Whose happy race, securely fix'd,
shall in thy presence live.

PSALM CIII.

1, 2 M God's holy name for ever bless;

Y soul, inspir'd with sacred love,

Of all his favours mindful prove,

and still thy grateful thanks express. 3, 4 'Tis he that all thy sins forgives,

and after sickness makes thee sound; From danger he thy life retrieves,

by him with grace and mercy crown'd. 5, 6 He with good things thy mouth supplies, thy vigour, eagle-like, renews;

He, when the guiltless suff'rer cries, his foe with just revenge pursues. 7 God made of old his righteous ways to Moses and our fathers known; His works, to his eternal praise,

were to the sons of Jacob shown.
8 The Lord abounds with tender love,
and unexampled acts of grace;
His waken'd wrath doth slowly move,
his willing mercy flies apace.

9, 10 God will not always harshly chide,
but with his anger quickly part;
And loves his punishments to guide
more by his love than our desert.
11 As high as heaven its arch extends
above this little spot of clay,

So much his boundless love transcends
the small respects that we can pay.
12, 13 As far as 'tis from east to west,
so far has he our sins remov'd;
Who, with a father's tender breast,
has such as fear'd him always lov'd.
14, 15 For God, who all our frame surveys,
considers that we are but clay;

How fresh soe'er we seem, our days
like grass or flowers must fade

away.

16, 17 Whilst they are nipt with sudden blasts,

nor can we find their former place;

God's faithful mercy ever lasts,

to those that fear him, and their race.

18 This shall attend on such as still
proceed in his appointed way;
And who not only know his will,
but to it just obedience pay.
19, 20 The Lord, the universal King,
in heaven has fix'd his lofty throne:
To him, ye angels, praises sing,

in whose great strength his power is shown.

Ye that his just commands obey, and hear and do his sacred will, 21 Ye hosts of his,, this tribute pay, who still what he ordains fulfil. 22 Let every creature jointly bless the mighty Lord; and thou, my heart, With grateful joy thy thanks express, and in this concert bear thy part.

1

B

PSALM CIV.

LESS God, my soul: thou, Lord, alone possessest empire without bounds;

With honour thou art crown'd, thy throne eternal majesty surrounds.

2 With light thou dost thyself enrobe, and glory for a garment take; Heaven's curtains stretch beyond the globe, thy canopy of state to make.

3 God builds on liquid air, and forms his palace chambers in the skies; The clouds his chariots are, and storms the swift-wing'd steeds with which he flies. 4 As bright as flame, as swift as wind, his ministers heaven's palace fill, To have their sundry tasks assign'd, all proud to serve their Sov'reign's will. 5, 6 Earth on her centre fix'd, he set, her face with waters overspread; Nor proudest mountains dared as yet to lift above the waves their head. 7 But when thy awful face appear'd,

th' insulting waves dispers'd; they fled, When once thy thunder's voice they heard, and by their haste confess'd their dread. 8 Thence up by secret tracts they creep, and, gushing from the mountain's side, Through valleys travel to the deep appointed to receive their tide.

9 There hast thou fix'd the ocean's bounds, the threat'ning surges to repel;

That they no more o'erpass their mounds, nor to a second deluge swell.

PART II.

10 Yet thence in smaller parties drawn,
the sea recovers her lost hills;
And starting springs from every lawn
surprise the vales with plenteous rills.
11 The field's tame beasts are thither led,
weary with labour, faint with drought;
And asses on wild mountains bred

have sense to find these currents out.

PART IV.

25 But still the vast unfathom'd.main,
of wonders a new scene supplies,
Whose depths inhabitants contain
of every form, and every size.
26 Full-freighted ships from every port
there cut their unmolested way;
Leviathan, whom there to sport

thou mad'st, has compass there to play.
27 These various troops of sea and land
in sense of common want agree;
All wait on thy dispensing hand,
and have their daily alms from thee.
28 They gather what thy stores disperse,
without their trouble to provide;
Thou op'st thy hand, the universe,
the craving world, is all supply'd.
29 Thou for a moment hid'st thy face,

the num❜rous ranks of creatures mourn; Thou tak'st their breath, all nature's race forthwith to mother earth return. 30 Again thou send'st thy spirit forth t' inspire the mass with vital seed; Nature's restor'd, and parent earth smiles on her new-created breed.. 31 Thus through successive ages stands firm fix'd thy providential care; Pleas'd with the work of thy own hands, thou dost the waste of time repair.

32 One look of thine, one wrathful look, earth's panting breast with terror fills; One touch from thee, with clouds of smoke in darkness shrouds the proudest hills. 33 In praising God, while he prolongs

my breath, I will that breath employ; 34 And join devotion to my songs, sincere, as in him is my joy.

35 While sinners from earth's face are hurl'd, my soul, praise thou his holy name, Till with my song the list'ning world join concert, and his praise proclaim.

PSALM CV.

RENDER thanks, and bless the Lord; invoke his sacred name; Acquaint the nations with his deeds, his matchless deeds proclaim.

2 Sing to his praise in lofty hymns;

his wondrous works rehearse;

Make them the theme of your discourse, and subject of your verse.

3 Rejoice in his Almighty name, alone to be ador'd;

And let their hearts o'erflow with joy that humbly seek the Lord.

4 Seek ye the Lord, his saving strength devoutly still implore;

And, where he's eyer present, seek his face for evermore.

5 The wonders that his hands have wrought keep thankfully in mind;

The righteous statutes of his mouth, and laws to us assign'd.

6 Know ye, his servant Abra'm's seed, and Jacob's chosen race;

7 He's still our God, his judgments still throughout the earth take place.

8 His cov❜nant he hath kept in mind for num'rous ages past,

Which yet for thousand ages more in equal force shall last.

9 First sign'd to Abra'm, next by oath to Isaac made secure;

10 To Jacob, and his heirs a law, for ever to endure:

11 That Canaan's land should be their lot, when yet but few they were;

12 But few in number, and those few all friendless strangers there.

13 In pilgrimage, from realm to realm, securely they remov'd;

14 Whilst proudest monarchs, for their sakes
severely he reprov'd.

15 "These mine anointed are," said he;
"let none my servants wrong;
"Nor treat the poorest prophet ill,
"that does to me belong."

16 A dearth at last, by his command,
did through the land prevail;
Till corn, the chief support of life,
sustaining corn, did fail.

17 But his indulgent providence

had pious Joseph sent,

Sold into Egypt, but their death,

who sold him, to prevent.

18 His feet with heavy chains were crush'd,

with calumny his fame

;

19 Till God's appointed time and word

to his deliv'rance came.

20 The king his sovereign order sent, and rescu'd him with speed; Whom private malice had confin'd, the people's ruler freed.