3 I know thy judgments, Lord, are right, Thy ways are just when understood, The law of love is thy delight, Afflictions only work our good. 4 Thy mercies are divinely free, Thou canst repenting souls forgive; Now let thy mercy come to me, And let the mourning sinner live. 5 The proud have most perversely dealt, And injur❜d me without a cause; But since thy chastening rod I felt, I love and keep thy sacred laws. 6 Draw nigh, ye humble souls, draw nigh, Who make the Lord your fear and trust, For God has heard my plaintive sigh, And rais'd me sorrowing from the dust. 7 Mine heart is in his statutes sound, I'm not asham'd before his face, Reproach shall ne'er my soul confound, For all my hope is sovreign grace. PSALM 119. Part 11. C. M. Importunity and faith. 1 ATTEND, O God, to my complaints, 2 How numerous are my days of grief, 3 The proud have laid a thousand snares, 4 Yet thy commands are just and true, Thou wilt my foes and fears subdue, 5 Thy precepts, Lord, I ne'er forsook, PSALM 119. Part 12. C. M. 1 FOR ever, Lord, thy word abides, The heavens o'er which thy power presides, 2 The laws of nature, fixt and sure, 3 The sun and stars thy word obey, 4 Had not thy law been my delight, 5 I feel thy love in every thought, 6 I've seen an end of what we call, How short the powers of nature fall, 7 In vain we strive to keep the law, PSALM 119. Part 13. C. M. 1 O, HOW I love the holy law, And thence my meditations draw 2 Its precepts make me truly wise, In vain such wisdom men despise, 3 Let ancients* heaven and earth survey, The saints are wiser far than they, 4 Not all my teachers could make known But Christ the path of life has shown, 5 To know the truth, to keep the heart, None but the spirit can impart Such wisdom to the mind. 6 When God reclaim'd my wand'ring feet, I sought his ways in haste; O, then I found his promise sweet, Like honey to my taste. * Ancients, natural men old and wise, unregenerate philosophers. 7 I would his precepts understand, PSALM 119. Part 14. C. M. Direction and comfort from the word. 1 THY word, O God, is all my light, To mark my doubtful way, The sacred lamp directs me right And shines as bright as day. 2 I will perform what once I swore, And while thy judgments I deplore, 3 By sore afflictions much opprest, 6 My soul is fill'd with strong desires And thus, till mortal life expires, PSALM 119. Part 15. L. M. Vain thoughts complained of. 1 I LOVE thy law, my dearest Lord, And would my wand'ring mind control, But thoughts atrocious* and abhorr'd, Rise and preplex my troubled soul. 2 God is my shield and hiding place, When Satan throws his fiery darts, Mine hope is in the word of grace, What heavenly joy his word imparts 3 Away from me, ye sons of strife, Nor touch me with your bloody hands, I love my Savior more than life, And must obey his just commands. 4 His words of promise will uphold A feeble conquerer in his name, He makes my trembling spirit bold, Nor puts a living hope to shame. 5 His foot shall tread the wicked down, As on the serpent first he trod; Satan, the serpent, dreads his frown, And trembles at the 'incarnate God. 6 The men who spurn a Savior's cross, And in the cause of Satan join, His hand shall put away like dross, When sever'd from the golden coin. 7 My trembling flesh and spirit fear The judgments of that awful day, When Christ in glory shall appear, And drive the wicked far away. PSALM 119. Part 16. L. M. The wickedness of man complained of... 1 LORD, I have truth and justice done, I yet to truth and justice cleave; Forsake me not, thou mightiest one, Nor me to mine oppressors leave. 2 Be thou my surety, thou my God, Nor let the proud afflict me sore, *Atrocious, very wicked. |