a When Heaven shines round with dreadful light, The earth lies still and fears.
-8 When God, in his own sovereign ways, Comes down to save th' oppress'd,
The wrath of man shall work his praise; And he'll restrain the rest.
9 [Vow to the Lord, and tribute bring; Ye princes, fear his frown:
His terrours shake the proudest king, And cut an army down.
10 The thunder of his sharp rebuke Our haughty foes shall feel: For Jacob's God hath not forsook, But dwells in Zion still.]
PSALM 77. C. M. 1st Part. Abridge. [b] Melancholy and Hope.
O God I cry'd with mournful voice, I sought his gracious ear,
In the sad day when troubles rose,
And fill'd my heart with fear.
p 2 Sad were my days, and dark my nights, My soul refus'd relief;
I thought on God, the just and wise, But thoughts increas'd my grief.
3 [Still I complain'd, and still oppress'd My heart began to break :
My God, thy wrath forbade my rest, And kept my eyes awake.
4 My overwhelming sorrows grew, Till I could speak no more; Then I within myself withdrew, And call'd thy judgments o'er.
5 I call'd back years and ancient times, When I beheld thy face;
My spirit search'd for secret crimes, That might withhold thy grace.
6 I call'd thy mercies to my mind, Which I enjoy'd before: And will the Lord no more be kind? His face appear no more ?]
e 7 Will he for ever cast me off? His promise ever fail?
p Has he forgot his tender love? Shall anger still prevail?
-8 But I forbid this hopeless thought, This dark, despairing frame,
Rememb'ring what thy hand hath wrought; Thy hand is still the same.
o 9 I'll think again of all thy ways, And talk thy wonders o'er; Thy wonders of recov'ring grace, When flesh could hope no more. o 10 Grace dwells with justice on the throne; And men who love thy word, Have in thy sanctuary known The counsels of the Lord.
C. M. 2nd Part. Wantage. [*]
Israel brought from Egypt to Canaan. OW awful is thy chast'ning rod'- (May thine own children say)
"The great, the wise, the dreadful God! 'How holy is his way!'
-2 [I'll meditate his works of old; The King who reigns above, I'll hear his ancient wonders told, And learn to trust his love.]
3 Long did the house of Joseph lie, With Egypt's yoke oppress'd; Long he delay'd to hear their cry, Nor gave his people rest.
4 The sons of good old Jacob seem'd Abandon'd to their foes;
o But his almighty arm redeem'd The nation that he chose.
5 Israel, his people and his sheep, Must follow where he calls;
He bade them venture through the deep, And made the waves their walls!
e 6 The waters saw thee, mighty God, The waters saw thee come;
u Backward they fled, and frighted stood, To make thine armies room.
-7 Strange was thy journey through the sea, Thy footsteps, Lord, unknown;
Terrours attend the wondrous way, That brings thy mercies down.
8 [Thy voice, with terrour in the sound, Through clouds and darkness broke; All heaven in lightning shone around, And earth with thunder shook.
9 Thine arrows through the sky were hurl'd; How glorious is the Lord!
Surprise and trembling seiz'd the world, And his own saints ador'd.
10 He gave them water from the rock; And safe, by Moses' hand, Through a dry desert led his flock, Home to the promis'd land.]
PSALM 78. C. M. 1st Part. Mear. [*] Providence of God rehearsed to Children.
ET children hear the mighty deeds, Which God perform'd of old;
Which in our younger years we saw, And which our fathers told.
2 He bids us make his glories known, His works of power and grace; And we'll convey his wonders down Through ev'ry rising race.
3 Our lips shall tell them to our sons, And they again to theirs;
That generations, yet unborn,
May teach them to their heirs.
4 Thus shall they learn, in God alone Their hope securely stands; That they may ne'er forget his works, But practise his commands.
C. M. 2nd Part. China. [b*]
Israel's Rebellion and Punishment.
WHAT a stiff rebellious house Was Jacob's ancient race!
False to their own most solemn vows, And to their Maker's grace.
2 They broke the cov'nant of his love, And did his laws despise ;
Forgot the works he wrought, to prove His power before their eyes.
3 They saw the plagues on Egypt light, From his revenging hand;
What dreadful tokens of his might Spread o'er the stubborn land!
4 They saw him cleave the mighty sea, And march'd with safety through, With wat❜ry walls to guard their way, 'Till they had 'scaped the foe. (5 A wondrous pillar mark'd the road, Compos'd of shade and light;
By day it prov'd a shelt'ring cloud, A leading fire by night.
6 He from the rock their thirst supply'd; The gushing waters fell,
And ran in rivers by their side,
A constant miracle.)
e 7 Yet they provok'd the Lord most high, And dar'd distrust his hand:
d'Can he with bread our host supply, 'Amidst this desert land ?'
8 The Lord with indignation heard, And caus'd his wrath to flame; His terrours ever stand prepar'd To vindicate his name.
C. M. 3rd Part. Reading. [* b]
Chastisement and Salvation.
HEN Israel sins, the Lord reproves, And fills their hearts with dread;
Yet he forgives the men he loves, And sends them heavenly bread. 2 He fed them with a lib'ral hand, And made his treasures known; He gave the midnight clouds command To pour provision down.
3 The manna, like a morning shower, Lay thick around their feet; The corn of heaven, so light, so pure, As though 'twere angel's meat.
4 But they in murm'ring language said, 'Manna is all our feast;
'We loath this light, this airy bread, 'We must have flesh to taste."
5 'Ye shall have flesh to please your lust,' The Lord in wrath reply'd;
And sent them quails, like sand or dust, Heap'd up from side to side.
6 He gave them all their own desire; And greedy as they fed,
His vengeance burnt with secret fire, And smote the rebels dead.
7 When some were slain, the rest return'd, And sought the Lord with tears; Under the rod they fear'd and mourn'd, But soon forgot their fears.
8 Oft he chastis'd, and still forgave, "Till, by his gracious hand, The nation he resolv'd to save, Possess'd the promis'd land.] L. M. Bath. [b]
V. 32, &c.-Saints corrected and saved.
1 GREAT God, how oft did Israel prove, turns, thine anger and thy love!
There, in a glass, our hearts may see How fickle and how false they be. 2 How soon the faithless Jews forgot The dreadful wonders God had wrought! Then they provoke him to his face; Nor fear his power, nor trust his grace. 3 The Lord consum'd their years in pain, And made their travels long and vain; A tedious march, through unknown ways, Wore out their strength, and spent their days. 4 Oft, when they saw their brethren slain, They mourn'd and sought the Lord again; Call❜d him the Rock of their abode, Their high Redeemer, and their God. 5 Their prayers and vows before him rise, As flatt'ring words, or solemn lies; While their rebellious tempers prove False to his cov'nant and his love.
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