University of Virginia Library

PSALM XIX.

[Our souls the book of nature draws]

PART I.

Our souls the book of nature draws
To' adore the First Eternal Cause:
The heavens articulately shine,
And speak their Architect Divine;
And all their orbs proclaim aloud
The wisdom and the power of God.

See, in yon glorious azure height,
The sovereign, uncreated Light!
That vast expanse of liquid air
Doth His immensity declare;

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And every influence from above,
His bounteous, universal love.

The sure-succeeding night and day
His providential care display;—
Who bade them to their bounds retire,
And stand, as choir to answer choir,
His knowledge infinite to tell,
And show the Great Invisible.

Kindreds, and tongues, and nations, hear
His all-informing messenger.
Stretching to earth's remotest bound,
The heavens their Maker's praise resound,
And speak the power by which they shine,
And gospelize the love Divine.

God in that spacious firmament
Hath pitch'd the solar planet's tent;
Forth from his chamber in the east,
The sun, in flaming yellow dress'd,
Comes, as a bridegroom blithe and gay,
To cheer the world, and bring the day.

With giant-strength he comes from far,
Exulting on his rapid car;
And, starting from the heavenly goal,
Holds on his course from pole to pole,
Earth's inmost stores his rays admit,
And all things feel the genial heat.

PART II.

The book of covenanted grace
Its heavenly origin displays;
Strong characters of love Divine
Throughout the sacred volume shine;

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Jehovah, by His word, is show'd
The glorious legislative God.

Jehovah's law all-perfect is,
Nor can it e'er receive increase;
Nor can it e'er diminish'd be;
From error and corruption free,
It turns the soul which turns to it,
And makes the man of God complete.

The testimony of the Lord,
Deliver'd in His written word,
Is sure, inviolably sure,
And shall from age to age endure;
The simple it with grace supplies,
And makes them to salvation wise.

The statutes of the Lord are right;
His laws and equity unite;
Reason Divine in all is show'd,
Adjusted to His creatures' good;
They bring us peace, and power impart,
When written on the' obedient heart.

The Lord's command is plain, and free
From darkness and impurity;
It purges and restores the sight,
Guides, by a clear, unerring light,
The sinner in the paths of peace,
Convinced of sin and righteousness.

The fear of God restrains from sin,
Is clean, and makes the sinner clean:
The strict, unalterable law,
Which keeps the faithful soul in awe,
Can never lose its binding power,
But lives and reigns for evermore.

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The judgments of the Lord are true,
And all His faithfulness they show;
His perfect equity decrees,
To all, rewards or penalties;
And soon the righteous Judge shall seal
Their endless doom,—in heaven or hell!

How precious all Thy sayings are!
No treasure can with these compare:
Thy sayings are the soul's repast,
Sweeter than honey to the taste;
They drop like manna from above,
Or flow in streams of joy and love.

Thy words are my delight and guide,
And warn me, lest I start aside:
Thrice happy are Thy servants, Lord;
Obedience is our great reward;
We own, to whom the grace is given,
To do Thy will on earth—is heaven.

But who can all his errors tell,
Or count the thoughts by which he fell?
Omniscient God, to Thee alone
My sin's infinity is known!
Do Thou my secret faults efface,
And show forth all Thy cleansing grace.

Till then, from wilful sin restrain,
Nor let it o'er Thy servant reign;
Withhold me by Thy mercy's power,
And keep, till I can sin no more,
From all the inward taint set free,
Restored to paradise and Thee.

O might my every thought arise
Well-pleasing in Thy glorious eyes!

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My every word advance Thy praise,
The strength of Thy redeeming grace!
And all I have, and all I am,
Extol the power of Jesu's name!