PART II. C. M.
1 WHATE'ER the mighty LORD decrees,

Shall stand for ever sure;
The settled purpose of his heart

To ages shall endure.
2 How happy then are they, to whom

The LORD for God is known !
Whom he, from all the world besides,

Has chosen for his own.
3 Our soul on God with patience waits ;

Our help and shield is he;
Then, LORD, let still our hearts rejoice,

Because we trust in thee.
4 The riches of thy mercy, LORD,

Do thou to us extend;
Since we, for all we want or wish

On thee alone depend.

PSALM 29.
From the xxxiv. Psalm of David

PART I.

C. M. 1 THROUGH all the changing scenes of life,

In trouble and in joy,
The praises of my God shall still

My heart and tongue employ. 2 Of his deliv'rance I will boast,

Till all that are distress'd From my example comfort take,

And charm their griefs to rest. 3 O magnify the LORD with me,

With me exalt his name: When in distress to him I call’d,

He to my rescue came. 4 The Angel of the Lord encamps

Around the good and just; Deliv’rance he affords to all

Who on his succor trust. 5 O make but trial of his love,

Experience will decide
How blest they are, and only they,

Who in his truth confide.
6 Fear him, ye saints; and you will then

Have nothing else to fear:
Make you his service your delight,

Your wants shall be his care.

2 Let him who length of life desires,

And prosp'rous days would see,
From sland'ring language keep his tongues

His lips from falsehood free;
3 The crooked paths of vice decline,

And virtue's ways pursue;
Establish peace, where 't is begun

And where 't is lost, renew.
4 The LORD from heaven beholds the just

With favorable eyes;
And, when distress'd, his gracious ear

Is open to their cries;
5 But turns his wrathful look on those

Whom mercy can't reclaim,
To cut them off, and from the earth

Blot out their evil name.
6 Deliv'rance to his saints he gives,

When his relief they crave;
He's nigh to heal the broken heart,

And contrite spirit save.
7 Great troubles may afflict the just,

Yet God will save them still;
The righteous he will keep from harm,

And guard from every ill.
8 The wicked, from their wickedness,

Their ruin shall derive;
Whilst righteous men, whom they detest,

Shall them and their's survive.
9 For God preserves the souls of those

Who on his truth depend; To them, and their posterity,

His blessings shall descend.

PSALM 30. L. M.

From the xxxvi. Psalm of David. 1 0 LORD, thy mercy, my sure hope,

The highest orb of heaven transcends; Thy sacred truth's unmeasured scope

Beyond the spreading sky extends. 2 Thy justice like the hills remains,

Únfathom'd depths thy judgments are ; Thy providence the world sustains,

The whole creation is thy care. 3 Since of thy goodness all partake,

With what assurance should the just Thy shelt'ring wings their refuge make,

And saints to thy protection trust ! 4 Such guests shall to thy courts be led,

To banquet on thy love's repast; And drink, as from a fountain's head,

Of joys that shall for ever last.

5 With thee the springs of life remain,

Thy presence is eternal day; O let thy saints thy favor gain,

To upright hearts thy truth display.

PSALM 31. II. 2.
From the xxvii. Psalm of David

PART 1.

I THOUGH wicked men grow rich or great,
Yet let not their successful state

Thy anger or thy envy raise;
For they, cut down like tender grass,
Or like young flowers away shall pass,

Whose blooming beauty soon decays.
2 Depend on God, and him obey,
So thou within the land shalt stay,

Secure from danger and from want:
Make his commands thy chief delight,
And he, thy duty to requite,

Shall all thy earnest wishes grant. 3 In all thy ways trust thou the LORD, And he will needful help afford,

To perfect every just design;
He'll make like light, serene and clear,
Thy clouded innocence appear,

And as a mid-day sun to shine. 4 With quiet mind on God depend, And patiently for him attend,

Nor envy the success of crime;
For God will sinful men destroy,
Whilst they his presence shall enjoy,

Who trust on him, and wait his time.

