PSALM LI.

(1, 2, 3, 8. 11. 17.)

HAVE mercy, Lord, on me,
As Thou wert ever kind;

Let me, oppress'd with loads of guilt,
Thy wonted mercy find.

Wash off my foul offence,
And cleanse me from my sin;
For I confess my crime, and see
How great my guilt has been.

Make me to hear with joy
Thy kind forgiving voice;

N.V.

S.M.

That so the bones which Thou hast broke
May with fresh strength rejoice.

The joy Thy favour gives
Let me again obtain ;

And Thy free Spirit's firm support

My fainting soul sustain.

A broken spirit is

By God most highly prized : By Him a broken contrite heart Shall never be despised.

PSALM LVII.

N.V.

L.M.

(7, 8, 9, 10, 11.)

O GOD, my heart is fix'd, 'tis bent,
Its thankful tribute to present;
And with my heart my voice I'll raise
To Thee, my God, in songs of praise.

Awake, my glory; harp and lute,
No longer let your strings be mute;
And I, my tuneful part to take,
Will with the early dawn awake.

Thy praises, Lord, I will resound
To all the list'ning nations round:
Thy mercy highest heaven transcends,
Thy truth beyond the clouds extends.
Be Thou, O God, exalted high;
And, as Thy glory fills the sky,
So let it be on earth display'd,
Till Thou art here, as there, obey'd.

PSALM LXIII.

N.V.

I.

(1. 4, 5.)

O God, my gracious God, to Thee
My morning prayers shall offer'd be ;

6 of 8.

For Thee my thirsty soul doth pant : My fainting flesh implores Thy grace, Within this dry and barren place,

Where I refreshing waters want.

My life, while I that life enjoy,
In blessing God I will employ,

With lifted hands adore His Name:
My soul's content shall be as great
As theirs who choicest dainties eat,
While I with joy His praise proclaim.
When down I lie sweet sleep to find,
Thou, Lord, art present to my mind;

And when I wake in dead of night: Because Thou still dost succour bring, Beneath the shadow of Thy wing

I rest with safety and delight.

PSALM LXIII.

II.

O GOD! Thou art my God alone,
Early to Thee my soul shall cry;
A pilgrim in a land unknown,

L.M.

A thirsty land whose springs are dry. Yet, through this rough and thorny maze, I follow hard on Thee, my God! Thine hand unseen upholds my ways, I safely tread where Thou hast trod. Thee, in the watches of the night, When I remember on my bed, Thy presence makes the darkness light, Thy guardian wings are round my head. Better than life itself Thy love, Dearer than all beside to me,

For whom have I in heaven above,

Or what on earth, compared with Thee? Praise with my heart, my mind, my voice, For all Thy mercy I will give;

My soul shall still in God rejoice,

My tongue shall bless Thee while I live

FOR Thee, O God, our constant praise
In Sion waits, Thy chosen seat;
Our promised altars there we'll raise,
And all our zealous vows complete.
O Thou, who to my humble prayer

Didst always bend Thy list'ning ear,
To Thee shall all mankind repair,
And at Thy gracious throne appear.

L.M.

Our sins, though numberless, in vain
To stop Thy flowing mercy try;
Whilst Thou o'erlook'st the guilty stain,
And washest out the crimson dye.

PSALM LXV.

N.V.

II.

(9, 10, 11. 13.)

L.M.

LORD, from Thy unexhausted store
Thy rain relieves the thirsty ground;
Makes lands, that barren were before,
With corn and useful fruits abound.

On rising ridges down it pours,
And ev'ry furrow'd valley fills;
Thou mak'st them soft with gentle showers,
In which a bless'd increase distils.

Thy goodness does the circling year
With fresh returns of plenty crown;
And, where Thy glorious paths appear,
Thy fruitful clouds drop fatness down
Large flocks with fleecy wool adorn
The cheerful downs; the valleys bring
A plenteous crop of full-ear'd corn,
And seem for joy to shout and sing.

LET all the lands with shouts of joy
To God their voices raise;

Sing psalms in honour of His Name
And spread His glorious praise.

Through all the earth, the nations round
Shall Thee their God confess :
And with glad hymns their awful dread
Of Thy great Name express.

O come, behold the works of God,
And then with me you'll own,
That He to all the sons of men
Has wondrous judgment shown.

He by His power for ever rules;
His eyes the world survey;
Let no presumptuous man rebel
Against His sov'reign sway.

PSALM LXVII.

N.V.

S.M.

(1, 2, 3, 4.

To bless Thy chosen race,
In mercy, Lord, incline;

And cause the brightness of Thy face

On all Thy saints to shine.

That so Thy wondrous way

May through the world be known,
Whilst distant lands their tribute pay,
And Thy salvation own.

Let diff'ring nations join
To celebrate Thy fame;

Let all the world, O Lord, combine
To praise Thy glorious Name.

O let them shout and sing
With joy and pious mirth,

For Thou, the righteous Judge and King,
Shalt govern all the earth.