PSALM 78. Part 3. C. M.
Luxury punished with pestilence.

1 WHEN Israel sin'd the Lord reprov❜d,
And made them feel his rod;
'Oft they his tender mercy mov'd,
And oft provok❜d their God.
2 For them he did the sea divide,
Below the waters neap,*

Above he made the rolling tide
Stand upright as an heap.

3 A wond'rous pillar mark'd their way,
Compos'd of shade and light,

It prov'd a shelt'ring cloud by day,
A leading fire by night.

4 Jehovah did their thirst supply,
With water from the rock,

He gave commandment to the sky,
To feed his famish'd flock.

5 The manna like a morning dew,
Around their camp was spread,
He gave it every morning new,
And fill'd their tents with bread.
6 When hungry, first, they call'd it sweet,
And blest the rising morn;

But pour'd in plenty round their feet,
They loath'd the heavenly corn.

7 Is this, said they, our only feast,
Amid this dreary waste!

We must have flesh of fowl or beast,
To please our longing taste.

8 The Lord reply'd, I'll sate your lust,
And you shall know mine hand,

Then sent them quails like heaps of dust,
And feather'd fowl like sand.

*To neap, to fall-off as the tides.

9 Superfluous* heaps of flesh and flour, Around those murmurers fell, Grew putridt on the fatal hour,

And swept them down to hell.

10 When some are slain the rest with tears
Their slaughter'd friends deplore;

But soon forget their friends and fears,
And only sin the more.

11 The Lord chastis'd, the Lord forgave,
"Till by his power and grace,
The nation God resolv'd to save,
Possest the promis'd place.

PSALM 78. Part 1. L. M.

All men alike by nature.

1 HOW oft did murmuring Israel sigh,
And tempt the Lord, who rules on high;
While all their sins before us pass,
We view ourselves as in a glass.
2 How oft, alas! like Jacob's race,
Have we despis'd, the God of grace!
How oft have slighted gospel news,
And spurn'd at mercy worse than Jews!
3 What false and faithless hearts had they,
Who would not God, their King, obey;
But soon forgot the works they saw,
And dar'd to violate his law.

4 The Lord consum'd their years in pain,
And made their travels long and vain;

A tedious march thro devious ways,

Wore out their strength and spent their days,

5 Oft when they saw their brethren fall,

They mourn'd, and did on Jesus call;

* Superfluous, unnecessary, more than enough
Putrid, rotten, corrupt.;

His name they sought, deplor'd his rod, And call'd him their Redeemer, God, 6 Their faithless souls with feign'd desire, Early to find the Lord inquire,

Their tongues perform a double part,
Nor speak the meaning of the heart.
7 Yet could a sovreign God forgive,
The men who ne'er deserv'd to live;
His anger oft away he turn'd,

Or else with gentle flame it burn'd.
8 He saw their flesh was weak and frail,
He saw temptations much prevail,
He knew they were but men at best,
And led them to this promis'd rest.

PSALM 78. Part 2. L. M. The provocation. 1 HOW oft did Israel's stubborn race, Provoke the 'Almighty to his face; When with their lips they spake aright, 'Twas awful flattery in his sight.

2 The 'omniscient God beheld their crimes, And Jesus interpos'd betimes,

He knew they were but sinful clay, And turn'd his fiercest wrath away. 3 The Lord, his wand'ring tribes upheld, And yet against him they rebel'd, Despis'd the works that God had done, And dar'd to grieve his Holy One, 4 They saw him lift his potent* hand, And bring them safe from Egypt's land; But soon forgot the captive groan, And all his wonders wrought in Zoan. 5 In desart oft they gave him pain, And in their hearts return'd again; Potent, powerful

His word of truth they disbeliev'd,
And much his holy spirit griev'd.

PAUSE FIRST.

6 Known by his living name, I AM,
The Lord came down to visit Ham,
He came with all the power of God,
And arm'd his servant with his rod.
7 His servant smote the Egyptian flood,
And turn'd their rivers into blood;
The 'oppressors flew the putrid brink,
And all their cattle loath'd to drink.
8 He spake, and clouds of noxious* flies,
Grow thick and darken all the skies;
In swarms the locusts 'round them pour,
And all their choicest fruits devour.
9 The vines and trees destroy'd by hail,
The harvest and the vintage fail;
And what the hail had left, was lost,
Consum'd by all-destroying frost.

"

10 The Lord his anger on them cast,
In darkness and the stormy blast;
He gave their sheep, and all their flocks,
To hail, and hot electric shocks.†

PAUSE SECOND.

11 The 'Almighty gave his anger vent,
And Death, that evil angel, sent;
Egypt, thy first-born sons were slain
Before his pestilential train.

12 He led his chosen tribes like sheep,
Across the desart, thro the deep,
Safe in his hand from threat'ning ill,
They march'd secure to Zion's hill.
*Noxious, hurtful.

† Electric shocks, lightning.

*

13 He brought them to the promis'd spat
And gave them land by line and lot;
Their wond'ring eyes with joy beheld
The heathen from their land expel'd.
14 Yet they provok❜d the God above,
As first their fathers spurn'd his love,
They call'd the God of promise slack,
And like a faithless bow flew back,
15 From every foe and fear exempt,
They did the God of Israel tempt,
And dar'd a God unseen to grave,
On stocks and stones that could not save,

PAUSE THIRD.

16 When God the sin of Jacob knew,
He quickly from his tribes withdrew;
But tho his soul their ways abhorr'd,
He yet remain'd their faithful Lord.
17 He gave their glory to their foes,
To foreign lands the captive goes,
The youth consume by wasting fire,
The virgins die, the priests expire.
18 The tent of Shiloh God forsook,

And would not from the cherubs look;
But mov'd from thence the sacred ark,
And made the land of vision dark.

19 Then did the Lord in terror shine,
As one, who wakes from sleep or wine;
His guilty foes retreat for fear,

But found him dreadful in their rear.

20 Firm on the Rock his church he built,
In spite of all the sons of guilt;
To save his people Jesus bled,
And like a shepherd Israel fed