The Psalms of David Part 26

3 Within thy churches, Lord, I long to find my place, Thy power and glory to behold, And feel thy quickening grace.

4 For life without thy love No relish can afford; No joy can be compar'd to this, To serve and please the Lord.

5 To thee I'll lift my hands, And praise thee while I live; Not the rich dainties of a feast Such food or pleasure give.

6 In wakeful hours at night I call my G.o.d to mind; I think how wise thy counsels are, And all thy dealings kind.

7 Since thou hast been my help, To thee my spirit flies, And on thy watchful providence My cheerful hope relies.

8 The shadow of thy wings My soul in safety keeps; I follow where my Father leads, And he supports my steps.

Psalm 65:1. 1-5. First Part. L. M.

Public prayer and praise.

1 The praise of Sion waits for thee, My G.o.d; and praise becomes thy house; There shall thy saints thy glory see, And there perform their public vows.

2 O thou, whose mercy bends the skies To save when humble sinners pray, All lands to thee shall lift their eyes And islands of the northern sea.

3 Against my will my sins prevail, But grace shall purge away their stain; The blood of Christ will never fail To wash my garments white again.

4 Blest is the man whom thou shalt choose, And give him kind access to thee, Give him a place within thy house, To taste thy love divinely free.

PAUSE.

5 Let Babel fear when Sion prays; Babel, prepare for long distress When Sion's G.o.d himself arrays In terror, and in righteousness.

6 With dreadful glory G.o.d fulfils What his afflicted saints request; And with almighty wrath reveals His love to give his churches rest.

7 Then shall the flocking nations run To Sion's hill, and own their Lord; The rising and the setting sun Shall see their Saviour's name ador'd.

Psalm 65:2. 5-13. Second Part. L. M.

Divine providence in air, earth, and sea; or, The G.o.d of nature and grace.

1 The G.o.d of our salvation hears The groans of Sion mix'd with tears; Yet when he comes with kind designs, Thro' all the way his terror s.h.i.+nes.

2 On him the race of man depends, Far as the earth's remotest ends, Where the Creator's Name is known By nature's feeble light alone.

3 Sailors, that travel o'er the flood, Address their frighted souls to G.o.d; When tempests rage and billows roar At dreadful distance from the sh.o.r.e.

4 He bids the noisy tempest cease; He calms the raging crowd to peace, When a tumultuous nation raves Wild as the winds, and loud as waves.

5 Whole kingdoms shaken by the storm He settles in a peaceful form; Mountains establish'd by his hand, Firm on their old foundations stand.

6 Behold his ensigns sweep the sky, New comets blaze and lightnings fly, The heathen lands, with swift surprise, From the bright horrors turn their eyes.

7 At his command the morning-ray Smiles in the east, and leads the day; He guides the sun's declining wheels Over the tops of western hills.

8 Seasons and times obey his voice; The evening and the morn rejoice To see the earth made soft with showers, Laden with fruit and drest in flowers.

9 'Tis from his watery stores on high He gives the thirsty ground supply; He walks upon the clouds, and thence Doth his enriching drops dispense.

10 The desert grows a fruitful field, Abundant food the vallies yield; The vallies shout with cheerful voice, And neighb'ring hills repeat their joys.

11 The pastures smile in green array; There lambs and larger cattle play; The larger cattle and the lamb Each in his language speaks thy Name.

12 Thy works p.r.o.nounce thy power divine, O'er every field thy glories s.h.i.+ne; Thro' every month thy gifts appear; Great G.o.d! thy goodness crowns the year.

Psalm 65:3. First Part. C. M.

A prayer-hearing G.o.d, and the Gentiles called.

1 Praise waits in Sion, Lord, for thee; There shall our vows be paid: Thou hast an ear when sinners pray, All flesh shall seek thine aid.

2 Lord, our iniquities prevail, But pardoning grace is thine, And thou wilt grant us power and skill To conquer every sin.

3 Bless'd are the men whom thou wilt choose To bring them near thy face, Give them a dwelling in thine house To feast upon thy grace.

4 In answering what thy church requests Thy truth and terror s.h.i.+ne, And works of dreadful righteousness Fulfil thy kind design.

5 Thus shall the wondering nations see The Lord is good and just; And distant islands fly to thee, And make thy Name their trust.

6 They dread thy glittering tokens, Lord, When signs in heaven appear; But they shall learn thy holy word, And love as well as fear.

Psalm 65:4. Second Part. C. M.

The providence of G.o.d in air, earth, and sea; or, The blessing of rain.

1 'Tis by thy strength the mountains stand, G.o.d of eternal power; The sea grows calm at thy command, And tempests cease to roar.

2 Thy morning light and evening shade Successive comforts bring; Thy plenteous fruits make harvest glad, Thy flowers adorn the spring.

3 Seasons and times, and moons and hours, Heaven, earth, and air are thine; When clouds distil in fruitful showers, The author is divine.

4 Those wandering cisterns in the sky, Borne by the winds around, With watery treasures well supply The furrows of the ground.

5 The thirsty ridges drink their fill, And ranks of corn appear; Thy ways abound with blessings still, Thy goodness crowns the year.

Psalm 65:5. Third Part. C. M.

The blessing: of the spring; or, G.o.d gives rain. A psalm for the husbandman.

1 Good is the Lord, the heavenly King, Who makes the earth his care, Visits the pastures every spring, And bids the gra.s.s appear.

2 The clouds, like rivers rais'd on high, Pour out, at thy command, Their watery blessings from the sky, To cheer the thirsty land.

3 The soften'd ridges of the field Permit the corn to spring; The vallies rich provision yield, And the poor labourers sing.