 | Familiar letters and poems on several occasions |  |
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PSALM CIV.
Awake my Soul, with all thy Pow'rs record,In lofty Strains, the Praises of the Lord;
To him be everlasting Honour giv'n,
Who shines in all the Majesty of Heav'n.
Eternal! with essential Splendor bright,
En-rob'd in Veils of un-approached Light;
Who can endure the strong effulgent Rays,
That ceaseless from the glorious Godhead blaze!
From him the Skies their first Existence found,
Which, Curtain-like expand their Folds around;
Descending now he rests upon the Deeps,
And now the Clouds with passing Glory sweeps:
Submissive Winds receive him on their Wings,
And fly triumphant with the King of Kings.
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Active as Light they run, at thy Command;
Each ready Minister obedient flies,
Bright as the Flames that from thy Altars rise:
Loud, at thy Call, they bid the Whirl-wind blow,
And blazing with destructive Lightnings go;
To execute thy Will, their sole employ,
The Good to save, the Wicked to destroy.
The Earth by thee was fixt with wond'rous Art,
From its firm Basis never to depart;
A liquid covering hides the solid Ground,
Like flowing Robes that ev'ry Part surround;
From Dale to Dale the gath'ring Waters glide,
Climb o'er the Hills, and swell on ev'ry Side;
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Thou speak'st in Thunder, and they frighted fly;
Some down the Hills with rapid Torrent flow,
Some slumber peaceful in the Vales below.
Call'd by their Lord, the scatter'd Floods obey,
And to the future Ocean take their Way;
There fixt as with an Adamantine Chain,
Th'impatient Billows toss and rave in vain;
Check'd by thy Nod, restrain'd by thy Command,
With empty Menaces they threat the Land.
From thee maternal Springs their Orders take,
Whose copious Streamings, plenteous Rivers make;
Among the Hills the murm'ring Waters stray,
Meand'ring glide, and wind a devious Way;
All the wild Tenants of the shelt'ring Wood.
Impell'd by Thirst, seek out the quenching Flood;
Their Thirst allay'd, lift up their grateful Eyes,
As conscious who dispens'd the kind Supplies.
Nurst by the gliding Stream, th'aspiring Trees
Of ev'ry vary'd Verdure, catch the Breeze;
The chearful Birds amidst the Branches play,
There Chaunt their Morning, and their Ev'ning Lay.
Whose copious Streamings, plenteous Rivers make;
Among the Hills the murm'ring Waters stray,
Meand'ring glide, and wind a devious Way;
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Impell'd by Thirst, seek out the quenching Flood;
Their Thirst allay'd, lift up their grateful Eyes,
As conscious who dispens'd the kind Supplies.
Nurst by the gliding Stream, th'aspiring Trees
Of ev'ry vary'd Verdure, catch the Breeze;
The chearful Birds amidst the Branches play,
There Chaunt their Morning, and their Ev'ning Lay.
High on the Mountains Tops, the verdant Plains,
Drink the mild Dews, and soft-descending Rains;
The World is fill'd with thy unbounded Store,
And universal Nature feels thy Pow'r!
Drink the mild Dews, and soft-descending Rains;
The World is fill'd with thy unbounded Store,
And universal Nature feels thy Pow'r!
The Herds and Flocks spontaneous Herbs sustain,
But cultivated Nature teems for Man;
He Plants, and Plows, and Sows, the fertile Field,
Then reaps the sweet Supports his Labours yield;
The curling Vines, the clust'ring Grapes produce,
And glads his Heart with their inspiring Juice;
While the green Olive, to reward his Toil,
And smooth his Brow, affords the fat'ning Oil;
Bread to his Heart new Strength and Vigour gives,
And all from thee he thankfully receives.
On Lebanon, with vital Moisture fed,
Their mighty Boughs, the tow'ring Cedars spread;
Luxuriant in eternal Verdure grow,
And stretch their Shadows to the Vale below;
There Birds of various Plumage take their Rest,
In lofty Firs the Stork erects her Nest;
Upon the Hills the wanton Goats are spread,
And smaller Beasts among the Rocks are fed.
