And to my prayer, as 'tis unfeign'd, a gracious ear afford. 2. As in thy sight I am approv'd, so let my sentence be; And with impartial eyes, O Lord, my upright dealing see. 3 For thou hast search'd my heart by day, and visited by night; And, on the strictest trial, found its secret motions right. Nor shall thy justice, Lord, alone my heart's designs acquit; For I have purpos'd that my tongue shall no offence commit. 4 I know what wicked men would do, their safety to maintain; But me thy just and mild commands from bloody paths restrain. 5 That I may still, in spite of wrongs, my innocence secure, O guide me in thy righteous ways, 6 Since, heretofore, I ne'er in vain 7 The wonders of thy truth and love in my defence engage; Thou, whose right hand preserves thy saints from their oppressor's rage. PART II. 8, 9 O! keep me in thy tend'rest care; thy shelt'ring wings stretch out, To guard me safe from savage foes, that compass me about: 10 O'ergrown with luxury, enclos'd in their own fat they lie; And, with a proud blaspheming mouth, both God and man defy. 11 Well may they boast, for they have now my paths encompass'd round; Their eyes at watch, their bodies bow'd, and couching on the ground; 12 In posture of a lion set, when greedy of his prey; Or a young lion, when he lurks within a covert way. 13 Arise, O Lord, defeat their plots, From wicked men, who are thy sword, 14 From worldly men, thy sharpest scourge, whose portion's here below; Who, fill❜d with earthly stores, aspire no other bliss to know. 15 Their race is num'rous, that partake their substance while they live; Their heirs survive, to whom they may the vast remainder give. 16 But I, in uprightness, thy face shall view without control; And, waking, shall its image find reflected in my soul. PSALM XVIII. 1, 2 N my firm affection, Lord, to thee; TO change of time shall ever shock For thou hast always been my rock, a fortress and defence to me. Thou my deliv'rer art, my God; my trust is in thy mighty power; Thou art my shield from foes abroad, at home my safeguard and my tower. 3 To thee I will address my prayer, to whom all praise we justly owe; So shall I, by thy watchful care, be guarded from my treacherous foe. 4, 5 By floods of wicked men distress'd, with seas of sorrow compass'd round, With dire infernal pangs oppress'd, in death's unwieldy fetters bound; 6 To heaven I made my mournful prayer, to God address'd my humble moan; Who graciously inclin'd his ear, and heard me from his lofty throne. PART II. 7 When God arose my part to take, 8 Thick clouds of smoke dispers'd abroad, 9 He left the beauteous realms of light, whilst heaven bow'd down its awful head; B Beneath his feet substantial night was like a sable carpet spread. 10 The chariot of the King of kings, which active troops of angels drew, On a strong tempest's rapid wings, with most amazing swiftness flew. 11, 12 Black watery mists and clouds conspir'd, with thickest shades his face to veil; But at his brightness soon retir'd, and fell in showers of fire and hail. 13 Through heaven's wide arch a thund'ring peal God's angry voice did loudly roar ; While earth's sad face with heaps of hail and flakes of fire was cover'd o'er. 14 His sharpen'd arrows round he threw, which made his scatter'd foes retreat; Like darts his nimble lightnings flew, and quickly finish'd their defeat. 15 The deep its secret stores disclos'd, the world's foundations naked lay; By his avenging wrath expos'd, which fiercely rag'd that dreadful day. PART III. 16 The Lord did on my side engage; from heaven, his throne, my cause upheld; And snatch'd me from the furious rage of threat'ning waves, that proudly swell'd. 17 God his resistless power employ'd my strongest foes' attempts to break; Who else with ease had soon destroy'd the weak defence that I could make. 18 Their subtle rage had near prevail'd, when I distress'd and friendless lay; But still, when other succours fail'd, God was my firm support and stay. 19 From dangers that enclos'd me round, he brought me forth and set me free; For some just cause his goodness found, that mov'd him to delight in me. 20 Because in me no guilt remains, God does his gracious help extend; My hands are free from bloody stains; therefore the Lord is still my friend. 21, 22 For I his judgments kept in sight, in his just paths I always trod; I never did his statutes slight, nor loosely wander'd from my God. 23, 24 But still my soul, sincere and pure, did even from darling sins refrain His favours therefore yet endure, PART IV. 25, 26 Thou suit'st, O Lord, thy righteous ways to various paths of human-kind; They who for mercy merit praise, with thee shall wondrous mercy find. Thou to the just shalt justice show; the pure thy purity shall see: Such as perversely choose to go, shall meet with due returns from thee. 27, 28 That he the humble soul will save, and crush the haughty's boasted might, In me the Lord an instance gave, whose darkness he has turn'd to light. 29 On his firm succour I rely'd, and did o'er num'rous foes prevail; Nor fear'd, whilst he was on my side, the best defended walls to scale. 30 For God's design shall still succeed, his word will bear the utmost test; He's a strong shield to all that need, and on his sure protection rest. 31 Who then deserves to be ador'd, but God, on whom my hopes depend? Or who, except the mighty Lord, can with resistless power defend? PART V. 32, 33 'Tis God that girds my armour on, and all my just designs fulfils; Through him my feet can swiftly run, and nimbly climb the steepest hills. 34 Lessons of war from him I take, and manly weapons learn to wield; Strong bows of steel with ease I break, forc'd by my stronger arms to yield. 35 The buckler of his saving health protects me from assaulting foes; His hand sustains me still; my wealth and greatness from his bounty flows. 36 My goings he enlarg'd abroad, till then to narrow paths confin'd; And, when in slippery ways I trod, the method of my steps design'd. 37 Through him I num'rous hosts defeat, and flying squadrons captive take; Nor from my fierce pursuit retreat, till I a final conquest make. 38 Cover'd with wounds, in vain they try their vanquish'd heads again to rear; Spite of their boasted strength, they lie beneath my feet, and grovel there. 39 God, when fresh armies take the field, recruits my strength, my courage warms; He makes my strong opposers yield, subdued by my prevailing arms. 40 Through him the necks of prostrate foes my conqu❜ring feet in triumph press; Aided by him, I root out those who hate and envy my success. 41 With loud complaints all friends they try'd, but none was able to defend; At length to God for help they cry'd; but God would no assistance lend. 42 Like flying dust, which winds pursue, their broken troops I scatter'd round; Their slaughter'd bodies forth I threw, like loathsome dirt, that clogs the ground. PART VI. 43 Our factious tribes, at strife till now, by God's appointment me obey; The heathen to my sceptre bow, and foreign nations own my sway. 44 Remotest realms their homage send, when my successful name they hear; Strangers for my commands attend, charm'd with respect, or aw'd by fear. 45 All to my summons tamely yield, or soon in battle are dismay'd; For stronger holds they quit the field, and still in strongest holds afraid. 46 Let the eternal Lord be prais'd, the rock on whose defence I rest! To highest heavens his name be rais'd, who me with his salvation blest! 47 'Tis God that still supports my right; his just revenge my foes pursues; 'Tis he, that, with resistless might, fierce nations to my yoke subdues. 48 My universal safeguard he! from whom my lasting honours flow; He made me great, and set me free from my remorseless bloody foe. 49 Therefore, to celebrate his fame, my grateful voice to heaven I'll raise; And nations, strangers to his name, shall thus be taught to sing his praise: 50" God to his king deliv'rance sends "shows his anointed signal grace His mercy evermore extends "to David and his promis'd race |