
5 Thick clouds of wrath divine shall break
On his rebellious foes;

PSALM IV.
And thus will he in thunder speak
To all that dare oppose:

To my complaint give ear: 6 "Though madly you dispute my will,

Thou still redeem'st me from distress; “ The King that I ordain,

Have mercy, Lord, and hear. “Whose throne is fix'd on Sion's hill,

O Judge,

complaint,

6 While worldly minds impatient grow 14 Thy wonted goodness, Lord, repeat, More prosp'rous times to see;

And ease my troubled soul ; Still let the glories of thy face

Lord, for thy wondrous mercy's sake, Shine brightly, Lord, on me.

Vouchsafe to make me whole. 7 So shall my heart o'erflow with joy,

5 For after death no more can I More lasting and more true

Thy glorious acts proclaim, Than theirs, who stores of corn and wine No pris'ner of the silent grave Successively renew.

Can magnify thy name. 8 Then down in peace I'll lay my head, 6 Quite tir'd with pain, with groaning faint, And take my needful rest ;

No hope of ease I see; No other guard, O Lord, I crave,

The night, that quiets-common griefs,
Of thy defence possess’d.

Is spent in tears by me.
PSALM V.

7 My beauty fades, my sight grows dim,

My eyes with weakness close;

Old age o’ertakes me, whilst I think Accept my secret prayer ;

On my insulting foes. 2 To thee alone, my King, my God, 8 Depart, ye wicked; in my wrongs Will I for help repair.

Ye shall no more rejoice; 3 Thou in the morn my voice shalt hear, For God, I find, accepts my tears, And with the dawning day

And listens to my voice. To thee devoutly I'll look up,

9, 10 He hears, and grants my humble prayer; To thee devoutly pray:

And they that wish my fall, 4 For thou the wrongs that I sustain

Shall blush and rage to see that God Car'st never, Lord, approve,

Protects me from them all. Who from thy sacred dwelling-place

PSALM VII. All evil dost remove. 5 Not long shall stubborn fools remain

O

Lord my God, since I have plac'd Unpunish'd in thy view;

My trust alone in thee, All such as act unrighteous things

From all my persecutors' rage Thy vengeance shall pursue.

Do thou deliver me. 6. The sland'ring tongue, O God of truth, 2 To save me from my threat’ning foe, By thee shall be destroy'd,

Lord interpose thy power ; Who hat'st alike the man in blood

Lest, like a savage lion, he And in deceit employ'd.

My helpless soul devour. 7 But when thy boundless grace shall me 3, 4 If I am guilty, or did e'er To thy lov'd courts restore,

Against his peace combine ; On theel'll fix my longing eyes,

Nay, if I have not spar'd his life, And humbly thee adore.

Who sought unjustly mine ; & Conduct me by thy righteous laws, 5 Let then to persecuting des For watchful is my foe;

My soul become a prey ;
Therefore, O Lord, make plain the way Let them to earth tread down my life,
Wherein I ought to go.

In dust my honour lay.
9 Their mouth vents nothing but deceit; 6 Arise, and let thine anger, Lord,
Their heart is set on wrong;

In my defence engage; Their throat is a devouring grave;

Exalt thyself above my foes, They flatter with their tongue.

And their insulting rage: 10 By their own counsels let them fall, Awake, awake, in my behalf, Oppress'd with loads of sin;

The judgment to dispense, For they against thy righteous laws

Which thou hast righteously ordain'd Have harden'd rebels been.

For injured innocence.
11 But let all those who trust in thee, 7 So to thy throne, adoring crowds
With shouts their joy proclaim;

Shall still for justice fly :
Let them rejoice whom thou preserv'st, Oh! therefore, for their sake, resume
And all that love thy name.

Tby judgment-seat on high.
12 To righteous men, the righteous Lord 8 Impartial Judge of all the world,
His blessing will extend;

I trust my cause to thee; And with his favour all his saints,

According to my just deserts,
As with a shield, defend.

So let thy sentence be.
PSALM VI.

