PSALM III. AUGUST 9, 1653.-When he fled from Absalom.
LORD, how many are my foes!

Hast broke the teeth. This help was from the Lord;
Thy blessing on thy people flows.

20

25

5

10

15

20

PSALM IV. AUGUST 10, 1653.

ANSWER me when I call,
God of my righteousness;
In straits, and in distress,
Thou didst me disenthrall
And set at large; now spare,
Now pity me, and hear
my earnest
Great ones, how long will ye

prayer.

b My sustain.

The verb converted into a substantive.-TODD.

My glory have in scorn?
How long be thus forborn
Still to love vanity?

To love, to seek, to prize,

Things false and vain, and nothing else but lies?

Yet know, the Lord hath chose,

Chose to himself apart,

The good and meek of heart;

(For whom to choose He knows)

Jehovah from on high

Will hear my voice, what time to him I cry.

Be awed and do not sin;

Speak to your hearts alone,

10

15

20

Upon your beds each one,

PSALM V. AUGUST 12, 1653.

JEHOVAH, to my words give ear,

My meditation weigh;

The voice of my complaining hear,
My King and God; for unto thee I pray.
Jehovah, thou my early voice

Shalt in the morning hear;

In the morning I to thee with choice

Will rank my prayers, and watch till thou appear.
For thou art not a God that takes

In wickedness delight;

Evil with thee no biding makes;

40

5

10

Fools or mad men, stand not within thy sight.
All workers of iniquity

Thou hatest, and them unblest

Thou wilt destroy that speak a lie;

The bloody and guileful man God doth detest.
But I will, in thy mercies dear,

Thy numerous mercies, go

Into thy house; I, in thy fear,

Will towards thy holy temple worship low.
Lord, lead me in thy righteousness,

Lead me, because of those

That do observe if I transgress;

Set thy ways right before, where my step goes.
For, in his faltering mouth unstable,

No word is firm or sooth c;

Their inside, troubles miserable;

An open grave their throat, their tongue they smoothe.
God, find them guilty; let them fall,

By their own counsels quell'd;
Push them in their rebellions all

Still on; for against thee they have rebell'd.
Then all who trust in thee, shall bring

Their joy; while thou from blame
Defend'st them, they shall ever síng

And shall triumph in thee, who love thy name.
For thou, Jehovah, wilt be found

To bless the just man still;

As with a shield, thou wilt surround Him with thy lasting favour and goodwill.

PSALM VI. AUGUST 13, 1653.

LORD, in thine anger do not reprehend me,
Nor in thy hot displeasure me correct;
Pity me, Lord, for I am much deject d,

And very weak and faint; heal and amend me :
For all my bones, that ev'n with anguish ake,

Are troubled; yea, my soul is troubled sore;

And thou, O Lord, how long? Turn, Lord; restore
My soul; O, save me for thy goodness sake:
For in death no remembrance is of thee;

Who in the grave can celebrate thy praise ?
Wearied I am with sighing out my days;
Nightly my couch I make a kind of sea;
My bed I water with my tears; mine eye

c Sooth is true.-T. WARTON.

d Deject. Dejected.-TODD.

15

20

25

30

35

40

10

Through grief consumes, is waxen old and dark

In the midst of all mine enemies that mark.

Depart, all ye that work iniquity,

Depart from me; for the voice of my weeping

The Lord hath heard; the Lord hath heard my prayer;
My supplication with acceptance fair

The Lord will own, and have me in his keeping.
Mine enemies shall all be blank and dash'd

With much confusion; then, grown red with shame,
They shall return in haste the way they came,

And in a moment shall be quite abash'd.

PSALM VII. AUGUST 14, 1653.

Upon the words of Chush the Benjamite against him.

LORD, my God, to thee I fly;
Save me and secure me under
Thy protection, while I cry;
Lest, as a lion, and no wonder,
He haste to tear my soul asunder,
Tearing and no rescue nigh.

Lord, my God, if I have thought
Or done this; if wickedness

Be in my hands; if I have wrought
Ill to him that meant me peace;
Or to him have render'd less,
And not freed my foe for nought;

Let the enemy pursue my soul,
And overtake it; let him tread
My life down to the earth, and roll
In the dust my glory dead,

In the dust; and there, outspread,
Lodge it with dishonour foul.

Rise, Jehovah, in thine ire,
Rouse thyself, amidst the rage
Of my foes, that urge like fire;
And wake for me, their fury assuage:
Judgement here thou didst engage
And command, which I desire.

So the assemblies of each nation
Will surround thee, seeking right;
Thence to thy glorious habitation
Return on high, and in their sight.
Jehovah judgeth most upright

All people from the world's foundation.

Judge me, Lord; be judge in this
According to my righteousness,
And the innocence which is

Upon me cause at length to cease
Of evil men the wickedness,
And their power that do amiss :

But the just establish fast,

Since thou art the just God that tries
Hearts and reins. On God is cast
My defence, and in him lies,
In him, who, both just and wise,
Saves the upright of heart at last.

God is a just judge and severe,
And God is every day offended;
If the unjust will not forbear,

His sword he whets, his bow hath bended
Already, and for him intended

The tools of death, that waits him near.

His arrows purposely made he

For them that persecute. Behold,
He travels big with vanity;
Trouble he hath conceived of old,
As in a womb; and from that mould
Hath at length brought forth a lie.

He digg'd a pit, and delved it deep,

And fell into the pit he made:

His mischief, that due course doth keep,
Turns on his head; and his ill trade

Of violence will, undelay'd,

Fall on his crown with ruin steep.

Then will I Jehovah's praise
According to his justice raise,
And sing the name and deity
Of Jehovah, the Most High.

PSALM VIII. AUGUST 14, 1653.

O JEHOVAH, Our Lord, how wondrous great
And glorious is thy name through all the earth!
So as above the heavens thy praise to set

Out of the tender mouths of latest birth.

Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou
Hast founded strength because of all thy foes,
To stint the enemy, and slack the avenger's brow,
That bends his rage thy providence to oppose.

139

5