As waking men with scorn do treat
the fancies that their dreams employ'd.
21, 22 Thus was my heart with grief opprest,
my reins were rack'd with restless pains;
So stupid was I, like a beast,

who no reflecting thought retains.
23, 24 Yet still thy presence me supply'd,
and thy right hand assistance gave:
Thou first shalt with thy counsel guide,
and then to glory me receive.

25 Whom then in heaven, but thee alone,
have I, whose favour I require?
Throughout the spacious earth there's none
that I besides thee can desire.

26 My trembling flesh, and aching heart,
may often fail to succour me;
But God shall inward strength impart,
and my eternal portion be.

27 For they that far from thee remove
shall into sudden ruin fall;

If after other gods they rove,

thy vengeance shall destroy them all. 28 But as for me, 'tis good and just that I should still to God repair; In him I always put my trust,

and will his wondrous works declare. PSALM 74.

WHY hast thou cast us off, O God?..

wilt thou no more return? O! why against thy chosen flock does thy fierce anger burn?

2 Think on thy ancient purchase, Lord, the land that is thy own,

By thee redeem'd; and Zion's mount, where once thy glory shone.

3 0! come and view our ruin'd state; how long our troubles last;

See how the foe, with wicked rage,

has laid thy temple waste.

4 Thy foes blaspheme thy name; where late thy zealous servants pray'd,

The heathen there, with haughty pomp, their banners have display'd.

5, 6 Those curious carvings, which did once advance the artist's fame,

With axe and hammer they destroy, like works of vulgar frame.

7 Thy holy temple they have burn'd ; and what escaped the flame,

Has been profaned, and quite defaced, though sacred to thy name.

8 Thy worship wholly to destroy maliciously they aim'd;

And all the sacred places burn'd, where we thy praise proclaim'd.

9. Yet of thy presence thou vouchsafest no tender signs to send;

We have no prophet now, that knows when this sad state shall end.

PART II.

10 But, Lord, how long wilt thou permit

the insulting foe to boast?

Shall all the honour of thy name

for evermore be lost?

When vengeance calls to stretch, it forth,
so calmly lett'st it rest?

12 Thou heretofore, with kingly power,
in our defence hast fought;

For us, throughout the wondering world,
hast great salvation wrought.

13 'Twas thou, O God, who didst the sea
by thy own strength divide;
Thou break'st the watery monsters' heads;
the waves o'erwhelm'd their pride.
14 The greatest, fiercest of them all,
that seem'd the deep to sway,
Was by thy power destroy'd, and made to
savage beasts a prey.

15 Thou clavest the solid rock, and mad'st
the waters largely flow;

Again, thou mad'st through parted streams
thy wandering people go.

16 Thine is the cheerful day, and thine
the black return of night;
Thou hast prepared the glorious sun,
and every feebler light.

17 By thee the borders of the earth
in perfect order stand;

The summer's warmth, and winter's cold,
attend on thy command.

PART III

18 Remember, Lord, how scornful foes
have daily urged our shame;
And how the foolish people have
blasphemed thy holy name.

19 O! free thy mourning turtle-dove,
by sinful crowds beset;
Nor the assembly of thy poor
for evermore forget.

20 Thy ancient covenant, Lord, regard,
and make thy promise good;
For now each corner of the land.
is fill'd with men of blood.

21 O! let not the oppress'd return
with sorrow clothed, and shame;
But let the helpless and the poor
for ever praise thy name.

22 Arise, O God, in our behalf;
thy cause and ours maintain;
Remember how insulting fools

each day thy name profane.

23 Make thou the boastings of thy foes for evermore to cease;

Whose insolence, if unchastised,

will more and more increase.

PSALM 75.

To thee, O God, we render praise,

to thee, with thanks repair;

For, that thy name to us is nigh,
thy wondrous works declare.

2 In Israel when my throne is fix'd,

with me shall justice reign:

3 The land with discord shakes; but I

the sinking frame sustain.

4 Deluded wretches I advised

their errors to redress;

And warn'd bold sinners, that they should their swelling pride suppress.