9 Let wicked arts and wicked men

Together be o'erthrown; WHY dreadful anger, Lord, restrain," But guard the just, thou God, to whom a wretch forlorn;

THY

O to bow

1

15 The pit he digg'd for me, has prov'd Impartial justice to dispense, His own untimely grave.

to punish or reward. 16 On his own head his spite returns, 9 God is a constant sure defence • Whilst I from harm am free;

Against oppressing rage, On him the violence is fall'n,

As troubles rise, his needful aids Which he design'd for me.

In our behalf engage. 17 Therefore will I the righteous ways

10 All those who have his goodness prov'd Of providence proclaim;

Will in his truth confide; I'll sing the praise of God most high, Whose

mercy

ne'er forsook the man And celebrate his name.

That on his help rely'd.

11 Sing praises therefore to the Lord, PSALM VIII.

From Sion, his abode;

Proclaim his deeds, till all the world Within this earthly frame,

Confess no other God. Through all the world how great art thou !

PART II. How glorious is thy name!

12 When he inquiry makes for blood, In heaven thy wondrous acts are sung,

He'll call the poor to mind: Nor fully reckon'd there;

The injur'd humble man's complaint 2 And yet thou mak'st the infant tongue

Relief from him shall find. Thy boundless praise declare.

13 Take pity on my troubles, Lord, Through thee the weak confound the strong,

Which spiteful foes create, And crush their haughty foes ;

'Thou that hast rescu'd me so oft And so thou quell'st the wicked throng,

From death's devouring gate. That thee and thine oppose.

14 In Sion then I'll sing thy praise, 3 When heaven, thy beauteous work on high,

To all that love thy name, Employs my wond'ring sight;

And with loud shouts of grateful joy, The moon, that nightly rules the sky,

Thy saving power proclaim, With stars of feebler light;

15 Deep in the pit they digg‘d for me, 4 What's man, say I, that, Lord, thou lov'st

The heathen pride is laid;
To keep him in thy mind?
Or what his offspring, that thou prov'st

Their guilty feet to their own snare

Are heedlessly betray'd. To them so wondrous kind?

16 Thus, by the just returns he makes, 5 Him next in power thou didst create

The mighty Lord is known; To thy celestial train ;

While wicked men by their own plots 6 Ordain'd, with dignity and state, O’er all thy works to reign.

Are shamefully o'erthrown.

17 No single sinner shall escape, 7 They jointly own his powerful sway ; The beasts that prey or graze;

By privacy obscur'd; The bird that wings its airy way ;

Nor nation, from his just revenge,

By numbers be secur'd. The fish that cuts the seas. 90 Thou, to whom all creatures bow

18 His suff'ring saints, when most distress'd, Within this earthly frame,

He ne'er forgets to aid;

Their expectations shall be crown'd,
Through all the world how

great
art thou !

Though for a time delay'd.
How glorious is thy name!

19 Arise, O Lord, assert thy power, PSALM IX.

And let not man o'ercome;

Descend to judgment, and pronounce
celebrate thy praise, O Lord,
I

The guilty heathen's doom.
To all the list ning world, thy works,

20 Strike terror through the nations round, Thy wondrous works declare.

Till, by consenting fear,

They to each other, and themselves, 2 The thought of them shall to my soul But mortal men appear.

Exalted pleasures bring;
Whilst to thy name, O thou Most High,

PSALM X.
Triumphant praise I sing.

THY presence why withdraw'st thou, 3 Thou mad'st my haughty foes to turn Their backs in shameful Alight:

Why hid'st thou now thy face, Struck with thy presence, down they fell,

When dismal times of deep distress They perish'd at thy sight.

Call for thy wonted grace? 4 Against insulting foes advanc'd

2 The wicked, swell'd with lawless pride, Thou didst my cause maintain;

Have made the poor their prey ; My right asserting from thy throne,

O let them fall by those designs Where truth and justice reign.

