Holy fear, and tenderness of conscience. Ver. 10.With my whole heart I’ve sought thy face,O let me never strayFrom thy commands, O God of grace,Nor tread the sinner’s way. Ver. 11.Thy word I’ve hid within my heartTo keep my conscience clean,And be an everlasting guardFrom every rising sin. Ver. 63 53 158.I’m a companion of […]

Desire of knowledge; or, Theteachings of the Spirit with the word. Ver. 64 66 18.Thy mercies fill the earth, O Lord,How good thy works appear!Open mine eyes to read thy word,And see thy wonders there. Ver. 73 125.My heart was fashion’d by thy hand,My service is thy due:O make thy servant understandThe duties he must […]

Pleading the promises. Ver. 38 49.Behold thy waiting servant, Lord,Devoted to thy fear;Remember and confirm thy word,For all my hopes are there. Ver. 41 58 107.Hast thou not writ salvation down,And promis’d quickening grace?Doth not my heart address thy throne?And yet thy love delays. Ver. 132 42.Mine eyes for thy salvation fail;O bear thy servant […]

Holiness and comfort from the word. Ver. 128.Lord, I esteem thy judgments right,And all thy statutes just;Thence I maintain a constant fightWith every flattering lust. Ver. 97 9.Thy precepts often I survey;I keep thy law in sight,Thro’ all the business of the day,To form my actions right. Ver. 62.My heart in midnight silence cries,“How sweet […]

Imperfection of nature,and perfection of scripture. Ver. 96. paraphrased.Let all the heathen writers joinTo form one perfect book,Great God, if once compar’d with thine,How mean their writings look! Not the most perfect rules they gaveCould shew one sin forgiven,Nor lead a step beyond the grave;But thine conduct to heaven. I’ve seen an end of what […]

The word of God is the saint’s portion; or,The excellency and variety of scripture. Ver. 111. paraphrased.Lord, I have made thy word my choice,My lasting heritage;There shall my noblest powers rejoice,My warmest thoughts engage. I’ll read the histories of thy love,And keep thy laws in sight,While thro’ the promises I rove,With ever fresh delight. ‘Tis […]

Instruction from scripture. Ver. 9.How shall the young secure their hearts,And guard their lives from sin?Thy word the choicest rules impartsTo keep the conscience clean. Ver. 130.When once it enters to the mind,It spreads such light abroad,The meanest souls instruction find,And raise their thoughts to God. Ver. 105.‘Tis like the sun, a heavenly light,That guides […]

Delight in scripture; or, Theword of God dwelling in us. Ver. 97.O How I love thy holy law!‘Tis daily my delight;And thence my meditations drawDivine advice by night. Ver. 148.My waking eyes prevent the dayTo meditate thy word;My soul with longing melts awayTo hear thy gospel, Lord. Ver. 3 13 54.How doth thy word my […]

Profession: of sincerity, repentance, and obedience. Ver. 57 60.Thou art my portion, O my God;Soon as I know thy way,My heart makes haste t’ obey thy word,And suffers no delay. Ver. 30 14.I choose the path of heavenly truth,And glory in my choice:Not all the riches of the earthCould make me so rejoice. The testimonies […]

The blessedness of saints, and misery of sinners.Ver. 1 2 3. Blest are the undefil’d in heart,Whose ways are right and clean;Who never from thy law depart,But fly front every sin. Blest are the men that keep thy word,And practise thy commands;With their whole heart they seek the Lord,And serve thee with their hands. Ver. […]

Secret devotion and spiritual mindedness;or, Constant converse with God. Ver. 147 55.1 TO thee, before the dawning light,My gracious God, I pray;I meditate thy Name by night,And keep thy law by day. Ver. 81.2 My spirit faints to see thy grace,Thy promise bears me up;And while salvation long delays,Thy word supports my hope. Ver. 164.3 […]

Psalm 118:6. 22-27. L. M.An hosanna for the Lord’s day; or,A new song of salvation by Christ. Lo! what a glorious corner-stoneThe Jewish builders did refuse;But God hath built his church thereon,In spite of envy and the Jews. Great God, the work is all divine,The joy and wonder of our eyes;This is the day that […]

I have collected and disposed the most usefulverses of this psalm under eighteen different heads, andformed a divine song upon each of them. But the versesare much transposed to attain some degree of connection. In some places, among the words “law,” “commands,”“judgments,” “testimonies,” I have used “gospel,” “word,”“grace,” “truth,” “promises,” etc. as more agreeable to […]

Psalm 118:3. 22 23. Third PartChrist the foundation of his church. Behold the sure foundation-stoneWhich God in Zion laysTo build our heavenly hopes upon,And his eternal praise. Chosen of God, to sinners dear,And saints adore the Name,They trust their whole salvation here,Nor shall they suffer shame. The foolish builders, scribe and priest,Reject it with disdain;Yet […]

Psalm 118:4. 24 25 26. Fourth PartHosanna; the Lord’s day; or, Christ’sresurrection and our salvation. This is the day the Lord hath made,He calls the hours his own;Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad,And praise surround the throne. To-day he rose and left the dead,And Satan’s empire fell;To-day the saints his triumphs spread,And all his […]

Psalm 118:5. 22-27. S. M.An hosanna for the Lord’s day; or,A new song of salvation by Christ. See what a living-stoneThe builders did refuse;Yet God hath built his church thereonIn spite of envious Jews. The scribe and angry priestReject thine only Son;Yet on this rock shall Zion rest,As the chief corner-stone. The work, O Lord, […]

Psalm 118:2. 17-21. Second PartPublic praise for deliverance from death. Lord, thou hast heard thy servant cry,And rescu’d from the grave;Now shall he live: (and none can dieIf God resolve to save.) Thy praise, more constant than before,Shall fill his daily breath;Thy hand that hath chastis’d him sore,Defends him still from death. Open the gates […]

Psalm 117:3. S. M. Thy Name, almighty Lord,Shall sound thro’ distant lands;Great is thy grace, and sure thy word,Thy truth for ever stands. Far be thine honour spread,And long thy praise endure,Till morning light and evening shadeShall be exchang’d no more.

Psalm 118:1. 6-15. First PartDeliverance from a tumult. The Lord appears my helper now,Nor is my faith afraidWhat all the sons of earth can do,Since heaven affords its aid. ‘Tis safer, Lord, to hope in thee,And have my God my friend,Than trust in men of high degree,And on their truth depend. Like bees my foes […]

Psalm 117:1. C. M.Praise to God from all nations. O all ye nations, praise the Lord,Each with a different tongue;In every language learn his word,And let his Name be sung. His mercy reigns thro’ every land;Proclaim his grace abroad;For ever firm his truth shall stand,Praise ye the faithful God.