But cultivated Nature teems for Man;
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Then reaps the sweet Supports his Labours yield;
The curling Vines, the clust'ring Grapes produce,
And glads his Heart with their inspiring Juice;
While the green Olive, to reward his Toil,
And smooth his Brow, affords the fat'ning Oil;
Bread to his Heart new Strength and Vigour gives,
And all from thee he thankfully receives.
On Lebanon, with vital Moisture fed,
Their mighty Boughs, the tow'ring Cedars spread;
Luxuriant in eternal Verdure grow,
And stretch their Shadows to the Vale below;
There Birds of various Plumage take their Rest,
In lofty Firs the Stork erects her Nest;
Upon the Hills the wanton Goats are spread,
And smaller Beasts among the Rocks are fed.
The Sun and Moon their stated Journies take,
And by thy Rules the changing Seasons make;
When Night's dark Shades involve the radiant Skies,
Then all the Dwellers of the Forest rise.
The hungry Lions, roaring, hunt their Prey,
'Till the bright Sun brings back revolving Day;
From his detecting Beams each prowling Beast,
Runs to his Den, and takes the needed Rest.
But Man for nobler Purposes was born,
He wakes, and rises, with the op'ning Morn;
Forth to his useful Labour then he goes,
'Till Ev'ning Shades recall him to repose.
In all thy Works the Rays of Wisdom shine,
And by thy Rules the changing Seasons make;
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Then all the Dwellers of the Forest rise.
The hungry Lions, roaring, hunt their Prey,
'Till the bright Sun brings back revolving Day;
From his detecting Beams each prowling Beast,
Runs to his Den, and takes the needed Rest.
But Man for nobler Purposes was born,
He wakes, and rises, with the op'ning Morn;
Forth to his useful Labour then he goes,
'Till Ev'ning Shades recall him to repose.
In all appear a Plenitude Divine!
The fruitful Earth is richly stor'd by thee,
And thou hast made the Wonders of the Sea;
Where bulky Ships to distant Ports consign'd,
Float on the Waves, and fly before the Wind.
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And huge Leviathans are sporting there;
All these from thee their daily Succours crave,
All these from thee their daily Succours have.
Millions of Creatures, both by Sea and Land,
Take in their Food from thy sufficing Hand;
Thy Hand with-drawn, astonish'd Millions lie
Prostrate on Earth, pine, sicken, faint, and die;
Thy Frown Dis-peoples Ocean, Earth and Air,
And blasted Systems wither in Despair;
But absent thou, if thou couldst absent be,
What dreadful Desolation should we see!
Thy animating Breath sustains the whole,
Its Life, its Spirit, its informing Soul;
When smiling Grace speaks out th'omnific Word,
Nature, enraptur'd, springs to meet her Lord.
Beyond whate'er can be by Language taught,
Beyond the utmost Flight of Human Thought;
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Blest in thy self, eternally the same;
Pleas'd with thy perfect Work thou reign'st alone,
And subject Seraphs bow before thy Throne.
Aw'd by a Look, the trembling Earth retires,
And touch'd, the Mountains groan, and burst in Fires;
So great is God! so strikes the sinking Sense,
With the full Blaze of dread Omnipotence;
But Mercy's milder Glories fix their Rays,
And lift the Worshippers from Fear to Praise.
When e'er I sing, as long as Life remains,
His mighty Name shall dignify my Strains;
In him alone shall terminate my Joys,
Far off, henceforth, be Vanity and Toys.
Delight and Peace attend on Virtue's Ways,
His Bliss is most sublime, who best obeys;
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Despis'd shall live, and un-lamented die;
A while they shine, but soon shall set in Shame,
Nor leave a Race behind, nor leave a Name.
Awake my Soul, wake ev'ry tuneful String,
And to thy God with holy Rapture sing;
Let all his Works one solemn Concert raise,
And loudly sing their great Creator's Praise.
O praise the Lord, as long as Life remains,
His mighty Name shall dignify my Strains;
His Praise shall quiver on my fault'ring Breath,
And form my first sweet Anthem after Death.
| Familiar letters and poems on several occasions | |