His ready tongue declares to men,
What he has learned of God.

5 The law and gospel of the Lord
Deep in his heart abide;

Led by the Spirit and the word,
His feet shall never slide.

6 When sinners fall, the righteous stand
Preserved from every snare;

They shall possess the promised land
And dwell for ever there.

RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED CONTRASTED.

1 MY God, the steps of pious men
Are ordered by Thy will:

WATTS.

Though they should fall, they rise again,
Thy hand supports them still.

2 The Lord delights to see their ways,
Their virtue He approves;

He ne'er deprives them of His grace,
Nor leaves the men He loves.

3 The heavenly heritage is theirs,
Their portion and their home:

He feeds them now, and makes them heirs
Of blessings long to come.

4 Wait on the Lord, ye sons of men,
Nor fear when tyrants frown:
Ye shall confess their pride was vain,
When justice casts them down.

5 The haughty sinner I have seen,
Not fearing man or God,

Like a tall bay tree fair and green,
Spreading his arms abroad.

6 And lo! he vanished from the ground

Destroyed by hands unseen:

38

Nor root, nor branch, nor leaf was found
Where all that pride had been.

7 But mark the man of righteousness,
His several steps attend:

True pleasure runs through all his ways,
And peaceful is his end.

C. M.

THE TROUBLED CONSCIENCE RELIEVED.

1 AMID Thy wrath remember love,
Restore Thy servant, Lord;

Nor let a father's chastening prove
Like an avenger's sword.

2 Thine arrows stick within my heart,
My flesh is sorely pressed:
Between the sorrow and the smart,
My spirit finds no rest.

3 My sins a heavy load appear,
And o'er my head are gone;
Too heavy for my soul to bear,
Too hard for me t' atone.

4 My thoughts are like a troubled sea,
My head still bending down;
And I go mourning all the day,
Beneath my Father's frown.

5 Lord, I am weak and broken sore,
None of my powers are whole :
The inward anguish makes me roar,
The anguish of my soul.

6 All my desire to Thee is known,
Thine eye counts every tear;
And every sigh, and every groan,
Is noticed by thine ear.

7 Thou art my God, my only hope;
My God will hear my cry;

WATTS.

My God will bear my spirit up,
When Satan bids me die.

8 My foes rejoice to see me slide
Into the miry pit:

They raise their pleasure and their pride
When they supplant my feet.

9 But I'll confess my guilt to Thee,
And grieve for all my sin:
I feel how weak my graces be,
And beg support divine.

10 My God, forgive my follies past,
And be for ever nigh;
O Lord of my salvation, haste,
Before Thy servant die.

WATCHFULNESS OVER THE TONGUE.

1 THUS I resolved before the Lord:
"Now will I watch my tongue;
Lest I let slip one sinful word,
Or do my neighbour wrong."

2 And, if I'm e'er constrained to stay
With men of lives profane;
I'll set a double guard that day,
Nor let my talk be vain.

3 I'll scarce allow my lips to speak
The pious thoughts I feel;
Lest scoffers should th' occasion take
To mock my holy zeal.

4 Yet if some proper hour appear,
I'll not be overawed;

But let the scoffing sinners hear,
That I can speak for God.

WATTS.

THE VANITY OF MAN AS MORTAL.

1 TEACH me the measure of my days,
Thou Maker of my frame:

I would survey life's narrow space,
And learn how frail I am.

2 A span is all that we can boast;
How short, how fleet our time!
Man is but vanity and dust,
In all his flower and prime.

WATTS.

3 See the vain race of mortals move
Like shadows o'er the plain:
They rage and strive, desire and love,
But all their noise is vain.

4 Some walk in honour's gaudy show;
Some dig for golden ore;

They toil for heirs they know not who,
And straight are seen no more.

5 What should I wish or wait for then,
From creatures, earth and dust?
They make our expectations vain,
And disappoint our trust.

6 Now I forbid my carnal hope,
My fond desires recall;

I give my mortal interest up,
And make my God my all.

39-PART III.

C. M.

SICK-BED DEVOTIONS.

1 GOD of my life, look gently down,
Behold the pains I feel;

But I am dumb before Thy throne,
Nor dare dispute Thy will.

2 Diseases are Thy servants, Lord,
They come at Thy command:

WATTS.

I'll not attempt a murmuring word,
Against Thy chastening hand.

3 Yet I may plead with humble cries,
Remove Thy sharp rebukes:

My strength consumes, my spirit dies,
Through Thy repeated strokes.

4 Crushed as a moth beneath Thy hand,
We moulder to the dust:

Our feeble powers can ne'er withstand,
And all our beauty's lost.

5 This mortal life decays apace,
How soon the bubble's broke!
Adam, and all his numerous race,
Are vanity and smoke.

6 I'm but a sojourner below,
As all my fathers were;
May I be well prepared to go,
When I the summons hear!

7 But, if my life be spared a while
Before my last remove;

Thy praise shall be my business still,
And I'll declare Thy love.

DELIVERANCE FROM GREAT DISTRESS.

1 I WAITED patient for the Lord;
He bowed to hear my cry:
He saw me resting on His word,
And brought salvation nigh.

2 He raised me from a horrid pit,
Where mourning long I lay;

And from my bonds released my feet,
Deep bonds of miry clay.

3 Firm on a rock He made me stand;
And taught my cheerful tongue

WATTS.