Psalm 1:1. Common MetreThe way and end of the righteous and the wicked. Blest is the man who shuns the placeWhere sinners love to meet;Who fears to tread their wicked ways,And hates the scoffer’s seat: But in the statutes of the LordHas plac’d his chief delight;By day he reads or hears the word,And meditates by […]

Doubts and fears supprest; or, Godour defence from sin and Satan. My God, how many are my fears!How fast my foes increase!Conspiring my eternal death,They break my present peace. The lying tempter would persuadeThere’s no relief in heaven;And all my swelling sins appearToo big to be forgiven. But thou, my glory and my strength,Shalt on […]

Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension. Why did the Jews proclaim their rage?The Romans why their swords employ?Against the Lord their powers engageHis dear anointed to destroy? “Come, let us break his bands,” they say,“This man shall never give us laws;”And thus they cast his yoke away,And nail’d the monarch to the cross. But God, who […]

The same. Why did the nations join to slayThe Lord’s anointed Son?Why did they cast his laws away,And tread his gospel down? The Lord that sits above the skies,Derides their rage below,He speaks with vengeance in his eyes,And strikes their spirits thro’. “I call him my Eternal Son,“And raise him from the dead;“I make my […]

Translated according to the divine pattern,Acts iv. 24 etc. Christ dying, rising, interceding, and reigning. [Maker and sovereign LordOf heaven, and earth, and seas,Thy providence confirms thy word,And answers thy decrees. The things so long foretoldBy David are fulfill’d,When Jews and Gentiles join to slayJesus, thine holy child.] Why did the Gentiles rage,And Jews with […]

Psalm 4:2. 3 4 5 8. C. M.An evening Psalm. Lord, thou wilt hear me when I prayI am for ever thine:I fear before thee all the day,Nor would I dare to sin. And while I rest my weary headFrom cares and business free,‘Tis sweet conversing on my bedWith my own heart and thee. I […]

Psalm 4:1. 1 2 3 5 6 7. L. M.Hearing prayer; or, God ourportion, and Christ our hope. O God of grace and righteousness,Hear and attend when I complain;Thou hast enlarg’d me in distress,Bow down a gracious ear again. Ye sons of men, in vain ye tryTo turn my glory into shame;How long will scoffers […]

Psalm 3:2. 1 2 3 4 5 8. L. M.A morning Psalm. O Lord, how many are my foes,In this weak state of flesh and blood!My peace they daily discompose,But my defence and hope is God. Tir’d with the burdens of the day,To thee I rais’d an evening cry;Thou heardst when I began to pray,And […]

Temptations in sickness overcome. Lord, I can suffer thy rebukes,When thou with kindness dost chastiseBut thy fierce wrath I cannot bear,O let it not against me rise! Pity my languishing estate,And ease the sorrows that I feel;The wounds thine heavy hand hath made,O let thy gentler touches heal. See how I pass my weary daysIn […]

Complaint in sickness;or, diseases healed. In anger, Lord, rebuke me not,Withdraw the dreadful storm;Nor let thy fury grow so hotAgainst a feeble worm. My soul’s bow’d down with heavy cares,My flesh with pain oppress’d;My couch is witness to my tears,My tears forbid my rest. Sorrow and pain wear out my days;I waste the night with […]

For the Lord’s day morning. Lord, in the morning thou shalt hearMy voice ascending high;To thee will I direct my prayer,To thee lift up mine eye; Up to the hills where Christ is goneTo plead for all his saints,Presenting at his Father’s throneOur songs and our complaints. Thou art a God before whose sightThe wicked […]

First Part. L. M.The Hosanna of the children;or, Infants praising God. Almighty Ruler of the skies,Thro’ the wide earth thy name is spread,And thine eternal glories riseO’er all the heavens thy hands have made. To thee the voices of the youngA monument of honour raise;And babes, with uninstructed tongue,Declare the wonders of thy praise. Thy […]

Christ’s condescension andglorification; or, God made man. O Lord, our Lord, how wondrous greatIs thine exalted name!The glories of thy heavenly stateLet men and babes proclaim. When I behold thy works on high,The moon that rules the night,And stars that well adorn the sky,Those moving worlds of light; Lord, what is man, or all his […]

God’s sovereignty and goodness; andman’s dominion over the creatures. O Lord, our heavenly King,Thy name is all divine;Thy glories round the earth are spread,And o’er the heavens they shine. When to thy works on highI raise my wondering eyes,And see the moon complete in lightAdorn the darksome skies: When I survey the stars,And all their […]

God’s care of his people andpunishment of persecutors. My trust is in my heavenly Friend,My hope in thee, my God;Rise and my helpless life defendFrom those that seek my blood. With insolence and fury theyMy soul in pieces tear,As hungry lions rend the preyWhen no deliverer’s near. If I had e’er provok’d them first,Or once […]

Prayer heard, and saints saved; or, Pride,Atheism, and oppression punished. For a humiliation day. Why doth the Lord stand off so far,And why conceal his face,When great calamities appear,And times of deep distress? Lord, shall the wicked still derideThy justice and thy pow’r?Shall they advance their heads in pride,And still thy saints devour? They put […]

The wisdom and equity of providence. When the great Judge, supreme and just,Shall once inquire for blood,The humble souls, that mourn in dust,Shall find a faithful God. He from the dreadful gates of deathDoes his own children raise:In Zion’s gates, with cheerful breath,They sing their Father’s praise. His foes shall fail with heedless feetInto the […]

Wrath and mercy from the judgment-seat. With my whole heart I’ll raise my song,Thy wonders I’ll proclaim;Thou sov’reign judge of right and wrongWilt put my foes to shame. I’ll sing thy majesty and grace;My God prepares his throneTo judge the world in righteousnessAnd make his vengeance known. Then shall the Lord a refuge proveFor all […]

Second Part. L. M.Adam and Christ, lords ofthe old and the new creation. Lord, what was man, when made at first,Adam the offspring of the dust,That thou shouldst set him and his raceBut just below an angel’s place? That thou shouldst raise his nature soAnd make him lord of all below;Make every beast and bird […]

Complaint of a general corruption of manners; or,The promise and signs of Christ’s coming to judgment. Help, Lord, for men of virtue fail,Religion loses ground,The sons of violence prevail,And treacheries abound. Their oaths and promises they break,Yet act the flatterer’s part;With fair deceitful lips they speak,And with a double heart. If we reprove some hateful […]