4 Tis with a mournful pleasure now,
I think of former days,

When thousands kept the public vow,
And throng'd the holy ways.

5 How blest was I when numbers went,
To taste the joys sublime,

In praise we gave our pleasures vent,
And kept the holy time.

6 But why should grief my soul consume,
The Lord his church can raise,
His glory yet shall earth illume*,
And millions shout his praise.

7 I'll hope in God, whose mighty hand,
Restrains the raging seas,

He can reform the guilty land,
And build his church with ease.

PSALM 42. Part 1. L. M.

Longing after God 1 AS pants the hunted hart to find The cooling shade or wat'ry brink; So pants my weary longing mind The 'immortal streams of life to drink. 2 "Tis for the living God I thirst,

When shall I see his glory near? When shall I find my Savior first, And in his blissful sight appear? 3 My tears have been my meat by day, I weep at night till life is faint, While foes triumphant round me say, Where is thy God, thou suffering saint? 4 On mournful scenes my thoughts revolve, And o'er my troubles thus I pore,

*To illume, to enlighten.

1

"Now let my soul with grief dissolve, For I shall see my God no more. 5 Once with the multitude I went,

To praise my God was sweet employ, The sacred day was gladly spent,

With voice of mirth and songs of joy. 6 My soul is deep in sorrow cast,

And grief my throbbing bosom fills,
To think of days for ever past,

Gone down behind the western hills."
7 But why, my soul, art thou deprest?*
Thy weeping voice to transport raise,
Hope in the Lord, on Jesus rest,
For I shall yet declare his praise.

PSALM 42. Part 2. L. M.

Melancholy cured.
1 MY spirit sinks within me, Lord,
But I'll recall thy name to mind,
And times of past distress record,
When oft I prov'd my Savior kind.
2 Afflictions with tumultuous noise,

Swell like a flood and round me spread,
The rising waves drown all my joys,

And roli tremendous o'er mine head. 3 My soul is fill'd with gloomy doubts, Loud as the waves my sorrows roll; Deep answers deep, thy water spouts Have overwhelm'd my sinking soul. 4 Eternal God, should I come short,

*

Or faint beneath thy chastening rod,
How would the foe of man retort,†

And ask insulting, "where is God?"

Deprest, cast down, dejected.

To retort, to throw back a temptation after strong exercises of faith.

5 I'll say of God," behold my Rock, In vain the billows round me rave, Fearless I stand the dreadful shock And trust almighty power to save." 6 The Lord will sovreign grace display, For mercy sure is God's delight; He hears my mourning all the day, And gives me songs of joy by night. 7 Then why, my soul, this heavy gloom? What means this inward anxious strife? Revive as in thy youthful bloom,

And hope in God, who gave thee life. 8 Let songs of praise my lips employ, Ye murmuring thoughts for ever cease, God is my most exceeding joy, My life, my comfort and my peace.

PSALM 43. C. M.

Safety in divine protection.

1 ETERNAL Judge, my cause maintain,
The 'ungodly world control,
Against the false, the proud and vain,
Defend my righteous soul.

2 O God, my strength amid the way,
Why dost thou cast us off?
Must I go mourning all the day,
To hear the 'oppressor scoff!

3 Send thy victorious light afar,
Now let the gospel run,

Arise and shine bright morning star,
Break forth eternal sun.

4 Let truth its steady course fulfill
And like a polar guide,

Direct my feet to yonder hill

Where Christ and saints reside.

5 I would frequent thine altar, Lord,
My most exceeding joy;

To praise thy name with sweet accord,
Shall well my tongue employ.

6 Then why, my soul, art thou deprest,
Beneath the tyrant's rod?
Jehovah yet shall give thee rest,
And I shall praise my God.

PSALM 44. Part 1. C. M.

National prosperity and degneracy. 1 OUR ears, O God, have heard of old, Thy sovreign works and ways, When to their sons the fathers told The wonders of their days.

2 Their eyes this happy land beheld,
A large and liberal grant;

The heathen far from hence expel'd,
Thou here dids't Israel plant.

3 'Twas not our own victorious sword,
That drove the natives hence;
'Twas thy right hand did help afford,
Thine arm was our defence.

4 Our fathers saw the church arise,
Like fire the gospel ran,

And glory beaming from the skies,
Its endless course began.

5 When overrun by savage foes,
To darkness fast we verg'd;*
At thy command the nation rose,
From night our sun emerg❜d,†
6 We saw thy wond'rous power to save,
When in thy dreadful name,

* To verge, to tend downward, to approach. † To emerge, to arise from obscurity,

A feeble band invaders drave,

And turn'd them back with shame.

7 In God we boasted all the day,
And in a cheerful throng

Did thousands meet to praise and pray,
And grace was all their song.

PAUSE.

8 But now, alas! we change our theme,
And strike the plaintive* chord,
To hear the tongues of men blaspheme,
And fools reproach the Lord.
9 Our King no more before us goes;
As sheep to slaughter given,
So we retreat before our foes,

To shameful dungeons driven.
10 Lord, must our land be sunk in vice?
Hast thou thy people sold?
O, who can profit by the price,
Exchanging grace for gold?

11 Tho dark and gloomy be the night,
And mournful our complaints;
Yet God is our eternal light,
His presence cheers his saints.

PSALM 44. Part 2. C. M.

Persecution complained of.

1 LORD, we thy gracious aid implore,
O'erwhelm'd in shades of death,

The dragon's voice is heard once more
With loud destructive breath.

2 Should saints their hands to idols raise, And thus from God depart,

*Plaintive, complaining.