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

Remember David's care,
O God of praise and peace,
To his complaints repair,
And all his debts release;
Which press upon him such a load,
And his repining heart corrode.

Remember how he nam'd
The Lord unto his vow,
And what an oath he fram'd,
As on fair Zion's brow
His soul adjur'd the Lord of hosts,
Whose angels, Jacob, guard thy coasts.

137

I will not quit the sod
From whence my pray'rs aspire,
Nor from the face of God
To privacy retire;
Nor by temptation's hand be led
To climb and rest upon my bed.

I will not bow to yield
Mine eyes in wonted sleep,
Nor let their lids be seal'd
As soothing slumbers creep;
Nor these my robes of pray'r divest
To let my temples take their rest.

Until at length I trace
For God's establish'd fane
An eligible place
His glory to contain;
An habitation in the east
For Jacob's gracious God and priest.

Of such a blessed site
We from the spirit learn'd,
And to our great delight
In Ephrata discern'd;
And there we mark'd it in the wood
The temple of the GREAT and GOOD.

We will with one accord
To his cathedral speed,
And to the blessed Lord
Our mutual ardour feed;
With meekness there his presence greet
And fall before his altar's feet.

Arise, O God, arise,
And to thy rest resort,
And as thy standard flies
Thy glorious host exhort;
And to thine ark of strength come down,
The hallow'd shrine of thy renown.

Let all thy mitred seers
With righteousness be clad,
Which rising virtue cheers
And reprimands the bad;
And let thy saints rejoice and sing
Hosanna to the Lord their king.

Thy succour we implore,
And that for David's sake;
Abscond thyself no more
From these the pray'rs we make;
Nor let us breathe in vain our vows,
Nor Christ be absent from his spouse.

The Lord my seed hath sown,
And made a faithful oath
Respecting David's throne,
Himself and children both;
Nor will he fail his word express,
By which he bound himself to bless.

From Jesse's goodly root
I will my BRANCH educe
Of matchless bloom and fruit,
By giving love a loose;
I will the throne of David build
Till it shall be with Jesus fill'd.

And if thy future sons
Shall to their Saviour earn,
The words, which he that runs
May read, if they will learn,
Their children also in thy room
The royal sceptre shall resume.

For God has set his mind
Upon fair Zion's mound,
The house his grace design'd
His goodness there shall found;
And for her heart-directed songs,
And pray'rs of penitence he longs.

Upon her stately tow'rs
My glory shall descend,
My word her height impow'rs
To flourish without end;
All rivalry she shall excell,
And I with her will love to dwell.

My blessing on her food
And on her garners sent,
Shall daily be renew'd,
Her stores I will augment;
Her poor shall to the full be fed,
Nor ever know the want of bread.

138

Her priests shall glow with health,
And strength to pray and fast,
While pleasures, thrift and wealth
Shall to the crowd be cast;
Her saints with heav'n-assisted voice
Shall in exalted hymns rejoice.

There will I cause the horn
Of David still to sprout,
And with those wreathes adorn
I weave for kings devout;
I will anoint and fix him mine
In a translucent sphere to shine.

I will the tumults hush
Which trouble his repose,
And spread a shameful blush
Upon his noisy foes;
But in his crown the gems shall beam,
And with superior lustre stream.