The Psalms, Translated or Paraphrased in English Verse ::

Blest, who with gen'rous pity glows,
Who learns to feel another's woes,
Bows to the poor man's want his ear,
And wipes the helpless Orphan's tear:
In ev'ry want, in ev'ry woe,
Himself thy pity, Lord, shall know;
Thy Love his life shall guard, thy hand
Give to his lot the chosen land,
Nor leave him in the dreadful day
To unrelenting foes a prey.

When languid with disease and pain,
Thou, Lord, his spirit wilt sustain,
Prop with thine arm his sinking head,
And turn with tend'rest care his bed.

O let me, Lord, thy mercy share,
(Thus to my God I form'd the pray'r,)
Health to my fainting soul dispense,
That humbled owns its dire offence.
“When shall he perish?” Thus my foes
With ruthless tongue their wish disclose;
“Why lingers Death's appointed hour
“Oblivion on his name to pour?”
Beside my couch, dissolv'd in tears,
The hostile visitant appears,
Dissembling o'er my anguish mourns,
While with collected malice burns
His heart, and parted from my gate
Aloud proclaims his settled hate.

Now pleas'd they form some dark design,
Now whisp'ring thus in curses join:
“Still may the guilt unpurg'd remain,
“That binds him on the bed of pain;
“Nor let him from that bed arise,
“But close in endless sleep his eyes.”
And Thou, the Friend, to whom my heart
Its inmost counsels wont t' impart,

For whom the social board I spread,
And broke with lib'ral hand my bread,
With lifted heel, severe return,
The partner of thy breast couldst spurn.

Maker of All! be Thou my guard:
Give me, my strength by Thee repair'd,
Give me to teach the faithless band
To own the justice of thy hand.
So, while my pray'rs indulg'd approve
My Soul the object of thy Love,
My foes, with inward anguish torn,
Shall each his blasted triumphs mourn:
And I (for Thou thy aid shalt yield,)
In innocence of heart upheld
Thy Courts shall ever tread, and there
The fulness of thy presence share.

O thankful bless th' Almighty Lord,
The God by Jacob's Sons ador'd.
His fame, e'er Time its course began,
O'er Heav'n's wide region echoing ran;
To Him through endless ages raise
One song of oft-repeated praise.

University of Virginia Library

PSALM XLI.