O keep my soul from death,
Nor put my hope to shame,
For I have plac'd my only trust
In my Redeemer's name.
With humble faith I wait
To see thy face again;
Of Israel it shall ne'er be said,
He sought the Lord in vain.
PSALM XXVI. (L. M.)
Self-Examination.
UDGE me, O Lord, and prove my ways, And try my reins, and try my heart; My faith upon thy promise stays,
Nor from thy law my feet depart.
2 I hate to walk, I hate to sit
With men of vanity and lies;
The scoffer and the hypocrite
Are the abhorrence of mine eyes.
3 Amongst thy saints will I appear,
With hands well-wash'd in innocence;
But when I stand before thy bar,
The blood of Christ is my defence.
4 I love thy habitation, Lord,
The temple where thine honours dwell;
There shall I hear thine holy word,
And there thy works of wonder tell.
5 Let not my soul be join'd at last
With men of treachery and blood,
Since I my days on earth have past
Among the saints and near my God.
PSALM XXVII. ver. 1-6. 1st Part. (C. M.)
The Church our Delight and Safety.
THE Lord of Glory is my light,
And my salvation too;
God is my strength, nor will I fear
What all my foes can do.
2 One privilege my heart desires;
O grant me an abode
Among the churches of thy saints,
The temples of my God!
3 There shall I offer my requests,
And see thy beauty still,
Shall hear thy messages of love,
And there enquire thy will.
4 When troubles rise, and storms appear,
There may his children hide:
God has a strong pavilion where
He makes my soul abide.
5 Now shall my head be lifted high
Above my foes around,
And songs of joy and victory
Within thy temple sound.
PSALM XXVII. 8, 9, 13, 14. 2d Part. (C. M.) Prayer and Hope.
SOON as I heard my Father say,
"Ye children, seek my grace;
My heart reply'd without delay,
"I'll seek my Father's face."
Let not thy face be hid from me,
Nor frown my soul away;
God of my life, I fly to thee
In a distressing day.
3 Should friends and kindred near and dear Leave me to want, or die;
My God would make my life his care,
And all my need supply.
4 My fainting flesh had dy'd with grief,
Had not my soul believ'd
To see thy grace provide relief,
Nor was my hope deceiv'd.
5 Wait on the Lord, ye trembling saints,
And keep your courage up;
He'll raise your spirit when it faints,
And far exceed your hope.
PSALM XXIX. (L. M.)
Storm and Thunder.
IVE to the Lord, ye sons of fame,
Give to the Lord renown and power,
Aseribe due honours to his name,
And his eternal might adore.
2 The Lord proclaims his power aloud
Over the ocean and the land;
His voice divides the watery cloud, And lightnings blaze at his command. 3 He speaks, and tempest, hail, and wind, Lay the wide forests bare around; The fearful hart, and frighted hind, Leap at the terror of the sound.
4 To Lebanon he turns his voice,
And, lo! the stately cedars break;
The mountains tremble at the noise,
The vallies roar, the desarts quake.
5 The Lord sits sovereign on the flood,
The thunderer reigns for ever king;
But makes his church his blest abode,
Where we his awful glories sing.
6 In geutler language there, the Lord
The counsels of his grace imparts;
Amidst the raging storm his word
Speaks peace and courage to our hearts.
PSALM XXX. First Part. (L.M.)
Sickness healed, and Sorrow removed.
WILL extol thee, Lord, on high,
At thy command diseases fly;
Who but a God can speak and save
From the dark borders of the grave?
2 Sing to the Lord, ye saints of his,
And tell how large his goodness is;
Let all your powers rejoice and bless,
While you record his holiness.
3 His anger but a moment stays;
His love is life and length of days;
Tho' grief and tears the night employ,
The morning-star restores the joy.
PSALM XXX. ver. 6. Second Part. (L. M.)
Health, Sickness, and Recovery.
1 FIRM was my health, my day was bright,
And I presum'd 'twou'd ne'er be night;
Fondly I said within my heart,
"Pleasure and peace shall ne'er depart." 2 But I forget thine arm was strong, Which made my mountain stand so long; Soon as thy face began to hide,
My health was gone, my comforts dy'd.
3 I ory'd aloud to thee, my God,
"What can'st thou profit by my blood?
"Deep in the dust can I declare
"Thy truth, or sing thy goodness there?
"Hear me, O God of grace!" I said,
"And bring me from among the dead:"
Thy word rebuk'd the pains I felt,
Thy pardoning love remov'd my guilt,
5 My groans, and tears, and forms of woe
Are turn'd to joy and praises now;
I throw my sackcloth on the ground,
And ease and gladness gird me round.
6 My tongue, the glory of my frame,
Shall ne'er be silent of thy name;
Thy praise shall sound thro' earth and heaven,
For sickness heal'd, and sins forgiven.
PSALM XXXI. ver. 5, 13-19, 22, 23.
First Part. (C. M.)
Deliverance from Death.
NTO thine hand, O God of truth,
My spirit I commit;
Thou hast redeem'd my soul from death,
And sav'd me from the pit.
2 The passions of my hope and fear
Maintain❜d a doubtful strife,
While sorrow, pain, and sin conspir'd
To take away my life.
3" My times are in thine hand,” I cry'd,
"Tho' I draw near the dust;"
Thou art the refuge where I hide,
The God in whom I trust.
4 make thy reconciled face
Upon thy servant shine,
And save me for thy mercy sake,
For I'm intirely thine.
5 [Twas in my haste, my spirit said, "I must despair and die;
"I am cut off before thine eyes;" But thou hast heard my cry.] 6 Thy goodness how divinely free! How wonderous is thy grace, To those that fear thy majesty, And trust thy promises!
7 O love the Lord, all ye his saints, And sing bis praises loud;
He'll bend his ear to your complaints,
And recompense the proud.
PSALM XXXI. ver. 7-13, 18-21.
Second Part. (C. M.)
Deliverance from Slander and Reproach.
MY heart rejoices in thy name,
My God, my help, my trust;
Thou hast preserv'd my face from shame,
Mine honour from the dust.
2 My life is spent with grief," I cry'd, "My years consum'd in groans,
"My strength decays, mine eyes are dry'd,
"And sorrow wastes my bones."
3 Among mine enemies, my name
Was a mere proverb grown,
While to my neighbours, I became
Forgotten and unknown.
4 Slander and fear, on every side
Seiz'd and beset me round;
I to the throne of grace apply'd,
And speedy rescue found.
5 How great deliverance thou hast wrought Before the sons of men!
The lying lips to silence brought,
And made their boastings vain!
6 Thy children, from the strife of tongues
Shall thy pavilion hide,
Guard them from infamy and wrongs,
And crush the sons of pride.
7 Within thy secret presence, Lord,
Let me for ever dwell;
No fenced city, wall'd and barr'd,
Secures a saint so well.
PSALM XXXII. (S. M.)
Forgiveness of Sin upon Confession.
Ο Blessed souls are they
Whose sins are cover'd o'er!
Divinely blest, to whom the Lord
Imputes their guilt no more!
They mourn their follies past,
And keep their hearts with care;
Their lips and lives, without deceit,
Shall prove their faith sincere.
While I conceal'd my guilt,
I felt the festering wound,
Till I confess'd my sins to thee,
And ready pardon found.
4 Let sinners learn to pray;
Let saints keep near the throne; Our help, in times of deep distress, Is found in God alone.
PSALM XXXII. (C. M.)
Free Pardon, and sincere Obedience.
HAPPY the man to whom his God
No more imputes his sin;
But, wash'd in the Redeemer's blood,
Hath made his garments clean!
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