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;
They in his praise employ their breath.
FIFTH VERSION. V. 11-22.
1 COME, children, learn to fear the Lord,
And that your days be long,
Let not a false or spiteful word
Be found upon your tongue.
2 Depart from mischief, practice love,
Pursue the works of peace;
So shall the Lord your ways approve,
And set your souls at ease.
3 His eyes awake to guard the just,
His ears attend their cry;
When broken spirits dwell in dust,
The God of grace is nigh.
4 What though the sorrows here they taste,
Are sharp and tedious too;
The Lord who saves them all at last,
Is their supporter now.
5 Evil shall smite the wicked dead;
But God secures his own,
Prevents the mischief when they slide,
Or heals the broken bone,
6 When desolation like a flood
O'er the proud sinner rolls,
Saints find a refuge in their God,
For he redeems their souls.
FIRST VERSION. V. 1-3, 13, 14, 24-28.
Prayer of the persecuted.
1 PLEAD, O God, my cause with those
Who declare themselves my foes:
They would not that I should live:
From their rage, salvation give.
2 Did I not their sorrows share ;-
Treat them with a brother's care;
And before thee humbly plead,
In their former days of need?
3 Now, in their unrighteous cause,
Leagued against thy holy laws,
Let them not an impious host-
O'er thy friend a triumph boast.
4 Judge, O Lord, in righteousness;
Set me right; my wrongs redress:
As I thee have truly loved,
Let me stand by thee approved.
5 Then thy friends will shout aloud,—
'Magnify the name of God;'
And thy rescued servant raise,
All the day, his song of praise.
SECOND VERSION. V. 12-15.
David's love to enemies, typical of Christ's.
1 BEHOLD the love, the generous love,
That holy David shows;
Behold his kind compassion move
For his afflicted foes!
2 How did his flowing tears condole
As for a brother dead!
And fasting mortified his soul,
While for their life he prayed.
3 They groaned and cursed him on their bed,
Yet still he pleads and mourns;
And double blessings on his head
The righteous God returns.
4 O glorious type of heavenly grace!
Thus Christ the Lord appears;
While sinners curse, the Saviour prays,
And pities them with tears.
5 He, the true David, Israel's king,
Blest and beloved of God,
To save us rebels dead in sin,
Paid his own dearest blood.
FIRST VERSION. V. 1-3, 5-7.
The wickedness of man, and the majesty of God.
1 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 awhile concealed
In a self flattering dream,
Till his dark crimes, at once revealed,
Expose his hateful name.]
3 [His heart is false and foul,
His words are smooth and fair;
Wisdom is banished from his soul,
And leaves no goodness there.]
4 But there's a dreadful God,
Though men renounce his fear;
His justice, hid behind the cloud,
Shall one great day appear.
5 His truth transcends the sky;
In heaven his mercies dwell;
Deep as the sea his judgments lie;
His anger burns to hell.
6 How excellent his love,
Whence all our safety springs!
O never let my soul remove
From underneath his wings!
SECOND VERSION. V. 1, 2, 6.
Practical atheism exposed.
1 WHILE men grow bold in wicked ways,
And yet a God they own,
My heart within me often says,—
Their thoughts believe there's none.'
2 Their thoughts and ways at once declare,
Whate'er their lips profess,
God hath no wrath for them to fear,
Nor will they seek his grace.
3 What strange self-flattery blinds their eyes!
But there's a hastening hour
When they shall see, with sore surprise,
The terrors of thy power.
4 Thy justice shall maintain its throne,
Though mountains melt away;
Thy judgments are a world unknown,
A deep unfathomed sea.
The perfections, providence, and grace of God.
1 HIGH in the heavens, eternal God,
Thy goodness in full glory shines;
Thy truth shall break through every cloud
That veils and darkens thy designs.
2 Forever 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 man and beast thy bounty share:
The whole creation is thy charge,
But saints are thy peculiar care.
4 My 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 sweet repast:
There mercy like a river flows,
And brings salvation to our taste.
6 Life, like a fountain rich and free,
Springs from the presence of my Lord;
And in thy light our souls shall see
The glories promised in thy word.
FOURTH VERSION. V. 5, 7-9.
1 ABOVE these heavens' created rounds,
Thy mercies, Lord, extend;
Thy truth out-lives the narrow bounds,
Where time and nature end.
2 Safety to man thy goodness brings,
Nor overlooks the beast;
Beneath the shadow of thy wings
Thy children choose to rest.
3 From thee, when creature-streams run low,
And mortal comforts die,
Perpetual springs of life shall flow,
And raise our pleasures high.
4 Though all created light decay,
And death close up our eyes,
Thy presence makes eternal day,
Where clouds can never rise.
FIRST VERSION. V. 1-6, 11.
The cure of envy, fretfulness and unbelief.
1 WHY should I vex my soul and fret
To see the wicked rise?
envy sinners waxing great,
By violence and lies?
2 As flowery grass, cut down at noon,
Before the evening fades,
So shall their glories vanish soon,
In everlasting shades.
3 Then let me make the Lord my trust,
And practice all that's good;
So shall I dwell among the just,
And he'll provide me food.
4 I to my God my ways commit,
And cheerful wait his will:
Thy hand, which guides my doubtful feet
Shall my desires fulfill.
5 Mine innocence shalt thou display,
And make thy judgments known,
Fair as the light of dawning day,
And glorious as the noon.
6 The meek at last the earth possess,
And are the heirs of heaven;
True riches, with abundant peace,
To humble souls are given.
SECOND VERSION. V. 16, 21, 26, 28-31.
Charity to the poor; or, 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.
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