1

I love the men of heavenly birth,

Whose thoughts and language are divine. 5 I set The Lord before mine eyes;

At my right-hand He stands, prepared
To keep my soul from all surprise,
And be my everlasting guard.

PSALM XVI.

PART II. Courage in death, and hope of the

Resurrection.

WHEN God is nigh, my faith is strong;

His arm is my almighty prop:

Be glad, my heart; rejoice, my tongue; My dying flesh shall rest in hope. 2 Though in the dust I lay my head,

Yet, gracious God, Thou wilt not leave My soul for ever with the dead,

L. M.

Nor lose Thy children in the grave. 3 My flesh shall Thy first call obey, Shake off the dust, and rise on high: Then shalt Thou lead the wondrous way Up to Thy throne above the sky. 4 There, streams of endless pleasure flow, And full discoveries of Thy grace, Which we but tasted here below, Spread heavenly joys through all the place.

1

PSALM XVII.

Different portion of saints and sinners.

ARISE, my gracious God,

And make the wicked flee:

S. M.

3

4

They are but Thy chastising rod,
To drive Thy saints to Thee.
Behold, the sinner dies;

His haughty words are vain:
Here, in this life, his pleasure lies,
And all beyond is pain.
Then let his pride advance,
And boast of all his store:
The Lord is my inheritance;
My soul can wish no more.
I shall behold the face
Of my forgiving God,

And stand complete in righteousness,
Washed in my Saviour's blood.

5 My heaven will have begun,
When I awake from death,
Dress'd in the likeness of Thy Son,
And draw immortal breath.

PSALM XVII.

The sinner's portion, and the saint's hope; or, the heaven of separate souls, and the Resurrection. L. M.

1 LORD! I am Thine; but Thou wilt prove
My faith, my patience, and my love:
When men of spite against me join,
They are the sword, the hand

Thine.

2 [Their hope and portion lie below: "Tis all the happiness they know;

"Tis all they seek; they take their shares, And leave the rest among their heirs.]

3 What sinners value, I resign:
Lord! 'tis enough that Thou art mine:
I shall behold Thy blissful face,
And stand complete in righteousness.
4 This life's a dream, an empty show;
But the bright world to which I go,
Hath joys substantial and sincere:
When shall I wake and find me there?
5 Oh, glorious hour! oh, bless'd abode!
I shall be near and like my God;
And flesh and sin no more control
The sacred pleasures of the soul.

6 My flesh shall slumber in the ground,
Till the last trumpet's joyful sound;
Then burst the chains with sweet surprise,
And in my Saviour's image rise.

1

PSALM XVIII.

Rejoicing in God; or, salvation and triumph. L. M.

JUST are Thy ways, and true Thy word,

Great Rock of my secure abode!

Who is a God beside The Lord?

Where is a refuge like Our God?
2 'Tis He that girds me with His might,
Gives me His holy sword to wield,
And, while with sin and hell I fight,
Spreads His salvation for my shield.

Rock!

3 He lives, and, blessed be
my
The God of my salvation lives.

The dark designs of hell are broke: Sweet is the peace my Father gives. 4 Before the scoffers of the age,

I will exalt my Father's name, Nor tremble at their mighty rage,

But meet reproach and welcome shame. 5 To David and his royal seed

Thy grace for ever shall extend:
Thy love to saints, in Christ their head,
Knows not a limit nor an end.

PSALM XVIII.

Victory and triumph over temporal enemies.

WE

love Thee, Lord! and we adore;
Now is Thine arm revealed:

C. M.

Thou art our strength, our heavenly tower,
Our bulwark and our shield.

2 We flee to our eternal Rock,
And find a sure defence:
His holy name our lips invoke,
And draw salvation thence.

3 To Thine almighty arm we owe
The triumphs of the day:

Thy terrors, Lord, confound the foe,
And melt their strength away.

4 'Tis by Thine aid our troops prevail,
And break united powers;

Or burn their boasted fleets, or scale
The proudest of their towers.

1

2

3

4

5 The Rock of Israel ever lives;
His name be ever bless'd:

"Tis His own arm the victory gives,
And gives His people rest.

PSALM XIX.

PART I.-The book of Nature and Scripture.

For a Lord's-day morning.

BEHOLD! the lofty sky

Declares its Maker God;

And all His starry works on high
Proclaim His power abroad.

The darkness and the light

Still keep their course the same;
While night to day, and day to night,
Divinely teach His name.

In every different land,

Their general voice is known:
They show the wonders of His hand,

And orders of His throne,

Ye British lands, rejoice;

Here He reveals His word:

We are not left to nature's voice,
To bid us know The Lord.

5

His statutes and commands

Are set before our eyes:

6

He puts His Gospel in our hands;
There our salvation lies.

His laws are right and just;

His truth is tried and pure;

S. M.