 | Familiar letters and poems on several occasions |  |
PSALM XXV.
To thee, my God most mighty, and must just,
I lift my rising Soul, in thee I trust.
Oh let not shame, my humbled Head depress,
Nor my pleas'd Foes rejoice at my Distress;
Unblemish'd Honour free from all Disgrace,
Is the fair Portion of thy faithful Race;
But black Confusion closely will attend,
That Wretch who dares presumptuously offend.
I lift my rising Soul, in thee I trust.
Oh let not shame, my humbled Head depress,
Nor my pleas'd Foes rejoice at my Distress;
Unblemish'd Honour free from all Disgrace,
Is the fair Portion of thy faithful Race;
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That Wretch who dares presumptuously offend.
Instruct me, Lord, make me thy Precepts know,
Point out the Path in which 'tis peace to go;
On thee, my God, my Saviour, and my Friend,
On thee undoubting shall my Soul attend;
Oh! think on all thy tender Mercies past,
(From ancient Times thy tender Mercies last)
And let thy Favour my Transgressions blot,
Be all my frail, my erring Youth forgot;
To this blest Hour let thy remitting Grace,
Indulgent flow, and ev'ry Sin efface,
The Righteous Lord most merciful and kind,
Will teach his holy Laws to weak Mankind;
Un-erring Judgment to the Meek impart,
And plant true Wisdom in the lowly Heart:
Who follows thee, my God, will surely prove,
Thy ways are Peace, and Pleasantness, and Love.
Oft have my wandrings urg'd thy Wrath to flame,
Yet let me hope the Love I dare not claim:
The pious Man who shall thy Name revere,
May chuse his Path, and thou wilt lead him there.
His Life in calm Tranquillity shall pass,
And large Possessions bless his lasting Race;
From him the Lord no knowledge will conceal,
But all his sacred Purposes reveal.
Point out the Path in which 'tis peace to go;
On thee, my God, my Saviour, and my Friend,
On thee undoubting shall my Soul attend;
Oh! think on all thy tender Mercies past,
(From ancient Times thy tender Mercies last)
And let thy Favour my Transgressions blot,
Be all my frail, my erring Youth forgot;
To this blest Hour let thy remitting Grace,
Indulgent flow, and ev'ry Sin efface,
The Righteous Lord most merciful and kind,
Will teach his holy Laws to weak Mankind;
Un-erring Judgment to the Meek impart,
And plant true Wisdom in the lowly Heart:
129
Thy ways are Peace, and Pleasantness, and Love.
Oft have my wandrings urg'd thy Wrath to flame,
Yet let me hope the Love I dare not claim:
The pious Man who shall thy Name revere,
May chuse his Path, and thou wilt lead him there.
His Life in calm Tranquillity shall pass,
And large Possessions bless his lasting Race;
From him the Lord no knowledge will conceal,
But all his sacred Purposes reveal.
To God I look, to him direct my Pray'r,
That he may free me from the treach'rous Snare:
Oh turn thee Lord, and grant a quick Relief
To me distress'd, and overcome with Grief:
See my Affliction, my sad Weight of Woe!
And to my lab'ring Soul compassion show:
Think what proud Numbers for my Ruin wait,
How vast their Pow'r, and how intense their Hate!
Do thou my Soul from all their Rage protect,
Give me a stedfast Eye and Look erect:
Be my firm Heart from ev'ry Terror free,
For I have plac'd my only Hope in thee.
Then let Integrity my Counsels guide,
Since I in thee, in thee alone, confide:
And see, with Pity see, sad Israel's Tears,
Relieve his Sorrows, and remove his Fears.
That he may free me from the treach'rous Snare:
130
To me distress'd, and overcome with Grief:
See my Affliction, my sad Weight of Woe!
And to my lab'ring Soul compassion show:
Think what proud Numbers for my Ruin wait,
How vast their Pow'r, and how intense their Hate!
Do thou my Soul from all their Rage protect,
Give me a stedfast Eye and Look erect:
Be my firm Heart from ev'ry Terror free,
For I have plac'd my only Hope in thee.
Then let Integrity my Counsels guide,
Since I in thee, in thee alone, confide:
And see, with Pity see, sad Israel's Tears,
Relieve his Sorrows, and remove his Fears.
| Familiar letters and poems on several occasions | |