Of patience, mercy, and of truth
Thou everlasting spring!

From the lxxxvii. Psalm of David.

1 GOD'S temple crowns the holy mount,

The LORD there condescends to dwell;
His Sion's gates, in his account,

Our Israel's fairest tents excel :
Yea, glorious things of thee we sing,
O city of th' almighty King!
2 Of honour'd Sion we aver,

Illustrious throngs from her proceed;
Th' Almighty shall establish her,
And shall enrol her holy seed:
Yea, for his people he shall count
The children of his favour'd mount.

3 He'll Sion find with numbers fill'd,
Who celebrate his matchless praise ;
Who, here in hallelujahs skill'd,

1

In heav'n their harps and hymns shall raise: O Sion, seat of Israel's King,

Be mine to drink thy living spring!

GOD

From the lxxxviii. Psalm of David. OD of my life, O LORD most high, To thee by day and night I cry; Vouchsafe my mournful voice to hear, To my distress incline thine ear.

2 Like those whose strength and hopes are fled, They number me among the dead;

Like those who, shrouded in the grave,
From thee no more remembrance have.

3 Wilt thou by miracle revive

The dead whom thou forsook'st alive?
Shall the mute grave thy love confess,
A mould'ring tomb thy faithfulness?
4 To thee, O LORD, I cry forlorn,

My pray'r prevents the early morn;
Why hast thou, LORD, my soul forsook,
Nor once vouchsaf'd a gracious look?

5 Companions dear, and friends belov'd,
Far from my sight thou hast remov'd:
GOD of my life, O LORD most high,
Vouchsafe to hear my mournful cry?

PSALM 68. (L. M.)

From the lxxxix. Psalm of David.

1 THY mercies, LORD, shall be my song,
My song on them shall ever dwell;
To ages yet unborn, my tongue
Thy never-failing truth shall tell.

2 I have affirm'd, and still maintain,
Thy mercy shall for ever last;
Thy truth, that does the heav'ns sustain,
Like them shall stand for ever fast.
3 Thus spak'st thou by thy prophet's voice :
"With David I a league have made;
To him, my servant, and my choice,
By solemn oath this grant convey'd :
4" While earth, and seas, and skies endure,
Thy seed shall in my sight remain ;
To them thy throne I will ensure,
They shall to endless ages reign."
5 For such stupendous truth and love,
Both heav'n and earth just praises owe,
By choirs of angels sung above,
And by assembled saints below.

6 What seraph of celestial birth

To vie with Israel's GoD shall dare? Or who among the gods of earth

With our almighty LORD compare?

7 With rev'rence and religious dread,

His saints should to his temple press; His fear through all their hearts should spread, Who his almighty Name confess.

8 LORD GOD of armies, who can boast

Of strength or pow'r like thine renown'd? Of such a num'rous, faithful host,

As that which does thy throne surround?

9 Thou dost the lawless sea control,

And change the prospect of the deep; Thou mak'st the sleeping billowsroll; Thou mak'st the rolling billows sleep.

10 In thee the sov'reign right remains

Of earth and heav'n; thee, LORD, alone,
The world, and all that it contains,

Their Maker and Preserver own.

11 Thine arm is mighty, strong thy hand,
Yet, LORD, thou dost with justice reign ;
Possess'd of absolute command,

Thou truth and mercy dost maintain.
12 Happy, thrice happy they, who hear
Thy sacred trumpet's joyful sound;
Who may at festivals appear,

With thy most glorious presence crown'd. 13 Thy saints shall always be o'erjoy'd, Who on thy sacred name rely;

And, in thy righteousness employ'd,
Above their foes be raised on high.

14 For in thy strength they shall advance,
Whose conquests from thy favour spring;
The LORD of hosts is our defence,
And Israel's GOD, our Israel's King.

1 O LORD, the Saviour and defence,
Of us thy chosen race,

From age to age thou still hast been
Our sure abiding-place.

2 Before thou brought'st the mountains forth,
Or th' earth and world didst frame,
Thou always wast the mighty God,

And ever art the same.

3 Thou turnest man, O LORD, to dust, Of which he first was made;

And when thou speak'st the word, "Return,"

'Tis instantly obey'd.

4 For in thy sight a thousand years

Are like a day that's past;

Or like a watch in dead of night,
Whose hours unminded waste.

5 Thou sweep'st us off, as with a flood,
We vanish hence like dreams :-

At first we grow like grass that feels
The sun's reviving beams;

6 But howsoever fresh and fair

Its morning beauty shows,
'Tis all cut down and wither'd quite
Before the evening close.

7 We by thine anger are consum'd,
And by thy wrath dismay'd;
Our public crimes and secret sins
Before thy sight are laid.

8 Beneath thine anger's sad effects
Our drooping days we spend ;
Our unregarded years break off,
Like tales that quickly end.

9 Our term of time is seventy years,
An age that few survive:

But if, with more than common strength,
To eighty we arrive-

10 Yet then our boasted strength decays,
To sorrow turn'd and pain;

So soon the slender thread is cut,
And we no more remain.

PART II. (c. M.)

1 BUT who thine anger's dread effects
Does, as he ought, revere ?.

And yet thy wrath does fall or rise,
As more or less we fear.

2 So teach us, LORD, th' uncertain sum
Of our short days to mind,

That to true wisdom all our hearts
May ever be inclin'd.

30 to thy servants, LORD, return,
And speedily relent!

As we of our misdeeds, do thou
Of our just doom repent.

4 To satisfy and cheer our souls,
Thy early mercy send;

That we may all our days to come,
In joy and comfort spend.

5 To all thy servants, LORD, let this
Thy wondrous work be known;

And to our offspring yet unborn,
Thy glorious pow'r be shown.
6 Let thy bright rays upon us shine,
Give thou our work success;
The glorious work we have in hand,
Do thou vouchsafe to bless.

PSALM 70.

From the xci. Psalm of David.
PART 1. (II. 2.)
1 HE that has God his guardian made,
Shall under the Almighty's shade
Secure and undisturb'd abide ;
Thus to my soul of him I'll say,
He is my fortress and my stay,

My God, in whom I will confide.

2 His tender love and watchful care
Shall free thee from the fowler's snare,
And from the noisome pestilence;
He over thee his wings shall spread,
And cover thy unguarded head;

His truth shall be thy strong defence.
3 No terrors that surprise by night,
Shall thy undaunted courage fright:
Nor deadly shafts that fly by day,
Nor plague, of unknown rise, that kills
In darkness, nor infectious ills,

That in the burning noon-tide slay.
4 Because, with well-plac'd confidence,
Thou mak'st the LORD thy sure defence,
Thy refuge, even GoD most High,
Therefore no ill on thee shall come,
Nor to thy heav'n-protected home
Shall overwhelming plagues draw nigh.

1 God shall charge his angel legions

Watch and ward o'er thee to keep; Though thou walk through hostile regions, Though in desert wilds thou sleep.

2 On the lion vainly roaring,

On his young thy foot shall tread;
And, the dragon's den exploring,

Thou shalt bruise the serpent's head.