But holy souls from God obtain
A strong and sure defence.
5 God is their fear, and God their trust,
When plagues or famine spread:
His watchful eye secures the just
Among ten thousand dead.
6 Lord, let our hearts in thee rejoice,
And bless us from thy throne:
For we have made thy word our choice,
And trust thy grace alone.
PSALM 34. First Part. C. M.
Praise for eminent deliverance.
HRO' all the changing scenes of life,
In trouble and in joy,
The praises of my God shall still
My heart and tongue employ.
2 Come, magnify the Lord with me,
And high exalt his name:
When in distress on him I call'd,
He to my rescue came.
2 The hosts of God encamp around
The dwellings of the just:
Deliv'rance he affords to all,
Who on his succour trust.
40 make but trial of his love:
Experience will decide,
How bless'd they are, and only they,
Who in his truth confide.
5 Fear him, ye saints; and you will then Have nothing else to fear:
Make you his service your delight;
He'll make your wants his care.
PSALM 34. Second Part. L. M.
LORD, I will bless thee all my days;
Thy praise shall dwell upon my tongue:
My soul shall glory in thy grace;
While saints rejoice to hear the song.
2 Come, magnify the Lord with me;
Come, let us all exalt his name:
I sought th' eternal God, and he
Has not expos'd my hope to shame:
3 I told him all my secret grief;
My secret groaning reach'd his ears:
He gave my inward pains relief,
And calm'd the tumult of my fears.
4 To him the poor lift up their eyes,
Their faces feel the heav'nly beam;
A beam of mercy, from the skies,
Fills them with light and joy supreme:
5 His holy angels pitch their tents
Around the men, that serve the Lord:
O! fear, and love him, all his saints;
Taste of his grace, and trust his word.
6 The wild young lions, pinch'd with pain
And hunger, roar thro' all the wood;
But none shall seek the Lord in vain,
Nor want supplies of real good.
PSALM 34. Third Part. L. M.
Advantages of early piety.
1 CHILDREN in years and knowledge young,
Your parents' hope, your parents' joy,
Attend the counsels of my tongue:
Let pious thoughts your minds employ.
2 If you desire a length of days,
And peace to crown your mortal state:
Restrain your feet from impious ways,
Your lips from slander and deceit.
3 The eyes of God regard his saints;
His ears are open to their cries:
He sets his frowning face against
The sons of violence, and lies.
4 To humble souls and broken hearts
God with his grace is ever nigh:
Pardon and hope his love imparts,
When men in deep contrition lie.
5 He tells their tears, he counts their groans;
His Son redeems their souls from death:
His spirit heals their broken bones;
While they in praise employ their breath
PSALM 34. Fourth Part. C. M.
God's care of saints.
HE Lord forever guards the just,
His ears attend their cry:
When broken spirits dwell in dust,
The God of grace is nigh.
2 What tho' the sorrows, here they taste,
Be sharp and tedious too;
The Lord, who saves his saints at last,
Is their supporter now.
3 Evil shall smite the wicked dead;
But God secures his own;
Prevents the mischief when they slide,
Or heals the broken bone.
4 When desolation, like a flood,
O'er the proud sinner rolls;
Saints find a refuge in their God:
For he redeems their souls.
PSALM 35. First Part. C. M.
Judgments threatened on persecutors.
OW plead my cause, Almighty God,
With all the sons of strife;
And fight against the men of blood,
Who fight against my life.
2 Draw out thy spear, and stop their
Lift thine avenging rod;
But, to my soul in mercy say,
"I am thy Saviour God."
3 They plant their snares to catch
And nets of mischief spread:
Plunge the destroyers in the pit,
That their own hands have made.
4 Let fogs and darkness hide their way; And slipp'ry be their ground:
Thy wrath shall make their lives a prey,
And all their rage confound.
5 They fly, like chaff before the wind,
Before thine angry breath:
The angel of the Lord behind
Pursues them down to death.
6 They love the road that leads to hell:
Then must the rebels die,
Whose malice is implacable.
Against the Lord on high.
7 But if thou hast a chosen few
Amongst that impious race;
Divide them from the bloody crew
By thy surprising grace.
8 Then will I raise my tuneful voice
To make thy wonders known;
In their salvation I'll rejoice,
And bless thee for my own.
PSALM 35. Second Part. C. M.
The love of Christ typified in David.
1 BEHOLD the love, the gen'rous love
That holy David shows!
Mark how his tender bowels move
For his afflicted foes!
2 When they are sick, his soul complains,
And seems to feel the smart ;
The spirit of the gospel reigns,
And melts his pious heart.
3 How did his flowing tears condole
As for a brother dead!
And fasting mortified his soul,
While for their life he pray'd.
4 They groan'd and curs'd him on their bed;
Yet still he pleads and mourns:
And double blessings on his head
The righteous God returns.
5 O glorious type of heav'nly grace!
Thus Christ the Lord appears;
While sinners curse, the Saviour prays,
And pities them with tears.
6 He, the true David, Israel's king,
Blest and belov'd of God,
To save us rebels dead in sin,
Paid his own dearest blood.
PSALM 36. First Part. S. M. Description and Doom of practical atheism. WHEN man grows bold in sin, My heart within me cries, "He hath no faith of God within, "Nor fear before his eyes."
2 He walks a while conceal'd
In a self-flattering dream ;
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