A New Version of the Psalms of David :: :: University of Virginia Library

He has the Floors
Of his high Chambers laid
On watry Stores,
Amid'st the Skies convey'd.
His Chariots are
Black Clouds, that roll on high,
While He in Air
Do's on wing'd Tempests fly.

His Angels He
Do's with swift Force inspire,
His Ministry
He makes a flaming Fire.

224

Who has so fast
The Earth's Foundations laid,
It still shall last,
Of no fierce Storm afraid.

The Flood o'erspreads
Like a wide Vest the Land,
O'er Mountains Heads
Th' uplifted Waters stand.

They with great Noise
At thy Rebuke withdrew;
Thy Thunder's Voice
They heard, and frighted flew.

Up by the Hill
And down the Vale they creep,
And haste to fill
For them th' appointed Deep.

Thou Bounds hast set
Their Fury to restrain,
Lest Pow'r they get
To drown the Earth again:

Part II.

Thro' Vales below
He sends fresh Springs and Rills,
Whence Rivers grow,
That run between the Hills.

Beasts of the Field
To drink do hither pass,
Sweet Draughts they yield
To the wild stupid Ass.

225

The Birds of Wing
Do hither take their Flight,
And here to sing
Mid'st branching Trees delight.

On the high Plain
Dews from his Rooms He pours;
The Earth rich Grain
Brings forth, refresh'd with Show'rs.

By his Command,
Fields Grass for Beasts produce,
And Herbs the Land
Brings forth for human Use.

And cheering Wine,
And Oyl, by which when fed,
Our Faces shine,
And Heart-reviving Bread.

Trees of vast Size,
Which his rich Juices fill,
As Cedars rise
On Lebanon's fair Hill.

Where wond'rous Work,
Their Nests, the Birds design;
As for the Stork,
Her Dwelling is the Pine.

In Mountains high
Wild Goats a Refuge find,
And shelter'd lie
In Rocks, the feeble Kind.

226

Part III.

He bids the Moon
A changing Figure show,
And makes the Sun
His time of Setting know.

Thou mak'st the Night,
When Beasts, that haunt the Wood,
Till dawning Light
Roam thro' the Hills for Food.

In quest of Prey
Young rav'ning Lyons roar,
And loud till Day
For Meat they God implore.

At tising Morn,
Which rouses us from Sleep,
They all return,
And to their Coverts creep.

Man with Repose
Grown active, early wakes,
To Labour goes,
And Pains till Ev'ning takes.

Thy Works, O Lord,
Are many, great, and wise;
The Earth well stor'd
With various Wonders lies.

So this wide Deep
Is a replenish'd Seat
Of Things that creep,
Of Fish both small and great.

227

There Ships advance,
There has the Whale his Court,
That's made to dance,
And in the Billows sport.

Thy Family
To Thee their Master sue,
And beg from Thee
Their Meat in Season due.

They from the Land
Take what Thou giv'st for Food,
Thy open Hand
Fills all their Souls with Good.

Part IV.

Thou frown'st, they mourn,
Thou tak'st away their Breath;
They die, and turn
Again to Dust in Death.

To give new Birth
Thou Vertue do'st diffuse,
And of the Earth
The Face thy Pow'r renews.

God's Glory bright
For ever shall endure,
To him Delight
His Works review'd procure.

At his stern Look
Earth trembles; by his Stroke
The Mountains shook,
And threw up Clouds of Smoke.

228

See, while I live,
I to the Lord will sing,
While Breath He'll give,
I'll praise my God and King.

I with Delight
Will Thoughts on Him employ,
All Day and Night
He is my sweetest Joy.

Perish th' Unjust,
Let Sinners be no more;
The Lord, thy Trust,
O Thou my Soul, adore.

Another Metre

Bless thou, the Lord, my Soul, repeat
His Praise, O Lord my God most High;
Thou art above Conception Great,
With Honour cloath'd and Majesty.

Cover'd with pure immortal Light,
As with a Robe magnificent,
Who, as a Curtain wide and bright,
Spreads forth the Heav'ns of vast Extent.

Who builds on Waters of the Skies
His Chambers, where his Pow'r resides;
On rolling Clouds, his Chariot flies,
And on the swift wing'd Tempest rides.

