And in their impious hands are found
Abominable deeds.
3 The Lord, from his celestial throne,
Looked down on things below,
To find the man that sought his grace,
Or did his justice know.
4 By nature all are gone astray,
Their practice all the same;
There's none that fears his Maker's hand,
There's none that loves his name.
5 Their tongues are used to speak deceit,
Their slanders never cease;.
How swift to mischief are their feet,
Nor know the paths of peace!
6 Such seeds of sin, that bitter root,
In every heart are found;
Nor can they bear diviner fruit,
Till grace refine the ground.
SECOND PART.
The Folly of Persecutors.
RE sinners now so senseless grown,
That they the saints devour,
And never worship at thy throne,
Nor fear thine awful power?
2 Great God, appear to their surprise;
Reveal thy dreadful name;
Let them no more thy wrath despise,
Nor turn our hopes to shame.
3 Dost thou not dwell among the just?
And yet our foes deride,
That we should make thy name our trust;
Great God, confound their pride.
4 Oh that the joyful day were come
To finish our distress:
When God shall bring his children home,
Our song shall never cease.
1 WHO shall inhabit in thy hill,
O God of holiness?
Whom will the Lord admit to dwell
So near his throne of grace?
2 The man that walks in pious ways,
And works with righteous hands;
That trusts his Maker's promises,
And follows his commands.
3 He speaks the meaning of his heart,
Nor slanders with his tongue;
Will scarce believe an ill report,
Nor do his neighbor wrong.
4 The wealthy sinner he contemns,
Loves all that fear the Lord;
And though to his own hurt he swears,
Still he performs his word.
5 His hands disdain a golden bribe,
And never gripe the poor;
This man shall dwell with God on earth,
And find his heaven secure.
The Qualifications of a Christian.
HO shall ascend thy heavenly place,
Great God, and dwell before thy face?
The man that minds religion now,
And humbly walks with God below:
2 Whose hands are pure, whose heart is clean,
Whose lips still speak the thing they mean;
No slanders dwell upon his tongue;
He hates to do his neighbor wrong.
3 Scarce will he trust an ill report,
Nor vent it to his neighbor's hurt:
Sinners of state he can despise,
But saints are honored in his eyes.
4 Firm to his word he ever stood,
And always makes his promise good;
Nor dares to change the thing he swears,
Whatever pain or loss he bears.
5 He never deals in bribing gold,
And mourns that justice should be sold;
While others gripe and grind the poor,
Sweet charity attends his door,
6 He loves his enemies, and prays
For those that curse him to his face;
And does to all men still the same
That he would hope or wish from them.
7 Yet when his holiest works are done,
His soul depends on grace alone:-
This is the man thy face shall see,
And dwell for ever, Lord, with thee.
Good Works profit Men, not God.
1 PRESERVE me, Lord, in time of need;
For succor to thy throne I flee,
But have no merits there to plead;
My goodness cannot reach to thee.
2 Oft have my heart and tongue confessed
How empty and how poor I am;
My praise can never make thee bless'd,
Nor add new glories to thy name.
3 Yet, Lord, thy saints on earth may reap
Some profit by the good we do
These are the company I keep,
These are the choicest friends I know.
4 Let others choose the sons of mirth, To give a relish to their wine;
I love the men of heavenly birth,
Whose thoughts and language are divine.
SECOND PART.
Christ's All-sufficiency.
OW fast their guilt and sorrows rise,
Who haste to seek some idol god;
I will not taste their sacrifice,
Their offerings of forbidden blood.
2 My God provides a richer cup,
And nobler food to live upon;
He for my life has offered up
Jesus, his best beloved Son.
3 His love is my perpetual feast;
By day his counsels guide me right:
And be his name for ever bless'd,
Who gives me sweet advice by night.
4 I set him still before mine eyes;
At my right hand he stands prepared
To keep my soul from all surprise,
And be my everlasting guard.
Courage in Death, and Hope of Resurrection.
1 W
HEN God is nigh, my faith is strong;
His arm is my almighty prop;
Be glad, my heart, rejoice, my tongue,
My dying flesh shall rest in hope.
2 Though in the dust I lay my head,
Yet, gracious God, thou wilt not leave
My soul for ever with the dead,
Nor lose thy children in the grave.
3 My flesh shall thy first call obey,
Shake off the dust, and rise on high;
Then shalt thou lead the wondrous way
Up to thy throne above the sky.
4 There streams of endless pleasure flow;
And full discoveries of thy grace,
Which we but tasted here below,
Spread heavenly joys through all the place.
FIRST PART.
Ver. 1-8. Support and Counsel from God. 1 SAVE me, O Lord, from every foe; In thee my trust I place;
Though all the good that I can do
Can ne'er deserve thy grace.
2 Yet, if my God prolong my breath,
The saints may profit by 't;
The saints, the glory of the earth,
The men of my delight.
3 Let heathens to their idols haste,
And worship wood or stone;
But my delightful lot is cast
Where the true God is known.
4 His hand provides my constant food,
He fills my daily cup;
Much am I pleased with present good,
But more rejoice in hope.
5 God is my portion and my joy;
His counsels are my light;
He gives me sweet advice by day,
And gentle hints by night.
6 My soul would all her thoughts approve
To his all-seeing eye;
Nor death nor hell my hopes shall move,
While such a friend is nigh.
16 The Death and Resurrection of Christ.
1" SET the Lord before my face,
He bears my courage up;
My heart and tongue their joy express,
My flesh shall rest in hope.
2 "My spirit, Lord, thou wilt not leave
Where souls departed are;
Nor quit my body to the grave,
To see corruption there.
3 "Thou wilt reveal the path of life,
And raise me to thy throne;
Thy courts immortal pleasures give,
Thy presence joys unknown."
4 Thus, in the name of Christ the Lord,
The holy David sung,
And Providence fulfills the word
Of his prophetic tongue.
5 Jesus, whom every saint adores,
Was crucified and slain;
Behold, the tomb its prey restores!
Behold, he lives again!
6 When shall my feet arise, and stand
On heaven's eternal hills?
There sits the Son, at God's right hand,
And there the Father smiles.
17 Ver. 13, &c. The Portion of Saints and of Sinners." S. M 1 ARISE, my gracious God.
And make the wicked flee;
They are but thy chastising rod,
To drive thy saints to thee.
2 Behold, the sinner dies,
His haughty words are vain; Here, in this life, his pleasure lies, And all beyond is pain.
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