The saint’s safety and hope in evil times;or, Sins of the tongue complained of,viz, blasphemy, falsehood, etc. Lord, if thou dost not soon appear,Virtue and truth will fly away;A faithful man, amongst us here,Will scarce be found if thou delay. The whole discourse, when neighbours meet,Is fill’d with trifles loose and vain;Their lips are flattery […]

God loves the righteous and hates the wicked. My refuge is the God of love;Why do my foes insult and cry,“Fly like a timorous trembling dove,“To distant woods or mountains fly”? If government be all destroy’d(That firm foundation of our peace)And violence make justice void,Where shall the righteous seek redress? The Lord in heaven has […]

By nature all men are sinners. Fools in their hearts believe and say,“That all religion’s vain,“There is no God that reigns on high,“Or minds th’ affairs of men.” From thoughts so dreadful and profaneCorrupt discourse proceeds;And in their impious hands are foundAbominable deeds. The Lord, from his celestial throneLook’d down on things below,To find the […]

Complaint under temptations of the devil. How long wilt thou conceal thy face?My God, how long delay?When shall I feel those heavenly raysThat chase my fears away? How long shall my poor labouring soulWrestle and toil in vain?Thy word can all my foes control,And ease my raging pain. See how the prince of darkness triesAll […]

Pleading with God under desertion;or, Hope, in darkness. How long, 0 Lord, shall I complainLike one that seeks his God in vain?Canst thou thy face for ever hide?And I still pray and be deny’d? Shall I for ever be forgotAs one whom thou regardest not?Still shall my soul thine absence mourn?And still despair of thy […]

Christ’s all-sufficiency. How fast their guilt and sorrows riseWho haste to seek some idol god!I will not taste their sacrifice,Their offerings of forbidden blood. My God provides a richer cup,And nobler food to live upon;He for my life has offer’d upJesus, his best beloved Son. His love is my perpetual feast;By day his counsels guide […]

Confession of our poverty, and saints the bestcompany; or, Good works profit men, not God. Preserve me, Lord, in time of needFor succour to thy throne I flee,But have no merits there to plead;My goodness cannot reach to thee. Oft have my heart and tongue confestHow empty and how poor I am;My praise can never […]

Religion and justice, goodness and truth;or, Duties to God and man;or, The qualifications of a Christian. Who shall ascend thy heavenly place,Great God, and dwell before thy face?The man that minds religion now,And humbly walks with God below: Whose hands are pure, whose heart is clean,Whose lips still speak the thing they mean;No slanders dwell […]

Characters of a saint; or, a citizen of Zion;or, The qualifications of a Christian. Who shall inhabit in thy hill,O God of holiness?Whom will the Lord admit to dwellSo near his throne of grace? The man that walks in pious ways,And works with righteous hands;That trusts his Maker’s promises,And follows his commands. He speaks the […]

The folly of persecutors. Are sinners now so senseless grownThat they thy saints devour?And never worship at thy throne,Nor fear thine awful power? Great God appear to their surprise,Reveal thy dreadful name;Let them no more thy wrath despise,Nor turn our hope to shame. Dost thou not dwell among the just?And yet our foes deride,That we […]

The death and resurrection of Christ. I Set the Lord before my face,“He bears my courage up;“My heart, and tongue, their joys express,“My flesh shall rest in hope. “My spirit, Lord, thou wilt not leave“Where souls departed are;“Nor quit my body to the grave“To see corruption there. “Thou wilt reveal the path of life,“And raise […]

Support and counsel from God without merit. Save me, O Lord, from every foe;In thee my trust I place,Tho’ all the good that I can doCan ne’er deserve thy grace. Yet if my God prolong my breathThe saints may profit by’t;The saints, the glory of the earth,The men of my delight. Let heathens to their […]

Courage in death, and hope of the resurrection. When God is nigh, my faith is strong,His arm is my almighty prop:Be glad, my heart; rejoice, my tongue,My dying flesh shall rest in hope. Tho’ in the dust I lay my head,Yet, gracious God, thou wilt not leaveMy soul for ever with the dead,Nor lose thy […]

Psalm 18:1. 1-6 15-18. First Part. L. M.Deliverance from despair; or, Temptations overcome. Thee will I love, O Lord, my strength,My rock, my tower, my high defence,Thy mighty arm shall be my trust,For I have found salvation thence. Death, and the terrors of the graveStood round me with their dismal shade;While floods of high temptations […]

The sinner’s portion, and saint’s hope; or, Theheaven of separate souls, and the resurrection. Lord, I am thine; but thou wilt proveMy faith, my patience, and my love;When men of spite against me join,They are the sword, the hand is thine. Their hope and portion lies below;‘Tis all the happiness they know,‘Tis all they seek; […]

Portion of saints and sinners;or, Hope and despair in death. Arise, my gracious God,And make the wicked flee;They are but thy chastising rodTo drive thy saints to thee. Behold the sinner dies,His haughty words are vain;Here in this life his pleasure lies,And all beyond is pain. Then let his pride advance,And boast of all his […]

Psalm 18:5. Second Part. C. M.The conqueror’s song. To thine almighty arm we oweThe triumphs of the dayThy terrors, Lord, confound the foe,And melt their strength away. ‘Tis by thine aid our troops prevail,And break united powers,Or burn their boasted fleets, or scaleThe proudest of their towers. How have we chas’d them thro’ the field,And […]

Psalm 18:4. First Part. C. M.Victory and triumph over temporal enemies. We love thee, Lord, and we adore,Now is thine arm reveal’d;Thou art our strength, our heavenly tower,Our bulwark and our shield. We fly to our eternal rock,And find a sure defence;His holy name our lips invoke,And draw salvation thence. When God, our leader, shines […]

Psalm 18:3. 30 31 34 35 46. 3d Part. L. M.Rejoicing in God; or, Salvation and triumph. Just are thy ways, and true thy word,Great rock of my secure abode;Who is a God beside the Lord?Or where’s a refuge like our God? ‘Tis he that girds me with his might,Gives me his holy sword to […]

Psalm 18:2. 20-26. Second Part. L. M.Sincerity proved and rewarded. Lord, thou hast seen my soul sincere,Hast made thy truth and love appear;Before mine eyes I set thy laws,And thou hast own’d my righteous cause. Since I have learnt thy holy ways,I’ve walk’d upright before thy face;Or if my feet did e’er depart,‘Twas never with […]