Who all his Angels Spirits made,
His Ministers a fiery Flame,

And who the strong Foundations laid
Of the wide Earth's unshaken Frame.

229

Thou did'st the flowing Waters spread,
Which as a Vest, the Land enclose;
Above the Mountains lofty Head
The swelling Inundation rose.

At thy Rebuke those Waters flew,
They heard thy Thunder's awful Voice,
And from the tow'ring Hills withdrew,
And made the humble Ground their Choice.

They climb the Mountain's steepy Brow,
Thence rushing down the Valley gain,
And to the vast Receiver flow
Founded their Treasures to contain.

Thou, to restrain the raging Deep,
Hast set a Bound of spreading Sand,
That here the Waves their Seat might keep.
Nor turn again to drown the Land.

Part II.

He bade the Springs and streaming Rills
Along the Valley's Bosom glide,
Wand'ring among th' aspiring Hills
They draw along their winding Tide.

They ev'ry Beast supply with Drink;
See, here their Thirst wild Asses slake;

Birds, which inhabit on their Brink,
Among the Trees sweet Musick make.

He waters, from his Chambers high;
The cleaving Hills and russet Plains;
His Works the Land thus satisfy,
With cheering Dews and fruitful Rains.

230

For Beasts He gives to Grass its Birth,
Brings forth the Herb for human Use,
And bids the fertile labour'd Earth
Sufficient Food for all produce.

His Bounty gives delicious Wine,
Which to the Soul do's Joy impart,
And Oyl, that makes our Faces shine,
And Bread-Corn, that supports the Heart.

God's planted Trees with Sap are fill'd,
Chiefly thy Cedars, Lebanon,

Where various Birds their Houses build,
While Firs the Stork their Tenant own.

The Forrest-Goats a Refuge find
On Hills, that rise aloft in Air,
Conies, and Beasts of savage Kind,
For Shelter to the Rocks repair.

Part III.

He bids the Moon for Seasons run
The Stages of her heav'nly Way,
And dictates to th' obedient Sun
His time to set, and call in Day.

Thou do'st the Skies with Darkness spread,
Then Night, the Sun departed, reigns;
Now Forest-Beasts by Hunger led
Forsake their Haunts and range the Plains.

Young Lyons roar, in quest of Prey,
They seek from God, their nightly Meat;

And at the early Dawn of Day,
To their known Dens for Rest retreat.

231

Now Swains to usual Labour rise,
Go forth, and till the Ev'ning toil:

How various are thy Works? how Wise?
Thy Riches, Lord, fill ev'ry Soil.

By Thee the Ocean's Wealth began,
Where small and great mute Nations sport;

There flies the Ship, Leviathan
There triumphs in his watry Court.

All these on Thee, obedient wait,
And on thy gracious Care depend,
That Thou, new Vigour to create,
May'st needful Food in Season send.

Whate'er they gather from the Land,
They to thy endless Bounty owe:
Thou open'st wide thy lib'ral Hand,
And they in plenteous Goodness flow.

Part IV.

If Thou thy Face should'st turn away,
They would in Depths of Trouble mourn;
When Thou their Breath demandest, they
To Dust, from whence they came, return

Thro' all the Earth, and Sea, and Air,
Thou do'st thy quick'ning Spirit send,
Which Natures Losses to repair,
Do's thro' the World new Life extend.

Thro' all Duration, that ensues,
Th' Almighty's Glory shall endure:
When his great Works his Eye reviews,
Joy to their Author they procure.

232

If He from Heav'n looks Angry down,
The troubled Earth's Foundations quake;
Should He on lofty Mountains frown,
Their Heads would smoke, their Pillars shake.

But, as for me, to this Great King
My Voice in sacred Songs I'll raise;
While living to my God I'll sing,
And spend my Being in his Praise.

When I shall think of God most kind,
My Meditation will be sweet;
When I his Mercy call to mind,
My Soul will Joy triumphant meet.

From Earth let Sinners be destroy'd,
And let the Wicked be no more:
Be thou my Soul in Praise employ'd,
Let all the Earth the Lord adore.