With thee, the springs of life remain,
Thy presence is eternal day.

TATE.

PSALM XXXVI. Sec. Versi. L. M.

The Divine Being and Perfections.

1 HIGH in the heav'ns, eternal God, Thy goodness in full glory shines; Thy truth shall break thro' ev'ry cloud, Which veils and darkens thy designs. 2 For ever firm thy justice stands,

As mountains their foundations keep : Wise are the wonders of thy hands, Thy judgments are a mighty deep. 3 Thy providence is kind and large, Both men and beasts thy bounty share; The whole creation is thy charge, But saints are thy peculiar care. 4 O God, how excellent thy grace, Whence all our hope and comfort springs! The sons of Adam, in distress, Fly to the shadow of thy wings.

*

5 From the provisions of thy house
We shall be fed with rich repast;
There mercy like a river flows,
And brings salvation to our taste.
6 Life, like a fountain full and free,
Springs from the presence of the Lord;
And in thy light, our souls shall see
The glories promis'd in thy word.

WATTS

PSALM XXXVII. First Part. C. M.
The Cure of Envy and Unbelief.

1 WHY should I vex my soul, and fret
To see the wicked rise?
Or envy sinners waxing great,
By violence and lies?

2 As flow'ry grass, cut down at noon,
Before the evening fades,
So shall their glory vanish soon,
In everlasting shades.

3 Then let me make the Lord my trust,
And practise all that's good;
So shall I dwell among the just,
And never want for food.

4 I to my God my ways commit,
And cheerful wait his will;

5 Mine innocence shalt thou display,
And make thy judgments known;
Fair as the light of dawning day,
And glorious as the noon.

Thy hand, which guides my doubtful feet,
Shall my desires fulfil.

6 The meek shall still the earth possess,
And be the heirs of heav'n;
True riches in abundant peace,
To humble souls are giv'n.

b

Second Part. C. M.

PSALM XXXVII.
Religion in Words and Deeds.

1 WHY do the wealthy wicked boast,
And grow profanely bold?

The meanest portion of the just
Excels the sinner's gold.

WATTS.

b

2 The wicked borrows of his friends,
But ne'er designs to pay;
The just is merciful, and lends,
Nor turns the poor away.

3 His alms with lib'ral hand he gives
To all the sons of need;
His mem'ry to long ages lives,
And blessed is his seed.

4 His lips abhor to speak profane, To slander or defraud;

His ready tongue declares to men
What he has learn'd of God.

5 The law and gospel of the Lord
Deep in his heart abide;
Led by the Spirit and the word,
His feet shall never slide.

6 When sinners fall, the righteous stand,
Preserv'd from ev'ry snare;
They shall possess the promis'd land,
And dwell for ever there.

WATTS.

PSALM XXXVII. Third Part. C. M.
* or b
The Way and End of the Righteous and the Wicked.
1 My God, the steps of pious men
Are order'd by thy will;

Though they should fall, they rise again,
Thy hand supports them still.

2 The Lord delights to see their ways,
Their virtue he approves;
He'll ne'er deprive them of his grace,
Nor leave the men he loves.

3 The heav'nly heritage is theirs,
Their portion and their home;
He feeds them now, and makes them heirs
Of blessings long to come.

4 The haughty sinner have I seen,
Not fearing man or God;
Like princely laurel, fair and green,
Spreading his arms abroad;

5 And lo, he vanish'd from the ground,
Destroy'd by hands unseen;
Nor root, nor branch, nor leaf was found,
Where all that pride had been.

6 But mark the man of righteousness,
His sev'ral steps attend;
True pleasure runs through all his ways,
And peaceful is his end.

PSALM XXXVIII.

ver. 9, 10.

Consolation in Death.

C. M. b

1 My soul, the awful hour will come,
Apace it hastens on,

To bear this body to the tomb,
And thee to scenes unknown.

WATTS.

2 My heart, long lab'ring with its woes,
Shall pant and sink away;
And you, my eyelids, soon shall close
On the last glimm'ring ray.

3 Whence, in that hour, shall I receive A cordial for my pain?

When, if the richest were my friends, Those friends would weep in vain! 4 Great King of nature and of grace, To thee my spirit flies;

And opens all its deep distress
Before thy pitying eyes.

5 All my desires to thee are known,
And ev'ry secret fear;
The meaning of each broken groạn
Is notic'd by thine ear.

6 O place me by that mighty pow'r
Which to such love belongs,
Where darkness veils the eyes no more,
And groans are chang'd to songs!

DODDRIDGE.

PSALM XXXIX. Common Metre.
Man's Mortality.

1 TEACH me the measure of my days, Thou Maker of my frame;

I would survey life's narrow space,
And learn how frail I am.

2 A span is all that we can boast, How short the fleeting time! Man is but vanity and dust,

In all his flow'r and prime.. 3 See the vain race of mortals move Like shadows o'er the plain; They rage and strive, desire and love, But all their noise is vain.

b

4 Some walk in honour's gaudy show,
Some dig for golden ore;

They toil for heirs, they know not who,
And straight are seen no more.

5 What should I wish or wait for then
From creatures, earth and dust?
They make our expectations vain,
And disappoint our trust.