Which they for others lay. 5 The insolence of heathen pride

3 For straight they triumph, if success Thou hast reduc'd to shame;

Their thriving crimes attend;
Their wicked offspring quite destroy’d, And sordid wretches, whom God hates,
And blotted out their name.

Perversely they commend.
6 Mistaken foes, your haughty threats 4 To own a power above themselves,
Are to a period come ;

Their haughty pride disdains; Our city stands, which you design'd

And therefore in their stubborn mind To make our common tomb.

No thought of God remains. 7, 8 The Lord for ever lives, who has 5 Oppressive methods they pursue, His righteous throne prepar'd,

And all their foes they slight;

To ,

heart ;

1

Because thy judgments unobserv'd,

15 If God the righteous, whom he loves, Are tar above their sight.

For trial does correct, 6 They fondly think their prosp'rous state What must the sons of violence, Shall unmolested be;

Whom be abhors, expect? They think their vain designs shall thrive, 6 Snares, fire, and brimstope, on their heacts From all misfortunes free.

Shall in one tempest shower ; 7 Vain and deceitful is their speech, This dreadiul mixture his revenge With curses fill'd, and lies;

Into their cup shall pour. By which the mischief of their heart

17 The righteous Lord will righteous deeds They study to disguise.

With signal favour grace,
8 Near public roads they lie conceal'd, And to the upright man disclose
A: all their art employ,

The brightness of his face.
The innocent and poor at once
To rifle and destroy.

PSALM XII. 9 Not lions, couching in their dens,

INCE godly men decay, O Lord,
Surprise their heedless prey
With greater cunning, or express

For scarce these wretched times afford
More savage rage than they.

One just and faithful friend.
10 Sometimes they act the harmless man, 2 One neighbour now can scarce believe
And modest looks they wear;

What t'other does impart;
That so deceiv'd, the poor may less With Aatt'ring lips they all deceive,
Their sudden onset fear.

And with a double heart.
PART II.

3 But lips that with deceit abound
11 For God, they think, no notice takes Can never prosper long;
Of their unrighteous deeds;

God's righteous vengeance will confound He never minds the suff'ring poor,

The proud blaspheming tongue. Nor their oppression heeds.

4 In vain those foolish boasters say, 12 But thou, O Lord, at length arise,

“ Our tongues are sure our own; Stretch forth thy mighty arm;

“ With doubtful words we'll still betray, And, by the greatness of thy power,

" And be control'd by none." Defend the poor from harm.

5 For God, who hears the suff’ring poor, 13 No longer let the wicked vaunt,

And their oppression knows, And, proudly boasting, say,

Will soon arise and give them rest, “ Tush, God regards not what we do;

In spite of all their foes. “ He never will repay.”

6 The word of God shall still abide, 14 But sure thou seest, and all their deeds And void of falsehood be, Impartially dost try;

As is the silver, sev'n times try'd,
The orphan, therefore, and the poor, From drossy mixture free.
On thee for aid rely.

17 The promise of his aiding grace 15 Defenceless let the wicked fall,

Shall reach its purpos'd end; Of all their strength bereft ;

His servants from this faithless race Confound, O God, their dark designs,

He ever shall defend. Till no remains are left.

8 Then shall the wicked be perplex'd, 16 Assert thy just dominion, Lord,

Nor know which way to fly; Which shall for ever stand;

When those whom they despis'd and vex'), Thou who the heathen didst expel

Shall be advanc'd on high. From this thy chosen land. *17 Thou hear'st the humble supplicants

PSALM XIII. That to thy throne repair;

TOW long wilt thou forget me, Lord?
Thou first prepar'st their hearts to pray,

And then accept'st their prayer. How long wilt thou withdraw from me,
18 Thou, in thy righteous judgment, weigh’st Oh! never to return?
The fatherless and poor;

2 How long shall anxious thoughts my soul, That so the tyrants of the earth

And grief my heart oppress
May persecute no more.

How long my enemies insult,
PSALM XI.

And I have no redress?
INCE I have plac'd my trust in God, 3 Oh! hear, and to my longing eyes

S'C Eefuge always nigh,