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.
PSALM 39. Third Part. C. M.
Sick-bed devotion.
1G 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:
I'll not attempt a murm'ring word,
Against thy chast'ning hand.
OD of my life, look gently down,
3 Yet I may plead with humble cries, "Remove thy sharp rebukes:" My strength consumes, my spirit dies, Thro' thy repeated strokes.
4 Crush'd as a moth beneath thy hand,
We moulder to the dust:
Our feeble pow'rs 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 num'rous race,
Are vanity and smoke.
6 I'm but a sojourner below,
As all my fathers were :
May I be well prepar'd to go,
When I the summons hear.
7 But, if my life be spar'd a while
Before my last remove;
Thy praise shall be my bus'ness still,
And I'll declare thy love.
PSALM 40. First Part. C. M.
Deliverance from great distress. WAITED patient for the Lord; He bow'd to hear my cry; He saw me resting on his word, And brought salvation nigh. 2 He rais'd me from a horrid pit, Where mourning long I lay;
And from my bonds releas'd my feet,
Deep bonds of miry clay.
3 Firm on a rock he made me stand;
And taught my cheerful tongue
To praise the wonders of his hand,
In a new, thankful song.
4 I'll spread his works of grace abroad;
The saints with joy shall hear :
And sinners learn to make my God
Their only hope and fear.
5 How many are thy thoughts of love!
Thy mercies, Lord, how great!
We have not words, nor hours enough,
Their numbers to repeat.
6 When I'm afflicted, poor and low,
And light and peace depart,
My God beholds my heavy woe,
And bears me on his heart.
PSALM 40. Second Part. C. M.
The incarnation and sacrifice of Christ.
EHOLD the blest Redeemer comes!
Brothal Son appears!
And at the appointed time assumes
The body God prepares!
2 Jesus reveal'd his Father's grace,
And his rich mercy show'd:
He preach'd the way of righteousness,
And spread his truth abroad.
3 His Father's honour touch'd his heart,
He pitied sinners' cries;
And, to fulfil a Saviour's part,
Was made a sacritice.
4 No blood of beasts, on altars shed,
Could wash the conscience clean;
The sacrifice which Jesus paid
Atones for all our sin.
5 Then was the great salvation spread,
And Satan's kingdom shook:
Thus by the woman's promis'd seed
The serpent's head was broke.
PSALM 40. Third Part. L. M.
Christ our sacrifice.
HE wonders, Lord, thy love has wrought, Exceed our praise, surmount our thought ; Should I attempt the long detail,
My speech would faint, my numbers fail. 2 No blood of beasts on altars spilt,
Can cleanse the souls of men from guilt,
But thou hast set before our eyes
An all-sufficient sacrifice.
3 In heav'n before his Father's throne,
Complacent, smiles th' eternal Son;
And, pleas'd, presents with boundless grace,
Himself, a ransom for our race.
"Behold! I come" (the Saviour cries, With love and duty in his eyes) "I come to bear the heavy load “Of sins, and do thy will, my God. 5" Mine ear is open'd to thy voice, "My heart delighted with thy choice: "Pleas'd, I assume a fleshly form, "A kin to man, that dying worm. 66 'Tis written in thy great decree; ""Tis in thy book foretold of me; "I must fulfil the Saviour's part; "And lo! thy law is in my heart. 7"I'll magnify thy holy law, "And rebels to obedience draw; "When on my cross I'm lifted high, "Or to my crown above the sky. 8 "The Spirit shall descend and show "What thou hast done, and what I do : "The wond'ring world shall learn thy grace, 66 Thy wisdom and thy righteousness.
PSALM 41. L. M.
Charity to the poor.
LEST is the man whose bowels move,
And melt with pity to the poor;
Whose soul, by sympathising love,
Feels what his fellow saints endure.
2 His heart contrives, for their relief,
More good than his own hands can do:
He, in the time of gen'ral grief,
Shall find the Lord has bowels too
3 His soul shall live secure on earth,
With secret blessings on his head;
When drought, and pestilence, and dearth,
Around him multiply their dead.
4 Or, if he languish on his couch,
God will pronounce his sins forgiv'n;
Will save him with a healing touch,
Or take his willing soul to heav'n.
PSALM 42. First Part. C. M.
Desertion and hope.
A When heated in the chase:
S pants the hart for cooling streams,
So longs my soul, O God, for thee,
And thy refreshing grace.
2 For thee, my God, the living God,
My thirsty soul doth pine:
O! when shall I behold thy face,
Thou majesty divine?
3 Tears are my constant food, while thus
Insulting foes upbraid;
"Deluded wretch! where is thy God?
"And where his promis'd aid?"
'Tis with a mournful pleasure now
I think on ancient days;
Then to thy house did numbers go,
And all our work was praise.
5 But why's my soul sunk down so far
Beneath this heavy load?
Why do my thoughts indulge despair,
And sin against my God?
6 Hope in the Lord, whose mighty hand,
Can all thy woes remove:
For I shall yet before him stand,
And sing restoring love.
PSALM 42. Second Part. L. M.
Hope in affliction.
Y spirit sinks within me, Lord,
But I will call thy name to mind
And times of past distress record,
When I have found my God was kind.
2 Huge troubles with tumultuous noise
Swell like a sea, and round me spread;
Thy water-spouts drown all my joys,
And rising waves roll o'er my head.
3 Yet will the Lord command his love,
When I address his throne by day,
Nor in the night his grace relove:
The night shall hear me sing and pray.
4 I'll cast myself before his feet,
And say, "My God, my heav'nly Rock!
"Why doth thy love so long forget
The soul, that groans beneath thy stroke?"
5 I'll chide my heart that sinks so low;
Why should my soul indulge her grief?
Hope in the Lord, and praise him too;
He is my rest, my sure relief.
6 Thy light and truth shall guide me still:
Thy word shall my best thoughts employ ;
And lead me to thine heav'nly hill,
My God, my most exceeding joy.
PSALM 43. H. M.
Complaint mingled with hope.
God, defend my cause
Against a host of foes:
O! save me from th' unjust,
Who triumph in
my woes.
Why dost thou faint,
My trembling heart?
To God impart
Thy sad complaint.
2 Why dost thou, O my shield,
Desert me thus forlorn?
Why, hated and oppress'd,
Thus bid me ceaseless mourn?
To God I fly;
In God I'll trust,
When low in dust
My head shall lie.
3 Now to thy sacred house
With joy direct my feet;
Where saints, with morning vows,
In full assembly meet.
Thy pow'r divine
Shall there be shown,
And from thy throne
Thy mercy shine
4 O! send thy light abroad:
Thy truth with heav'nly ray
Shall lead my soul to God;
And guide my doubtful way.
I'll hear thy word
With faith sincere,
And learn to fear
And praise the Lord.
5 There reach thy bounteous hand,
And all my sorrows heal;
There health and strength divine
O! make my bosom feel.
Like balmy dew,
Shall Jesus' voice
My bones rejoice,
My strength renew.
6 Then in thy holy hill,
Before thine altar, Lord,
My harp and song shall sound
The glories of thy word.
Henceforth to thee,
O God of grace,
A hymn of praise
My life shall be.
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