While righteousness, with gracious smiles,
Looks downward from the skies.

3 Jehovah pours his blessings round
O'er all the fertile plains;

Rich fruits of mercy bless the earth
Since our Immanuel reigns.

4 His righteousness prepares his way
On high before him gone;

Careful we'll tread his sacred steps,
And follow to his throne.

PSALM LXXXVI. 15-17.
Paraphrase.

10 thou God of my salvation!
Now thy pow'rful aid impart;
Thou, the Lord, art all compassion,
Ever gracious is thy heart.
In thy long forbearance waiting,
Still averse thy wrath to show;
Streams of mercy unabating,

With thy truth abundant flow.
2 Gracious God, in mercy turning,
Bid me triumph in thy love:
Now, thy breast with pity yearning,
Pour thy goodness from above.
'Tis thy servant waits before thee,
Pleads in faith that honour'd name;
Let thy handmaid's son adore thee,
And thy great salvation claim.
3 Rise, my gracious God and Saviour,
Let thy grace be now reveal'd;
Some sweet token of thy favour
To thy trembling servant yield.

(III. 2)

Then shall all my foes behold me,
And with shame thy love confess;
Own thy pow'rful arms infold me,
And thy kindest mercies bless.

PSALM LXXXIX.

Appointed by the Church for Christmas day.
PART I. 6-9.

1 What Seraph of celestial birth
To vie with Israel's God shall dare?
Or who among the sons of Earth,
With our Almighty Lord compare?
2 With rev'rence and religious dread,
His saints should to his temple press:

(L. M.)

His fear through all their hearts should spread, Who his almighty name confess.

3 Lord God of armies, who can boast

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

As that which doth thy throne surround?
4 Thou dost the lawless sea control,
And change the prospect of the deep:
By thee, the sleeping billows roll;
By thee, the rolling billows sleep.

1 In thee the sover'ign right remains
Of Earth and Heaven: Thee Lord alone,
The world and all that it contains
Their Maker and Preserver own.

2 The poles on which the globe doth rest,
Were form'd by thy creating voice;

Tabor and Hermon-East and West,
In thy sustaining power rejoice.
3 Thy arm is mighty-strong thy hand;
Yet, Lord, thou dost with justice reign;
Possess'd of absolute command,

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

With thy most glorious presence crown'd. 5 Fullness of joy thy saints shall bless, Who on thy sacred name rely;

Exalted in thy righteousness,

They shall ascend and claim the sky.

6 For in thy strength they shall advance,
Their conquests from thy grace shall spring;
The Lord of hosts is our defence,
And Israel's God is Israel's king.

PSALM XC.

PART I. 1-6.

Part of the selection for the burial service.

10 thou, the first, the greatest friend
Of all the human race!

Whose strong right hand has ever been
Their stay and dwelling place.

(c. M.)

2 Before the mountains heav'd their heads
Beneath thy forming hand;

Before this pond'rous globe itself,
Arose at thy command:

3 That power which rais'd and still upholds
This universal frame,

From countless unbeginning time,

Was ever still the same.

4 Those mighty periods of years,
Which seem to us so vast,

Appear no more before thy sight
Than yesterday that's past.

5 Thou giv'st the word: thy creature man,
Is to existence brought;
Again thou say'st, "ye sons of men
"Return ye into nought."

6 Thou layest them with all their cares
In everlasting sleep;

As with a flood thou tak'st them off,
With overwhelming sweep.

7 They flourish like the morning flower
In beauty's pride array'd;
But long ere night cut down it lies
All wither'd and decay'd.

PART II. 9-12.

1 Our days alas! how short their bound,
Though slow and sad they seem to run;
Revolving years roll swiftly round,
A mournful tale-but quickly done.
2 Our age is three score years and ten,
Or if to four score we delay,

Our strength is then but care and pain-
So soon cut down we flee away.

s What mortal thought can comprehend
The awful glories of thy throne!

Not all the terrors fear can lend,

(L. M.)

Can make thy dreadful vengeance known. 4 Teach us to count our fleeting days, And with true diligence apply

Our hearts to sacred wisdom's ways,
That we may learn to live and die.

PSALM XCI.

PART I. 1-10

1 Call Jehovah thy salvation,

Rest beneath the Almighty's shade;

In his secret habitation,

Dwell, nor ever be dismay'd:
There no tumult can alarm thee,
Thou shalt dread no hidden snare;
Guile nor violence can harm thee,
In eternal safeguard there.

2 From the sword at noonday wasting,
From the noisome pestilence,
In the depth of midnight blasting
God shall be thy sure defence:
Fear not thou the deadly quiver,
When a thousand feel the blow;
Mercy shall thy soul deliver,

Though ten thousand be laid low.
3 Only with thine eye, the anguish
Of the wicked thou shalt see,
When by slow disease they languish,
When they perish suddenly.

(III. 2)

Thee, though winds and waves be swelling,
God, thine hope shall bear through all;
Plague shall not come nigh thy dwelling,
Thee no evil shall befal.

PART II. 11-16.

1 God shall charge his angel legions, Watch and ward o'er thee to keep;

(III. 2)

1