Psalm 68:1. 1-6 32-35. First PartThe vengeance and compassion of God. Let God arise in all his might,And put the troops of hell to flight,As smoke that sought to cloud the skiesBefore the rising tempest flies. [He comes array’d in burning flames;Justice and vengeance are his names:Behold his fainting foes expireLike melting wax before the […]

The nation’s prosperity and the church’s increase. Shine, mighty God, on Britain shineWith beams of heavenly grace;Reveal thy power thro’ all our coasts,And shew thy smiling face. [Amidst our isle, exalted high,Do thou our glory stand,And like a wall of guardian fireSurround the favourite land.] When shall thy Name, from shore to shore,Sound all the […]

Psalm 66:2. 13-20. Second PartPraise to God for hearing prayer. Now shall my solemn vows be paidTo that Almighty power,That heard the long requests I madeIn my distressful hour. My lips and cheerful heart prepareTo make his mercies known;Come, ye that fear my God, and hearThe wonders he has done. When on my head huge […]

Psalm 69:4. First Part. L. M.Christ’s passion, and sinners’ salvation. Deep in our hearts let us recordThe deeper sorrows of our Lord;Behold the rising billows rollTo overwhelm his holy soul. In long complaints he spends his breath,While hosts of hell, and powers of death,And all the sons of malice joinTo execute their curst design. Yet, […]

Psalm 69:3. Third Part. C. M.Christ’s obedience and death; or,God glorified and sinners saved. Father, I sing thy wondrous grace,I bless my Saviour’s Name,He bought salvation for the poor,And bore the sinner’s shame. His deep distress has rais’d us high,His duty and his zealFulfill’d the law which mortals broke,And finish’d all thy will. His dying […]

Psalm 69:2. 14-21 26 29 32. 2d Part. C. M.The passion and exaltation of Christ. Now let our lips with holy fearAnd mournful pleasure singThe sufferings of our great High-Priest,The sorrows of our King. He sinks in floods of deep distress:How high the waters rise!While to his heavenly Father’s earHe sends perpetual cries. “Hear me, […]

Psalm 69:1. 1-14. First Part. C. M.The sufferings of Christ for our salvation. “Save me, O God, the swelling floods“Break in upon my soul:“I sink, and sorrows o’er my head“Like mighty waters roll. “I cry till all my voice be gone,“In tears I waste the day:“My God behold my longing eyes,“And shorten thy delay. “They […]

Psalm 68:3. 19 9 20-2. Third PartPraise for temporal blessings; or,Common and special mercies. We bless the Lord, the just, the good,Who fills our hearts with joy and food;Who pours his blessings from the skies,And loads our days with rich supplies. He sends the sun his circuit round,To cheer the fruits, to warm the ground;He […]

Psalm 68:2. 17 18. Second PartChrist’s ascension, and the gift of the Spirit. Lord, when thou didst ascend on high,Ten thousand angels fill’d the sky;Those heavenly guards around thee wait,Like chariots that attend thy state. Not Sinai’s mountain could appearMore glorious when the Lord was there;While he pronounc’d his dreadful law,And struck the chosen tribes […]

The kingdom of Christ. Great God, whose universal swayThe known and unknown worlds obey,Now give the kingdom to thy Son,Extend his power, exalt his throne. Thy sceptre well becomes his hands,All heaven submits to his commands;His justice shall avenge the poor,And pride and rage prevail no more. With power he vindicates the just,And treads th’ […]

Psalm 71:3. 17-21. Third PartThe aged Christian’s prayer and song; or,Old age, death, and the resurrection. God of my childhood and my youth,The guide of all my days,I have declar’d thy heavenly truth,And told thy wondrous ways. Wilt thou forsake my hoary hairs,And leave my fainting heart?Who shall sustain my sinking yearsIf God my strength […]

Psalm 71:2. 15 14 16 23 22 24. 2d PartChrist our strength and righteousness. My Saviour, my almighty Friend,When I begin thy praise,Where will the growing numbers end,The numbers of thy grace? Thou art my everlasting trust,Thy goodness I adore;And since I knew thy graces firstI speak thy glories more. My feet shall travel all […]

Psalm 71:1. 5-9. First PartThe aged saint’s reflection and hope. My God, my everlasting hope,I live upon thy truth;Thine hands have held my childhood up,And strengthen’d all my youth. My flesh was fashion’d by thy power,With all these limbs of mine;And from my mother’s painful hourI’ve been entirely thine. Still has my life new wonders […]

Psalm 73:4. S. M.The mystery of providence unfolded. Sure there’s a righteous God,Nor is religion vain,Tho’ men of vice may boast aloud,And men of grace complain. I saw the wicked rise,And felt my heart repine,While haughty fools with scornful eyesIn robes of honour shine. [Pamper’d with wanton ease,Their flesh looks full and fair,Their wealth rolls […]

Psalm 73:3. 22 3 6 17-20. L. M.The prosperity of sinners cursed. Lord, what a thoughtless wretch was I,To mourn, and murmur, and repineTo see the wicked plac’d on high,In pride and robes of honour shine! But O their end, their dreadful end!Thy sanctuary taught me so:On slippery rocks I see them stand,And fiery billows […]

Psalm 73:2. 23-8. Second PartGod our portion here and hereafter. God my supporter and my hope,My help for ever near,Thine arm of mercy held me upWhen sinking in despair. Thy counsels, Lord, shall guide my feetThro’ this dark wilderness;Thine hand conduct me near thy seatTo dwell before thy face. Were I in heaven without my […]

Psalm 73:1. First Part. C. M.Afflicted saints happy, andprosperous sinners cursed. Now I’m convinc’d the Lord is kindTo men of heart sincere,Yet once my foolish thoughts repin’dAnd border’d on despair. I griev’d to see the wicked thrive,And spoke with angry breath,“How pleasant and profane they live!“How peaceful is their death! “With well-fed flesh and haughty […]

Christ’s kingdom among the Gentiles. Jesus shall reign where’er the sunDoes his successive journies run;His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,Till moons shall wax and wane no more. [Behold the islands with their kings,And Europe her best tribute brings;From north to south the princes meetTo pay their homage at his feet. There Persia glorious to […]

Melancholy assaulting, and hope prevailing. To God I cry’d with mournful voice,I sought his gracious ear,In the sad day when troubles rose,And fill’d the night with fear. Sad were my days, and dark my nights,My soul refus’d relief;I thought on God the just and wise,But thoughts increas’d my grief. Still I complain’d, and still opprest,My […]

Israel saved, and the Assyrians destroyed;or, God’s vengeance against his enemiesproceeds from his church. In Judah God of old was known;His Name in Israel great;In Salem stood his holy throne,And Sion was his seat. Among the praises of his saintsHis dwelling there he chose;There he receiv’d their just complaintsAgainst their haughty foes. From Sion went […]