I THOU art my Portion, O my GOD!
Soon as I know thy Way,
My Heart makes hafte t' obey thy Word,
And fuffers no Delay.
2 I choose the Path of heav'nly Truth,
And glory in my Choice;
Not all the Riches of the Earth
Could make me so rejoice.
3 The Teftimonies of thy Grace,
I fet before my Eyes:
Thence I derive my daily Strength,
And there my Comfort lies.
4 If once I wander from thy Path,
I think upon my Ways:
Then turn my Feet to thy Commands,
And truft thy pard'ning Grace.
5 Now I am Thine, for ever Thine,
O fave thy Servant, LORD;
Thou art my Shield, my Hiding-Place,
My Hope is in thy Word.
6 Thou haft inclin'd this Heart of mine
Thy Statutes to fulfil:
And thus till mortal Life shall end
Would I perform thy Will.
I HOW fhall the Young fecure their Hearts,
And guard their Lives from Sin ?
Thy Word the choiceft Rules imparts,
To keep the Conscience clean.
2 When once it enters to the Mind, It spreads fuch Light abroad,
The meaneft Souls Inftruction find,
And raise their Thoughts to GOD.
3 'Tis like the Sun, a heav'nly Light,
That guides us all the Day;
And through the Dangers of the Night,
A Lamp to lead our Way.
4 The ftarry Heav'ns thy Rule obey;
The Earth maintains her Place,
And these thy Servants Night and Day
Thy Skill and Pow'r express.
5 But ftill thy Law and Gofpel, LORD,
Have Leffons more divine:
Not Earth ftands firmer than thy Word,
Nor Stars fo nobly shine.
6 Thy Word is everlasting Truth,
How pure is ev'ry Page!
That holy Book fhall guide our Youth,
And well fupport our Age.
1 O HOW I love thy holy Law;
'Tis daily my Delight;
And thence my Meditations draw
Divine Advice by Night.
2 My waking Eyes prevent the Day,
To meditate thy Word:
My Soul with Longing melts away
To hear thy Gospel, LORD,
3 How doth thy Word my Heart engage!
How well employ my Tongue!
And in my tirefome Pilgrimage
Yields me a heav'nly Song.
4 Am I a Stranger, or at Home,
'Tis my perpetual Feaft;
Not Honey dropping from the Comb,
So much allures the Tafte.
5 No Treasures fo enrich the Mind;
Nor fhall thy Word be fold
For Loads of Silver well refin'd,
Nor Heaps of choiceft Gold.
6 When Nature finks, and Spirits droop,
Thy Promises of Grace
Are Pillars to fupport my Hope,
And there I write thy Praise.
I LORD, I efteem thy Judgments right,
And all thy Statutes juft;
Thence I maintain a conftant Fight
With ev'ry flatt'ring Luft.
2 Thy Precepts often I furvey;
I keep thy Law in Sight,
Through all the Bufinefs of the Day,
To form my Actions right,
3 My Heart in Midnight-Silence cries,
"How fweet thy Comforts be!"
My Thoughts in holy Wonder rife,
And bring their Thanks to Thee.
4 And when my Spirit drinks her Fil
At fome good Word of Thine,
Not mighty Men that fhare the Spoil
Have Joys compar'd to mine.
1 I'VE feen an End of what we call
Perfection here below;
How fhort the Pow'rs of Nature fall,
And can no farther go.
2 Yet Men would fain be just with GOD,
By Works their Hands have wrought;
But thy Commands, exceeding broad,
Extend to ev'ry Thought.
3 In vain we boast Perfection here,
While Sin defiles our Frame;
And finks our Virtues down fo far,
They fcarce deferve the Name.
4 Our Faith, and Love, and ev'ry Grace,
Fall far below thy Word;
But perfect Truth and Righteousness
Dwell only with the LORD.
I LORD, I have made thy Word my Choice,
My lafting Heritage;
There fhall my nobleft Pow'rs rejoice,
My warmeft Thoughts engage.
2 I'll read the Hift'ries of thy Love,
And keep thy Laws in Sight,
While through the Promifes I rove,
With every fresh Delight.
3 'Tis a broad Land of Wealth unknown,
Where Springs of Life arife,
Seeds of immortal Blifs are sown,
And hidden Glory lies.
4 The best Relief that Mourners have ;
It makes our Sorrows blest ;
Our fairest Hope beyond the Grave,
And our eternal Rest.
I THY Mercies fill the Earth, O LORD,
How good thy Works appear!
Open my Eyes to read thy Word,
And fee thy Wonders there.
2 Since I'm a Stranger here below,
Let not thy Path be hid,
But mark the Road my
And be my conftant Guide.
3 When I confefs'd my wand'ring Ways, Thou heard'ft my Soul complain; Grant me the Teachings of thy Grace, Or I fhall ftray again.
It made me learn thy Word the more,
And fly to that Relief.
5 In vain the Proud deride me now;
I'll ne'er forget thy Law,
Nor let that bleffed Gofpel go,
Whence all my Hopes I draw.
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