Poems on Several Occasions With Imitations from Horace, Ovid, Martial, Theocritus, Bachylides, Anacreon, &c. To which is prefix'd A Discourse on Criticism, and the Liberty of Writing. In a letter to a Friend. By Samuel Cobb ... The Third Edition. To which is added, Poems on the Duke of Marlborough, Prince Eugene, the Electoral Prince of Hannover, with other Poems. Never before Printed |
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The 130th Psalm Paraphras'd.
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 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
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The 130th Psalm Paraphras'd.
[I.]
As a Poor Wretch, by Tempests tost,His Vessel wreck'd, and Venture lost,
With feeble Arms contends in vain,
Against the Surges of the Main:
Then casting round him his despairing Eyes,
Sees nothing but High Seas, and Low'ring Skies,
The Billows rowl above, and plunge him as they rise:
So, like the Waves, my Crimes oppress me down;
So shall I sink, and so shall drown:
Unless my Voice reach thy Attentive Ears,
Unless, Great God, Thou free me from my Fears,
Whelm'd in th' Abyss of Sin, and drown'd in Tears.
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II.
Lord! should'st Thou act a Judge's part,And at thy Last Tribunal stand
With all thy Thunder in thy Hand,
To search the Secrets of the Heart:
(As Nothing's hid from thy All Seeing Eye)
Should'st Thou our Inmost Actions try,
Our Lurking Holes of Wicked Thoughts;
Our Frailties, and our wilful Faults:
Who cou'd the Scrutiny abide
Who cou'd be Sav'd? Who Justify'd?
But Thou art Mercy, Thou art prone to spare,
And shew a Tender Father's Care
Nor wilt our Evil Deeds expose;
But Wink at These, and Pardon Those.
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With Heart and Voice; And, as we rightly shou'd,
Express our Reverence and Gratitude:
And never cease to Pray, and never cease to Praise.
III.
Not so in Camps the Centinel oppress'dWith Watching, and with Want of Rest,
Wears out, impatient, the long sleepless Night
In Wishes for the Morning Light:
As thy Salvation to obtain,
I watch, O Lord; nor watch in vain.
To thy Try'd Mercy, and Repeated Grace,
Bold on the Wings of Faith I fly,
And on Thy Promises rely
Made to Thy Chosen Race.
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VI.
O Jacob's Race, no more Despair,But trust in God with Faith and Pray'r.
His Bounteous Mercy will impart
Remission to thy Sins, and Comfort to thy Heart.
Yet think not that his Mercy is confin'd
To Jacob's Seed alone of all Mankind.
Where'er his True Believers dwell,
They are his Portion, his lov'd Israel.
Those and You he shall Redeem,
And tho' our Crimes would drain the Fountain dry,
Yet still that unexhausted Stream
Flows, and will flow for ever with a fresh Supply.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |