Thro' all their life oppression reigns,

And racks the humble

poor.

5 Their impious tongues blaspheme
The everlasting God:

Their malice blasts the good man's name,
And spreads their lies abroad.
6 But I with flowing tears
Indulg'd my doubts to rise;
"Is there a God that sees or hears
"The things below the skies?"
7 The tumults of my thought
Held me in hard suspense;

Till to thy house my feet were brought,
To learn thy justice thence.

8 Thy word with light and pow'r
Did my mistake amend;

I view'd the sinners' life before,
But here I learn'd their end.
9 On what a slipp'ry steep
The thoughtless wretches go;
And, O that dreadful fiery deep,
That waits their fall below!
10 Lord, at thy feet I bow,

My thoughts no more repine;
I call my God my portion now,

1

And all my pow'rs are thine.

PSALM 73. Second Part. C. M.

God our portion here and hereafter.

GOD, my supporter, and my hope,
My help for ever near;

Thine arm of mercy held me up,
When sinking in despair.

2 Thy counsels, Lord, shall guide my feet, Thro' this dark wilderness;

Thy hand conduct me near thy seat,
To dwell before thy face.

3 Were I in heav'n without my God,
"Twould be no joy to me;

And while this earth is my abode,
I long for none but thee.

4 What if the springs of life were broke,
And flesh and heart should faint?
God is my soul's eternal rock,
The strength of ev'ry saint.

5 Behold! the sinners, that remove
Far from thy presence, die:
Not all the idol gods they love,
Can save them when they cry.

6 But to draw near to thee, my God,
Shall be my sweet employ;
My tongue shall sound thy works abroad,
And tell the world my joy.

1

PSALM 74. First Part. C. M.

The church pleading under sore persecution.
VILL God for ever cast us off?

WIL

His wrath for ever smoke
Against the people of his love,
His little chosen flock?

2 Think of the tribes so dearly bought
With their Redeemer's blood;
Nor let thy Zion be forgot,

Where once thy glory stood.

3 Lift up thy feet, and march in haste;
Aloud our ruin calls:

See what a wide and fearful waste
Is made within thy walls.

4 Where once thy churches pray'd and sang, Thy foes profanely roar;

Over thy gates their ensigns hang,
Sad tokens of their pow'r.

5 How are the seats of worship broke!
They tear the buildings down:
And he, that deals the heaviest stroke,
Procures the chief renown.

6 With flames they threaten to destroy
Thy children in their nest:
"Come, let us burn at once," they cry,
"The temple and the priest."

7 And still to heighten our distress,
Thy presence is withdrawn ;

Thy wonted signs of pow'r and grace,
Thy pow'r and grace are gone.

8 No prophet speaks to calm our woes,
The best, the wisest, mourn:

And not a friend nor promise, shows
The time of thy return.

PSALM 74. Second Part. C. M.

A Prayer of the church for deliverance from great afflictions.

1 HOW long, eternal God, how long, Shall men of pride blaspheme!

Shall saints be made their endless

And bear immortal shame ?

song,

2 Is not the world of nature thine,
The darkness and the day?
Didst thou not bid the morning shine,
And mark the sun his way?

3 Hath not thy pow'r form'd ev'ry coast,
And set the earth its bounds;

With summer's heat and winter's frost,
In their perpetual rounds?

4 And shall the sons of earth and dust
That sacred pow'r blaspheme?

Will not thy hand that form'd them first,
Avenge thine injur'd name?

5 Think on the cov'nant thou hast made,
And all thy words of love;
Nor let the birds of prey invade,
And vex thy mourning dove.

6 Our foes would triumph in our blood
And make our hope their jest:
Plead thy own cause, Almighty God,
And give thy children rest.

PSALM 75. L. M.

Praise for national deliverance.

1 TO thee, most high and holy God,

To thee our thankful hearts we raise; Thy works declare thy name abroad, Thy wond'rous works demand our praise. 2 To slav'ry doom'd, thy chosen sons Behold their foes triumphant rise; And, sore opprest by earthly thrones, They sought the sov'reign of the skies. 3 "Twas then, great God, with equal pow'r Arose thy vengeance and thy grace, To scourge their legions from the shore, And save the remnant of thy race.

4 Thy hand, that form'd the restless main, And rear'd the mountain's awful head, Bade raging seas their course restrain, And desert wilds receive their dead. 5 Such wonders never come by chance, Nor could the wind such blessings blow: "Tis God the Judge doth one advance, 'Tis God that lays another low.

6 Let haughty tyrants sink their pride, Nor lift so high their scornful head;

1

But lay their impious thoughts aside,
And own the empire God hath made.

PSALM 76. C. M.

The Church's security in God.

IN Judah, God of old was known;
His name in Israel great:

In Salem stood his holy throne,

And Zion was his seat.

2 What are the earth's wide kingdoms else,
Than mighty hills of prey?
The hill, on which Jehovah dwells
More glorious is than they.

3 'Twas Zion's king, who stopt the breath
Of captains, and their hosts:
The men of might slept fast in death
And vain were all their boasts.

4 At thy rebuke, O Jacob's God,
Both horse and chariot fell;
Who knows the terrors of thy rod!
Thy vengeance who can tell!

5 When God in his own sov'reign ways
Comes down to save th' opprest;
The wrath of man shall work his praise,
And he'll restrain the rest.

6 Vow to the Lord, and tribute bring,
Ye princes fear his frown;

His terror shakes the proudest king
And cuts an army down.

7 The thunder of his sharp rebuke
Our haughty foes shall feel:
The God of Jacob ne'er forsook,
But dwells in Zion still.