11 Why hold'st thou back thy strong right hand, 5 Bear not yourselves so high, as if

and on thy patient breast,

no power could yours restrain;

13

Submit your stubborn necks, and learn
to speak with less disdain :

6 For that promotion, which to gain
your vain ambition strives,
From neither east nor west, nor yet
from southern climes arrives.
7 For God the great disposer is,

and sovereign Judge alone,
Who casts the proud to earth, and lifts
the humble to a throne.

8 His hand holds forth a dreadful cup;
with purple wine 'tis crown'd;
The deadly mixture which his wrath
deals out to nations round.

Of this his saints sometimes may taste;
but wicked men shall squeeze
The bitter dregs, and be condemn'd
to drink the very lees.

9 His prophet, I, to all the world
this message will relate;
The justice then of Jacob's God
my song shall celebrate.

10 The wicked's pride I will reduce,
their cruelty disarm;

Exalt the just, and seat him high above the reach of harm.

PSALM 76.

IN Judah the Almighty's known,
Almighty there by wonders shown,
his name in Jacob does excel :
2 His sanctuary in Salem stands;
The majesty that heaven commands
in Sion condescends to dwell.

3 He brake the bow and arrows there,
The shield, and temper'd sword, and spear;
there slain the mighty army lay:

4 Whence Sion's fame through earth is spread,
Of greater glory, greater dread,

than hills where robbers lodge their prey. 5 Their valiant chiefs, who came for spoil, Themselves met there a shameful foil:

securely down to sleep they lay: But waked no more, their stoutest band Ne'er lifted one resisting hand

'gainst his, that did their legions slay. 6 When Jacob's God began to frown, Both horse and charioteers, o'erthrown,

together slept in endless night:

7 When thou, whom earth and heaven revere, Dost once with wrathful look appear,

what mortal power can stand thy sight?

8 Pronounced from heaven, earth heard its
doom,

Grew hush'd with fear, when thou did'st come
9 the meek with justice to restore :
10 The wrath of man shall yield thee praise;
Its last attempts but serve to raise

the triumphs of Almighty power.
11 Vow to the Lord, ye nations; bring
Vow'd presents to the eternal King:

thus to his name due reverence pay, 12 Who proudest potentates can quell, To earthly kings more terrible,

than to their trembling subjects they PSALM 77.

TO God I cry'd, who to my help did graciously repair;

12 In trouble's dismal day I sought
my God with humble prayer.
All night my festering wound did run ;
no medicine gave relief;
My soul no comfort would admit;
my soul indulged her grief.

3 I thought on God, and favours past;
but that increased my pain:

I found my spirit more oppress'd,
the more I did complain.

4 Through every watch of tedious night
thou keep'st my eyes awake:
My grief is swell'd to that excess,
I sigh,but cannot speak.

5 I call'd to mind the days of old,
with signal mercy crown'd;
Those famous years of ancient times,
for miracles renown'd.

6 By night I recollect my songs,
on former triumphs made;

Then search, consult, and ask my heart,
where's now that wondrous aid?

7 Has God for ever cast us off?
withdrawn his favours quite?

8 Are both his inercy and his truth
retired to endless night?

9 Can his long practised love forget
its wonted aids to bring?

Has he in wrath shut up and seal'd
his mercy's healing spring?

10 I said, my weakness hints these fears; but I'll my fears disband;

I'll yet remember the Most High,

and years of his right band.

11 I'll call to mind his works of old,
the wonders of his might;

12 On them my heart shall meditate,
my tongue shall them recite.

13 Safe lodged from human search on high,
O God, thy counsels are!

Who is so great a God as ours?

who can with him compare?

14 Long since a God of wonders thee
thy rescued people found;

15 Long since hast thou thy chosen seed
with strong deliverance crown'd.

16 When thee, O God, the waters saw,
The troubled depths themselves for fear
the frighted billows shrunk ;
beneath their channels sunk.

17 The clouds pour'd down, while rending
did with their noise conspire;
[skies

Thy arrows all abroad were sent,
wing'd with avenging fire.

18 Heaven with thy thunder's voice was torn,

whilst all the lower world

With lightnings blazed; earth shook, and seem'd from her foundations hurl'd.

19 Through rolling streams thou find'st thy way,
thy paths in waters lie;

Thy wondrous passage, where no sight
thy footsteps can descry.

