7 Then will I teach the world thy ways: Sinners shall learn thy sov'reign grace; I'll lead them to my Saviour's blood, And they shall praise a pard'ning God. 8 O! may thy love inspire my tongue; Salvation shall be all my song:
And all my pow'rs shall join to bless
The Lord, my strength and righteousness.
PSALM 52. First Part. L. M.
The destruction of tyrants and persecutors.
VHY should the haughty tyrant boast,
His vengeful arm, his warlike host?
While blood defiles his cruel hand,
And desolation wastes the land.
2 He joys to hear the captive's cry,
The widow's groan, the orphan's sigh;
And when the weary sword would spare,
His falsehood spreads the fatal snare.
3 He triumphs in the deeds of wrong,
And arms with rage his impious tongue;
With pride proclaims his dreadful pow'r,
And bids the trembling world adore.
4 But God is good, and with a frown,
Casts to the dust his honours down:
The righteous, freed, their hopes recall,
And hail the proud oppressor's fall.
5 How low the persecutor lies,
Who dar'd th' eternal pow'r despise ;
And vainly strove, with impious joy,
The church and nation to destroy!
6 We praise the Lord, who heard our cries,
And sent salvation from the skies:
The saints who saw our mournful days.
Shall join our grateful songs of praise.
PSALM 52. Second Part. L. M.
The experience of the Lord's people in his house.
WORD in season, spoke with pow'r,
I've often heard within these walls;
But none surpassing, what this hour
Attends the precious gospel calls.
2 When Christ unveils his lovely face,
And grace for grace is largely giv'n;
A glory shines, which makes this place
The house of God, the gate of heav'n.
3 Here, in thy courts, let me be seen,
Growing in faith, and hope, and love;
Like olive fair, and fresh, and green,
And rip'ning for the world above.
4 Here will I view thy glory, Lord,
And songs for all thy goodness raise:
Here will I wait to hear thy word,
And join with saints who sing thy praise.
PSALM 53. First Part. L. M.
THERE is a God," all nature cries:
The heav'ns and earth this truth con fess;
Yet this, the atheist fool denies,
And dares his impious thoughts express.
2 The Lord, from his celestial tow'r,
Look'd down, the sons of men to view;
To see if any own'd his pow'r,
If any truth and justice knew.
3 But all he saw were gone aside,
All, in their hearts, were atheists grown;
None took religion for their guide,
Not one did God his sov'reign own.
4 O wretched state! how fall'n are men!
How guilty, helpless, lost, and dead!
They're all concluded under sin,
Their hope is gone, their peace is fled.
5 To such, the Lord his gospel sends;
For these, a Saviour he appoints;
To them his grace with pow'r extends;
And changes atheists into saints.
PSALM 53. Second Part. C. M.
Deliverance from persecution.
ARE all the foes of Zion fools,
Who thus devour her saints?
Do they not know her Saviour rules,
And pities her complaints?
2 They shall be seiz'd with sad surprise: For God's avenging arm
Scatters the bones of them, that rise
To do his children harm.
3 In vain the sons of Satan boast
Of armies in array:
When God has first dispers'd their host,
They fall an easy prey.
4 O for a word from Zion's King,
Her captives to restore!
Jacob with all his tribes shall sing,
And Judah weep no more.
PSALM 54. P. M.
The folly of persecutors.-Security of Saints.
Y God, preserve my soul;
O make my spirit whole:
To save me let thy strength appear. Strangers my steps surround; Their pride and rage confound,
And bring thy great salvation near.
2 Those that against me rise
Are aliens from the skies:
They hate thy church and kingdom, Lord!
They mock thy fearful name:
They glory in their shame,
Nor heed the wonders of thy word.
3 But O thou King divine,
My chosen friends are thine,
The men, that still my soul sustain : Wilt thou my foes subdue,
And form their hearts anew,
And snatch them from eternal pain?
4 Escap'd from ev'ry woe,
O! grant me, here below,
To praise thy name with those I love:
And, when beyond the skies,
Our souls unbodied rise,
Unite us in the realms above.
PSALM 55. First Part. C. M.
Support for the afflicted and tempted soul.
10 GOD, my refuge, hear my cries,
Behold my flowing tears:
For earth and hell my hurt devise,
And triumph in my fears.
2 Their rage is levell'd at my life;
My soul with guilt they load;
And fill my thoughts with inward strife,
To shake my hope in God.
3 With inward pain my heart-strings sound,
I groan with ev'ry breath:
Horror and fear beset me round,
Among the shades of death.
4 O! were I like a feather'd dove,
Soon would I stretch my wings;
And fly, and make a long remove
From all these restless things.
5 Let me to some wild desert go,
And find a peaceful home;
Where storms of malice never blow,
Temptations never come.
6 Vain hopes, and vain inventions all,
To 'scape the rage of hell!
The mighty God on whom I call,
Can save me here as well.
PSALM 55. Second Part. S. M.
Daily devotions.
ET sinners take their course,
And choose the road to death;
But in the worship of my God
I'll spend my daily breath.
2 My thoughts address his throne,
When morning brings the light:
I seek his blessing ev'ry noon,
And pay my vows at night.
3 Thou wilt regard my cries,
O my eternal God!
While sinners perish in surprise,
Beneath thine angry rod.
4 Because they dwell at ease,
And no sad changes feel;
They neither fear nor trust thy name,
Nor learn to do thy will.
5 But I with all my cares,
Will lean upon the Lord:
I'll cast my burdens on his arm,
And rest upon his word.
6 His arm shall well sustain
The children of his love;
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