PSALM 147. C. M.

The seasons of the year.

1 JEHOVAH fills the world with dread,
He lets his lightnings fly,

The heavens with clouds are overspread,
His thunders rend the sky.

2 He sends his vernal blessings down,
His flowers the spring adorn;

He makes the grass the hills to crown,
And vallies rise in corn.

3 He gives the grazing ox his meat,
He hears the raven's voice;

But man, who tastes his finest wheat,
Should more in God rejoice.

4 His steady counsels change the face
Of the declining year,

The morning sun curtails* his race,
And wint'ry days appear.

5 His hoary frost, his fleecy snow,
Descend and clothe the ground,
The liquid streams forbear to flow,
In icy fetters bound.

6 When from his black tempestuous shower, He sends his rattling hail,

The man, who dares to tempt his power, Shall find his courage fail.

7 He sends his word, the snow dissolves,
The brooks and rivers run,

While in its orbit earth revolves,
And feels a warmer sun.

8 He makes his word to sinners known,
The word of sure record;
Not every nation like our own
Possess it. Praise the Lord.

* To curtail, to cut off, to shorten.

PSALM 148. Proper Meter. Praise to God from all creatures.

1 YE sons of men, unite,

To God your voices raise,
For heaven and earth invite
To sing your Maker's praise.
Ye heavenly throng,

Of shining hosts,

Attend your posts,
To lead the song.

2 Thou sun with golden beams,
Adore and yet behold
His luster on thee streams,
He form'd thine eyes of gold.
O king of days,
Thy silver queen
By night is seen
In borrowed rays.

3 Ye glittering stars, assist

To 'adorn the spangled skies,
Break thro the rising mist

And show your twinkling eyes.
Ye mists give place,

Nor long absorb

The shining orb,
That rolls in space.

4 The joyful worlds above

In silent songs rejoice,
They sing their Maker's love,
But not with human voice.
There's no discord,

But every star
Without a jar

Adores the Lord.

5 Jehovah wheels them 'round

With all-creating force,

Each in his place is found.
And well performs his course.
Almighty poise
Supports them all;
But they must fall
With crashing noise.

"

PAUSE FIRST.

Let all our earth born race,
With yonder worlds of light,
Adore the God of grace,
And triumph in his sight.
Thou liquid salt,

The rolling main,
With all thy train,
His name exalt.

7 Ye myriad insects try,

To praise the King of kings,
Let every buzing fly,

Display his beauteous wings.
From God you came,
His light illumes

Your shining plumes
With glowing flame.

8 Ye vapors, hail and snow,
His sovreign word fulfill;
Ye tempests, rage and blow,
Obedient to his will.

Let the black shower,
With raging fire
And wind conspire
To show his power.

Ye mountains, bow the head

At his imperial nod, Let Sinai hear with dread

The mandates of her God.

Escape his frown,

Nor once provoke
The dreadful stroke
That casts you down.

PAUSE SECOND.

10 Let Boreas* roar aloud,

And send to heaven his cries;
Let thunder from the cloud
Come rolling thro the skies.
The base belongs
To winds alone,

Hoarse be your tone
And loud your songs.

11 Ye hungry lions, roar

The tenor strong and bold;
And while you God adore,
The lamb for ever hold.
Rend, rend the prey,

Your savage paw
Is all the law

That whelps obey.

12 Ye birds, with treble notes,
Frequent the groves and sing,
And warble thro your throats
The praises of your King.
in God rejoice-
Creation, hark!

The morning lark
Has rais'd her voice.

13 Echo with treach'rous heart While list'ning to the gales,

Must catch the counter part,
And ring it thro the vales.
He loves to mock,

And fuje around

*Boreas, the north wind.

The hollow sound

From every rock.

14 Ye forests, beat the time,
And wave your tops afar,
Your roaring is sublime,
To fill the sounding bar.
Each rustling pine,
With music soft,

Must bear aloft
A song divine.

15 Ye kings and judges bow,
Before your sovreign Lord,
With songs address him now,
Nor make the least discord.
Your key be sharp,
Let every king
His honors sing,
With voice or harp

16 Virgins and youth engage,
'Tis yours the key to fix;
Infants with men of age,
Your feebler voices mix.
His honors raise,

Let old and young
With cheerful tongue
Their Maker praise.

PSALM 148 L. M.

Universal praise to God.

1 GLORY to God, the God of love,

From distant worlds where creatures dwell, Let heaven begin the song above, And sound it dreadful down to hell,

CHORUS.

From heaven the great Redeemer came
To save the world. Praise ye his name.