3 In vain the sons of Satan boast Of armies in array;
When God has first dispers'd their bos, They fall an easy prey.
40 for a word from Zion's King,
Her captives to restore!
Jacob, with all the tribes, shall sing,
And Judah weep no more.
PSALM 55.-C. M. [b]
Ver. 1-8, 16, 17, 18, 22. Support for the afflicted and tempted soul.
10 GOD, my refuge, hear my cries,
Behold my flowing tears,
For earth and hell my hurt devise,
"And triumph in my fears.
2 Their rage is levell'd at my life,
My soul with guilt they load,
And fill my thoughts with inward strife,
To shake my hope in God.
3 With inward pain my heart-strings sound,
I groan with every breath:
Horror and fear beset me round
Amongst the shades of death.
4 O were I like a feather'd dove,
And innocence had wings;
I'd fly, and make a long remove
From all these restless things.
5 Let me to some wild desert go,
And find a peaceful home,
Where storms of malice never blow,
Temptations never come.
6 Vain hopes, and vain inventions all,
To 'scape the rage of hell!
The mighty God, on whom I call,
Can save me here as well.
7 By morning light I'll seek his face,
At noon repeat my cry:
The night shall hear me ask his grace,
Nor will he long deny.
8 God shall preserve my soul from fear,
Or shield me when afraid;
Ten thousand angels must appear,
If he command their aid.
9 I cast my burdens on the Lord,
The Lord sustains them all;
My courage rests upon his word,
That saints shall never fall.
10 My highest hopes shall not be vain;
My lips shall spread his praise:
While cruel and deceitful men
Scarce live out half their days.
PSALM 55.-S. M. [b]
Ver. 15-17, 19, 22. Dangerous prosperity; or, daily devotion encouraged.
ET sinners take their course,
LET sicherst the road to death;
But in the worship of my God
I'll spend my daily breath.
My thoughts address his throne,
When morning brings the light;
I seek his blessing every noon,
And pay my vows at night.
Thou wilt regard my cries,
O my eternal God!'
While sinners perish in surprise
Beneath thine angry rod.
Because they dwell at ease,
And no sad changes feel,
They neither fear nor trust thy name,
Nor learn to do thy will.
But I, with all my cares,
Will lean upon the Lord;
I'll cast my burden on his arm,
And rest upon his word.
His arm shall well sustain
The children of his love;
The ground, on which their safety stands,
No earthly power can move.
PSALM 56.-C. M. [*] Deliverance from oppression and falsehood; or, God's care of his people, in answer to faith and prayer.
THOU, whose justice reigns on high
And makes th' oppressor cease;
Behold how envious sinners try
To vex and break my peace.
2 The sons of violence and lies
Join to devour me, Lord;
But as my hourly dangers rise,
My refuge is thy word.
3 In God most holy, just and true,
I have repos'd my trust;
Nor will I fear what flesh can do,
The offspring of the dust.
They wrest my words to mischief still,
Charge me with unknown faults;
Mischief doth all their counsels fill,
And malice all their thoughts.
3 Shall they escape without thy frown?
Must their devices stand?
cast the haughty sinner down,
And let him know thy hand!
6 God counts the sorrows of his saints,
Their groans affect his ears;
Thou hast a book for my complaints,
A bottle for my tears.
7 When to thy throne I raise my cry,
The wicked fear and flee;
So swift is prayer to reach the sky,
So near is God to me.
8 In thee, most holy, just and true,
I have repos'd my trust;
Nor will I fear what man can do,
The offspring of the dust.
9 Thy solemn vows are on me, Lord,
Thou shalt receive my praise;
I'll sing, "How faithful is thy word!
"How righteous all thy ways!"
10 Thou hast secur'd my soul from death!
O set thy prisoner free,
That heart and hand, and life and breath,
May be employ'd for thee.
PSALM 57.-L. M. [*]
Praise for protection, grace, and truth.
1MY God, in whom are all the springs
Of boundless love and grace unknown;
Hide me beneath thy spreading wings,
Till the dark cloud is overblown.
2 Up to the heavens I send my cry;
The Lord will my desires perform:
He sends his angels from the sky,
And saves me from the threatening storm.
3 Be thou exalted, O my God,
Above the heavens, where angels dwell,
Thy power on earth be known abroad,
And land to land thy wonders tell.
4 My heart is fix'd; my song shall raise
Immortal honours to thy name;
Awake, my tongue, to sound his praise, My tongue, the glory of my frame. 5 High o'er the earth his mercy reigns, And reaches to the utmost sky: His truth to endless years remains, When tower worlds dissolve and die. 6 Be thou exalted, O my God,
Above the heavens, where angels dwell;
Thy power on earth be known abroad,
And land to land thy wonders tell.
PSALM 58.-L. P. M. [*]
Warning to magistrates.
JUDGES, who rule the world by laws,
Will ye despise the righteous cause,
When th' injur'd poor before you stands?
Dare ye condemn the righteous poor,
And let rich sinners 'scape secure, [hands?
While gold and greatness bribe your
2 Have ye forgot, or never knew,
That God will judge the judges too?
High in the heavens his justice reigns;
Yet you invade the rights of God,
And send your bold decrees abroad,
To bind the conscience in your chains.
3 A poison'd arrow is your tongue,
The arrow sharp, the poison strong,
And death attends where'er it wounds:
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