PART II.

II. 2.

1 The good man's way is God's delight: He orders all the steps aright

Of him that moves by his command; Though he sometimes may be distress'd, Yet shall he ne'er be quite oppress'd,

For God upholds him with his hand 2 With caution shun each wicked deed, In virtue's ways with zeal proceed,

And so prolong your happy days; For God, who judgment loves, does still Preserve his saints secure from ill,

While soon the wicked race decays. 3 The upright shall possess the land, His portion shall for ages stand;

His mouth with wisdom is supplied, His tongue by rules of judgment moves, His heart the law of God approves;

Therefore his footsteps never slide.

II. 2.

PART III. 1 The wicked I in power have seen, And like a bay-tree fresh and green

That spreads its pleasant branches round: But he was gone as swist as thought; And, though in every place I sought,

No sign or track of him I found. 2 Observe the perfect man with care, And mark all such as upright are;

Their roughest days in peace shall end :
While on the latter end of those
Who dare God's sacred will oppose,

A common ruin shall attend.
3 God to the just will aid afford,
Their only safeguard is the LORD,

Their strength in time of need is he:
Because on him they still depend,
The LORD will timely succor send,
And from the wicked set them free.
PSALM 32.

C. M.
From the xxxviii. Psalm of David.
1 THY chastning wrath, O LORD, restrain,

Though I deserve it all;
Nor let on me the heavy storm

of thy displeasure fall.
2 My sins, which to a deluge swell,

My sinking head o'erflow,
And, for my feeble strength to bear,

Too vast a burden grow.
3 But, LORD, before thy searching eyes

All my desires appear;
The groanings of my burden'd soul

Have reach'd thine open ear.
4 Forsake me not, O LORD, my God,

Nor far from me depart;
Make haste to my relief, O thou
Who my salvation art.

PSALM 33. C. M.

From the xxxix. Psalm of David.
1 LORD, let me know my term of days,

How soon my life will end:
The num'rous train of ills disclose,

Which this frail state attend.
2 My life, thou know'st, is but a span,

A cipher sums my years;
And every man, in best estate,

But vanity appears.
3 Man, like a shadow, vainly walks,

With fruitless cares oppress'd;
He heaps up wealth, but cannot tell
By whom 't will be possess'd.

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4 Why then should I on worthless toys

With anxious cares attend ? On thee alone my steadfast hope

Shall ever, LORD, depend.
5 LORD, hear my cry, accept my tears,

And listen to my prayer,
Who sojourn like a stranger here,

As all my fathers were.
6 O spare me yet a little time;

My wasted strength restore, Before I vanish quite from hence,

And shall be seen no more.

PSALM 34. L. M.

From the xl. Psalm of David. 1 I WAITED meekly for the LORD,

Till he vouchsafed a kind reply; Who did his gracious ear afford,

And heard from heaven my humble cry. 2 The wonders he for me has wrought

Shall fill my mouth with songs of praise ; And others, to his worship brought,

To hopes of like deliv'rance raise. 3 For blessings shall that man reward,

Who on th' Almighty Lord relies; Who treats the proud with disregard,

And hates the hypocrite's disguise. 4 Who can the wondrous works recount

Which thou, O God, for us hast wrought? The treasures of thy love surmount

The power of numbers, speech, and thought. 5 I've learnt that thou hast not desired

Offerings and sacrifice alone;
Nor blood of guiltless beasts required

For man's transgression to atone. 6 I therefore come-come to fulfil

The oracles thy books impart; "T is my delight to do thy will,

Thy law is written in my heart. 7 In full assemblies I have told

Thy truth and righteousness at large: Nor did, thou know'st; my lips withhold

From uttering what thou gav'st in charge: 8 Nor kept within my breast confined

Thy faithfulness and saving grace; But preach'd thy love, for all design'd,

That all might that and truth embrace. 9 Then let those mercies I declared

To others, LORD, extend to me; Thy loving-kindness my reward,

Thy truth my safe protection be.

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