A translation of the psalms of David :: :: University of Virginia Library

O come ye to the holy place,
And pay to God's exceeding grace
What grateful natures owe;
For due descending day by day,
His mercy-beams themselves display,
Nor pause nor period know.

Let thankful Israel now confess
That he is gracious in excess,
To wrath and anger slow;
And that descending day by day,
His mercy-beams themselves display,
Nor pause nor period know.

Let Aaron's houshold now confess
That he is bountiful to bless,
From whom all mercies flow;
And that descending day by day,
His mercy-beams themselves display,
Nor pause nor period know.

Yea, let the congregation, here
Assembled in religious fear
In many a goodly row,
Confess with joy that day by day,
His mercy-beams themselves display,
Nor pause nor period know.

In sorrows bitt'rest depths immerg'd,
To God of heav'n my suit I urg'd
His vengeance to forbear;
And he my evil case review'd,
And in its utmost latitude
He granted all my pray'r.

Almighty God, which knows my heart,
Is always first to take my part
For love and mercy's sake;
I will not fear a fleshy arm,
Nor any terror or alarm
That mortal men can make.

The Lord, which my distress defends,
Is with all those that are my friends,
And in my band inlist;
So shall I have my heart's desire
To see mine enemies retire,
And their attempts desist.

118

'Tis better in the Lord to trust,
And all your actions to adjust
By what his laws explain,
Than on the son of man to lean,
Too weak an aid, a prop too mean
To succour or sustain.

'Tis better in the Lord to trust,
And to a holy God and just
With zeal to pay your court,
Than any confidence to ground
In princes, by the world renown'd
For honour or support.

All nations compass'd me about,
And strove my faithful troops to rout;
My courage to appall;
With multitudes their leaders came,
But in the Lord's tremendous name
I will defy them all.

On every side with black intent
My stedfast few to circumvent,
And work at once my fall,
They kept me in on every side,
But in the name of God my guide
I will defy them all.

Like swarms of hornets they came on,
Like fire extinguish'd they are gone
Through him on whom I call;
For in the name and matchless might
Of God my everlasting light
I will defy them all.

His steel the desp'rate swordsman drew,
And made a pass to run me thro'
With his determin'd blade;
But God in a propitious hour
Against the foe and all his pow'r
Came instant to my aid.

'Tis God alone that makes me strong,
And is the spirit of my song,
Which to my harp I chant;
He shall my name in heav'n enroll,
And sure salvation to my soul
Hereafter he shall grant.

The bloom of health and pleasure's voice
Dwell in their tents, whose wiser choice
Is virtue and the Lord;
The right hand of the King of kings
Atchieves sublime and glorious things
To punish and reward.

That right hand which can death dispense,
Or life—and hath pre-eminence,
O'er earth, and heav'n and hell,
Stupendous miracles has wrought,
Which all the pow'r of word and thought
By infinites excell!

DAVID, there is no death for thee,
Thy name is immortality,
And thou wert born to live,
God's wond'rous mercy to declare,
Which is omnipotent to spare,
To pity, to forgive.

The Lord his servant has chastis'd,
But hath not utterly despis'd,
Nor all his grace withdrawn;
And his compassion intervenes
'Twixt death and all the gloomy scenes
Where vaults sepulchral yawn.

As in the faith of God I knock,
The gates of righteousness unlock,
That I may enter first;
And there the fragrant odours burn,
And there demonstrate and return
The thanks with which I burst!

This is the gate the Lord has made,
And they that have his will obey'd,
The righteous, here may pass;
Who scorning Mammon and his leavn,
High in the treasuries of heav'n
Immortal wealth amass.

I will my hearty thanks restore,
That thou hast set so wide a door
To speed the pray'r I form'd;
And in salvation art so rich,
Which blessing to the highest pitch
My gratitude has warm'd.

119

That rock neglected and unknown
Is now become the corner stone
Ev'n of the house of God;
Which all the builders to a man
Refus'd, from him that drew the plan,
To him that bore the hod.

It is the work of God direct,
For he himself is architect,
So beautiful and bold;
'Tis elevated to surprize,
Beyond our thought, before our eyes,
Believe ye, and behold.

This is the day, whose livelier beams
The Lord has glorified, and teems
With thankfulness and praise;
In pleasure's whiter vestments clad,
We will be joyful, gay and glad,
And brighten to the blaze.

Now is the happy season, now,
O Lord, attend to hear my vow,
And further my pursuits;
Propitiate all thy people's toil,
And bless their corn, their wine and oil,
Their pastures and their fruits.

Blessed be he, or ere he came
On such a work, in such a name,
The Son of God indeed!
All ye that reckon to his fold,
Or in his church your office hold,
We wish you to succeed.

Christ Jesus is that light, the word
Above all thrones and pow'rs preferr'd,
Who brought the day-spring down;
Let loose the lambs for blood design'd,
And all the chains of death unbind—
With flow'rs his altar crown.

Thou art the God which I adore,
To thee the praise I will restore
As holden by thy laws;
Thou art the God in whom I live,
The glory and my life I give
To thee, and for thy cause.

O come ye to the holy place,
And pay to God's exceeding grace
What grateful natures owe;
For due descending day by day,
His mercy-beams themselves display,
Nor pause nor period know.