PSALMS OF DAVID,

IN METRE.

HOW

PSALM I.
1 TOW blest is he, who ne'er consents

by ill advice to walk,
Nor stands in sinners' ways, nor sits

where men profanely talk;
2 But makes the perfect law of God

his business and delight;
Devoutly reads therein by day,

and meditates by night.
3 Like some fair tree, which, fed by.streams,

with timely fruit does bend,
He still shall flourish, and success

all his designs attend.
4 Ungodly men, and their attempts,

no lasting root shall find;
Untimely blasted and dispersed

like chaff before the wind.
5 Their guilt shall strike the wicked dumb

before their Judge's face:
No formal hypocrite shall then
among

the saints have place.
6 For God approves the just man's ways;

to happiness they tend :
But sinners, and the paths they tread,
shall both in ruin end.

PSALM II.
1 WITH restless and ungovern'd rage,

why do the heathen storm?
Why in such rash attempts engage,

as they can ne'er perform ?
2 The great in council and in might

their various forces bring ;
Against the Lord they all unite,

and his anointed King:
3 " Must we submit to their commands ?”

presumptuously they say:
“ No, let us break their slavish bands,

" and cast their chains away."
4 But God, who sits enthron'd on high,

and sees how they combine,
Does their conspiring strength defy,

and mocks their vain design.
5 Thick clouds of wrath divine shall break
on his rebellious foes;

WI

And thus will he in thunder speak

to all that dare oppose: 6 “ Though madly you dispute my will,

“the King that I ordain, 6 Whose throne is fix'd on Sion's hill,

“shall there securely reign." 7 Attend, O earth, whilst I declare

God's uncontroll'd decree: “ Thou art my Son; this day, my heir,

“ have I begotten thee. 8 * Ask, and receive thy full demands;

“thine shall the heathen be; “ The utmost limits of the lands

“ shall be possess’d by thee. 9 “ Thy threat'ning sceptre thou shalt shake,

“and crush them every where; “ As massy bars of iron break

“the potter's brittle ware." 10 Learn then, ye princes; and give ear,

ye judges of the earth; 11 Worship the Lord with holy fear;

rejoice with awful mirth. 12 Appease the Son with due respect,

your timely homage pay: Lest he revenge the bold neglect,

incens'd by your delay. 13 If but in part his anger rise,

who can endure the flame ? Then blest are they, whose hope relies on his most holy name.

PSALM III. 1 TOW many, Lord, of late are grown

the troublers of my peace! And as their numbers hourly rise, so does their

rage increase. 2 Insulting, they my soul upbraid, ,

and him whom I adore « The God in whom he trusts,” say they,

66 shall rescue him no more." 3 But thou, O Lord, art my defence;

on thee my hopes rely; Thou art my glory, and shall yet

lift up my head on high. 4 Since whensoe'er, in like distress,

to God I made my prayer, He heard me from his holy hill;

why should I now despair? 5 Guarded by him, I laid me down,

my sweet repose to take; For I through him securely sleep,

through him in safety wake.

H

O

6 No force nor fury of my foes

my courage shall confound,
Were they as many hosts as men,

that have beset me round.
7 Arise, and save me, O my God,

who oft hast own'd my cause,
And scattered oft these foes to me,

and to thy righteous laws.
8 Salvation to the Lord belongs;

he only can defend :
His blessings he extends to all
that on his power depend.

PSALM IV.
LORD, thou art my righteous Judge,

to my complaint
Thou still redeem'st me from distress;

have mercy, Lord, and bear.
2 How long will ye, O sons of men,

to blot my fame devise?
How long your vain designs pursue,

and spread malicious lies?
3 Consider that the righteous man

is God's peculiar choice;
And when to him I make my prayer,

he always hears my voice.
4 Then stand in awe of his commands,

flee every thing that's ill,
Commune in private with your hearts,

and bend them to his will.
5 The place of other sacrifice

let righteousness supply;
And let your hope, securely fix'd,

on God alone rely.
6 While worldly minds impatient grow

more prosp'rous times to see;
Still let the glories of thy face

shine brightly, Lord, on me.
7 So shall my heart o'erflow with joy,

more lasting and more true
Than theirs, who stores of corn and wine

successively renew.
8 Then down in peace I'H lay my head,

and take my needful rest;
No other guard, O Lord, I crave,
of thy defence possess'd.

PSALM V.
1 ORD, hear the voice of my complaint

accept my secret prayer;
2 To thee alone, my King, my God,
will I for help repair.

3 Thou in the morn my voice shalt hear,

and with the dawning day To thee devoutly I'll look up,

to thee devoutly pray. 4 For thou the wrongs that I sustain

can'st never, Lord, approve, Who from thy sacred dwelling-place

all evil dost remove. 5 Not long shall stubborn fools remain

unpunish'd in thy view; All such as act unrighteous things

thy vengeance shall pursue. 6 The slandering tongue, O God of truth,

by thee shall be destroyed, Who hat'st alike the man in blood

and in deceit employ'd. But when thy boundless grace shall me

to thy lov'd courts restore, On thee I'll fix my longing eyes,

and humbly thee adore. 8 Conduct me by thy righteous laws,

for watchful is my foe; Therefore, O Lord, make plain the way

wherein I ought to go. 9 Their mouth vents nothing but deceit;

their heart is set on wrong; Their throat is a devouring grave;

they flatter with their tongue. 10 By their own counsels let them fall

oppress'd with loads of sin For they against thy righteous laws

have harden'd rebels been. 11 But let all those who trust in thee,

with shouts their joy proclaim; Let them rejoice whom thou preserv'st,

and all that love thy name. 12 To righteous men, the righteous Lord

his blessing will extend; And with his favour all his saints, as with a shield, defend.

PSALM VI. 1 WHY dreadful anger, Lord, restrain,

and spare a wretch forlorn ; Correct me not in thy fierce wrath,

too heavy to be borne. 2 Have mercy, Lord; for I grow faint,

unable to endure The anguish of my aching bones,

which thou alone can'st cure. 3 My tortur'd flesh distracts my mind,

and fills my soul with grief;

1 TH

But, Lord, how long wilt thou delay

to grant me thy relief? 4 Thy wonted goodness, Lord, repeat,

and ease my troubled soul; Lord, for thy wondrous mercy's sake,

vouchsafe to make me whole. 5 For after death no more can I

thy glorious acts proclaim, No pris'ners of the silent grave

can magnify thy name. 6 Quite tird with pain, with groaning faint, no hope of ease I

see e; The night, that quiets common griefs,

is spent in tears by me. 7 My beauty fades, my sight grows diin,

my eyes with weakness close; Old age o'ertakes me, whilst I think

on my insulting foes. 8 Depart, ye wicked ; in my wrongs ye

shall no more rejoice; For God, I find, accepts my tears,

and listens to my voice. 9, 10 He hears, and grants my humble prayer;

and they that wish my fall,
Shall blush and rage to see that God
protects me from them all.

PSALM VII.
LORD my God, since I have plac'd

my trust , From all my persecutors’ rage

do thou deliver me. 2 To save me from my threat'ning foe,

Lord, interpose thy power; Lest, like a savage lion, he

my helpless soul devour. 3, 4 If I am guilty, or did e'er

against his peace combine; Nay, if I had not spard his life,

who sought unjustly mine; 5 Let then to persecuting foes

my soul become a prey; Let them to earth tread down my life,

in dust my honour lay. 6 Arise, and let thine anger, Lord,

in my defence engage; Exalt thyself above my foes,

and their insulting rage : Awake, awake, in my behalf,

the judgment to dispense, Which thou hast righteously ordain'd for injured innocence.