20 Thou ledd'st thy people like a flock.
safe through the desert land,

By Moses, their meek skilful guide,
and Aaron's sacred hand.

PSALM 78.

EAR, O my people, to my law

H devout attention lend;

Let the instruction of my mouth
deep in your hearts descend.

2 My tongue, by inspiration taught,
shall parables unfold,
Dark oracles, but understood,

and own'd for truths of old:

3 Which we from sacred registers
of ancient times have known,
And our forefathers' pious care
to us has handed down.

4 We will not hide them from our sons;
our offspring shall be taught
The praises of the Lord, whose strength
has works of wonder wrought.
5 For Jacob he this law ordain'd,
this league with Israel made;
With charge to be from age to age,
from race to race, convey'd.
6 That generations yet to come
should to their unborn heirs
Religiously transmit the same,
and they again to theirs.

7 To teach them that in God alone

their hope securely stands;

That they should ne'er his works forget,
but keep his just commands.

8 Lest, like their fathers, they might prove
a stiff rebellious race,
False-hearted, fickle to their God,
unsteadfast in his grace.

9 Such were revolting Ephraim's sons,
who, though to warfare bred,

And skilful archers, arm'd with bows, from field ignobly fled.

10, 11 They falsified their league with God, his orders disobey'd,

Forgot his works and miracles

before their eyes display'd.

12 Nor wonders, which their fathers saw,
did they in mind retain,
Prodigious things in Egypt done,
and Zoan's fertile plain.

13 He cut the sea to let them pass,
restrain❜d the pressing flood;
While piled on heaps, on either side
the solid waters stood.

14 A wondrous pillar led them on, composed of shade and light;

A sheltering cloud it proved by day, a leading fire by night.

15 When drought oppress'd them, where no the wilderness supply'd,

He cleft the rock, whose flinty breast dissolved into a tide.

[stream

16 Streams from the solid rock he brought, which down in rivers fell,

That, travelling with their camp, each day renew'd the miracle.

17 Yet there they sinn'd against him more, provoking the Most High,

In that same desert where he did their fainting souls supply.

|18 They first incensed him in their hearts,
that did his power distrust,

And long'd for meat, not urged by want,
but to indulge their lust.

19 Then utter'd their blaspheming doubts;
"Can God," say they, "prepare

"A table in the wilderness,

"set out with various fare?

20 "He smote the flinty rock, 'tis true,
"and gushing streams ensued;
"But can he corn and flesh provide
"for such a multitude?"

21 The Lord with indignation heard:
from heaven avenging flame
On Jacob fell, consuming wrath
on thankless Israel came :

22 Because their unbelieving hearts
in God would not confide,

Nor trust his care, who bad from heaven
their wants so oft supply'd;

23 Though he had made his clouds discharge provisions down in showers;

And when earth fail'd, relieved their needs from his celestial stores;

24 Though tasteful manna was rain'd down, their hunger to relieve;

Though from the stores of heaven they did
sustaining corn receive.

25 Thus man with angels' sacred food,
ungrateful man was fed;

Not sparingly, for still they found

a plenteous table spread.

26 From heaven he made an east wind blow, then did the south command

27 To rain down flesh like dust, and fowls
like sea's unnumber'd sand..

28 Within their trenches he let fall
the luscious easy prey;

And all around their spreading camp
the ready booty lay.

29 They fed, were fill'd; he gave them leave
their appetites to feast;

30, 31 Yet still their wanton lust craved on,
nor with their hunger ceased.

But whilst in their luxurious mouths
they did their dainties chew,

The wrath of God smote down their chiefs,
and Israel's chosen slew.

PART II.

32 Yet still they sinn'd, nor would afford his miracles belief:

33 Therefore through fruitless travels he consumed their lives in grief.

34 When some were slain, the rest return'd to God with early cry;

35 Own'd him the Rock of their defence,
their Saviour, God most high.

36 But this was feign'd submission all;
their heart their tongue bely'd;

37 Their heart was still perverse, nor would
firm in his league abide.

38 Yet full of mercy he forgave,
nor did with death chastise;

But turn'd his kindled wrath aside,
or would not let it rise.