'5 Jehovah is set o'er waterfloods high;

His kingdom is fix'd, and never shall cease: Jehovah His people with strength shall supply, Jehovah shall visit His people with peace.

The Power of the Word in the Kingdom of Grace

1 SONS of the Mighty!, rise, and bring
Your off'rings to th' Eternal King.
Own 'tis Jehovah, while you rise,
Your glory and your strength supplies.
2 The glory His-confess the claim,
And yield due honours to his Name:
And, while his holy courts ye throng,
Swear to Jehovah in your song.

3 Though rough as waves which sweep the main,
His Voice the people can restrain:
The God of Glory! o'er our souls
His Word, like solemn thunders, rolls.
4 His Word, all powerful to fulfil
Th' eternal counsels of his will,
With awful Majesty array'd,

Subdues the world His hand has made. 5 The mountains bow, the cedars rend, Lo! at His high command they bend! So through the world his Gospel ran, And bow'd the rebel heart of man. 6 His Word, like lightning from the skies, Strikes deep-and quick conviction flies: The Gentiles tremble and adore, Through earth, to its remotest shore. 7 Stript of his glory, when He calls, Man's towering pride reluctant falls: His Word, with piercing search, reveals Where guilt its secret haunt conceals. 8 Now in his temple, round his throne, His prostrate Church their Lord shall own: Though sinners rage against his Name, High o'er the floods He sits supreme. 9 Jesus is King! enthron'd on high, He reigns through all eternity! His glory shall his Church increase, With strength divine and endless peace!

This devout hymn was composed probably by David, on his revisiting the sanctuary, after a joyful recovery from some dangerous sickness. It is finely adapted to the case of the true David; and of Christians, His disciples

and followers.

FIRST PART. (vv. 1-5.)

L. M.

Sickness healed, and Sorrow removed.

1 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;
Though grief and tears the night employ,
The Morning-star restores the joy.

SECOND PART. (vv. 6-12.) L. M.
Health, Sickness, and Recovery.

1 FIRM was my health, my day was bright,
And I presum'd 'twould ne'er be night:
Fondly I said within my heart,

"Pleasure and peace shall ne'er depart!" 2 But I forgot thine arm was strong, Which made my mountain stand so long: Soon as thy face began to hide,

My health was gone, my comforts died. 3 I cried aloud to Thee, my God, "What canst Thou profit by my blood? Deep in the dust can I declare

Thy truth, or sing thy goodness there? 4 Hear me, O God of Grace," I said,

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And bring me from among the dead!"
Thy word rebuk'd the pains I felt,
Thy pard'ning 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.

In this Psalm, with one sentence of which in His mouth Christ expired on the Cross, Luke xxiii. 46, we hear the True David, like his representative of oldsupplicating for deliverance, and rejoicing in the Divine favour and assistance --describing His afflicted state, but returning again to prayer-celebrating the mercies of God to the children of men-and exhorting His saints to courage and perseverance, under their troubles in the world.

FIRST PART. (vv. 1-8.) S. M.

Christ supplicating and obtaining deliverance in His Sufferings. 1 IN Thee, O Lord, I trust:

My hope is in thy Name:
In righteousness deliver me,
Nor put my soul to shame.

2 From heaven bow down thine ear,
My cause in mercy plead:
My Rock, my Fortress, my Defence,
Vouchsafe my soul to lead.

3 From every snare preserve,
From every foe defend:

For thy Name's sake, O God, my Strength,
Divine protection send!

4 Into thy hands, O Lord,

My spirit I commend:

Thou hast redeem'd me, God of Truth,
In death be Thou my friend.

5 I will be glad and praise,

And in thy Name rejoice:

In sorrow Thou hast known my soul,
And heard my suppliant voice.

SECOND PART. (vv. 9-16.)

S. M.

The Afflictions and the Support of Christ.

1 MY trouble, Lord, regard:

My God, my fears controul:
My eye consumes, my spirit faints,
My body and my soul.

2 My life is spent with grief,

In sighing pass my years:
My strength consumes, because of sin,
In grief, distress, and tears.

3 Reproach'd, cast out, despis'd;

By friends, by foes oppress'd;
Harass'd with fears, on every side,
Forsaken, and distress'd-

4 Yet still Thou art my God,
Although by man abhorr'd:
Thou art the Refuge of my soul,
My trust is in thy Word.

5 My times are in thy hand,
My great, Almighty Friend:
When persecuting foes combine,
Do Thou my soul defend.
6 Oh, grant me to behold

Thy power, thy truth, thy grace!
Lord, for thy mercy's sake, display
The brightness of thy face!

THIRD PART. (vv. 19-22.) s. M.
Christ celebrates Divine Mercy.

1 THY goodness, Lord, how great!
Eternally the same!

Before the sons of men laid up
For those who fear thy Name.
2 Thy presence shall protect,
Thy watchful care shall hide:
In the pavilion of thy love
Secure thy saints abide.

3 For ever bless the Lord,
His great Salvation tell

His marv'lous loving-kindness keeps
The city where we dwell.

4 Despond not of his truth,

Nor yield to anxious grief:

God heard my voice, when in distress I sought and found relief.

FOURTH PART. (vv. 23, 24.)

Christ exhorts to courage.

ALL ye Saints, the Lord
With eager love pursue;

Who to the just will help afford,
And give the proud their due.

2 Ye who on God rely,

Courageously proceed;

For He will still your hearts supply
With strength in time of need.

S. M.

This Psalm is the Second of those styled Penitential.
FIRST PART. (vv. 1, 2.) L. M.
Justification and Sanctification.

1 BLESS'D is the man, for ever bless'd,
Whose guilt is pardon'd by his God;
Whose sins with sorrow are confess'd,
And cover'd with his Saviour's blood.
2 Bless'd is the man to whom the Lord
Imputes not his iniquities:

He pleads no merit of reward,
And not on works, but grace relies.
3 From guile his heart and lips are free:
His humble joy, his holy fear,
With deep repentance well agree,
And join to prove his faith sincere.
4 How glorious is that righteousness,
Which hides and cancels all his sins!
While a bright evidence of grace
Through his whole life appears and shines.
SECOND PART. (vv. 3-8.) L. M.
Confession and Pardon.

1 WHILE I keep silence, and conceal My heavy guilt within my heart,

What torments doth my conscience feel! What agonies of inward smart! 2 I spread my sins before the Lord, And all my secret faults confess; Thy Gospel speaks a pard'ning word, Thy Holy Spirit seals the grace. 3 For this shall every humble soul Make swift addresses to thy seat: When floods of huge temptations roll, There shall they find a blest retreat. 4 How safe beneath thy wings I lie, When days grow dark, and storms appear And when I walk, thy watchful eye Shall guide me safe from every snare. PSALM XXXIII.

1

Creatures vain, and God all-sufficient.
(vv. 12-22.) r. M.

OH happy nation, where the Lord

Reveals the treasure of his Word,

!

And builds his Church, his earthly throne!