1 BLEST is the man who fears to stray,
Where the ungodly leads the way;
Who shuns the spot where sinners meet,
Nor with the scorner takes his seat.
2 His mind renew'd the law approves,
His heart the sacred precept loves;
There finds by day its sweet delight,
There rests its happiest thoughts by night.
3 His works shall prosper:-he shall be
A fruitful, fair, unwith'ring tree,
That, planted where the river flows,
Nor drought, nor frost, nor mildew knows.
4 Not so the wicked,-they are cast
Like chaff upon the eddying blast;
In judgment they shall quake for dread,
Nor with the righteous lift their head.
2 First Part. C. M.
The Sovereignty of Messiah.
Why do the nations madly rage
Before Jehovah's throne;
And impious wars their rulers wage
Against th' anointed One?
For He who sits above the sky
Shall all their threats deride;
Shall speak in anger from on high,
And crush their haughty pride.
The Lord hath said: "I set my King
"On Zion's holy hill:
"To him shall earth her off'rings bring, "And do his sovereign will."
4 Attend, ye Powers! confess your Lord, And bow before his face:
How rash the men who scorn his word! How blest who seek his
2 Second Part. S. M.
CHRIST is ascended high,
And asks to rule the earth;
The merit of his blood he pleads,
And pleads his heavenly birth.
He asks, and God bestows
A large inheritance :
Far as the world's remotest ends
His kingdom shall advance.
The nations that rebel
Must feel his iron rod :
He'll vindicate those honours well
Which he received from God.
Be wise, ye Rulers, now,
And worship at his throne;
With trembling joy, ye people, bow
To God's exalted Son.
Ye perish on the place :
But blessed is the soul that flies
For refuge to his grace.
3 C. M.
Doubts and fears suppressed.
1 My God, how many are my fears!
How fast my foes increase!
Conspiring my eternal death,
They break my present peace.
2 But thou, my glory and my strength,
Shalt on the tempter tread;
Shalt silence all my threat'ning guilt,
And raise my drooping head.
3 I cried, and from his holy hill
The Lord inclined his ear:
I call'd, "My Father and my God ;”
And he subdued my fear.
4 He shed soft slumbers on my eyes,
In spite of all my foes;
I woke, and wonder'd at the hand
That guarded my repose.
5 What tho' the hosts of death and hell
All arm'd against me stood ?
Terrors no more shall shake my soul;
My refuge is my God.
4 C. M.
Rejoicing in the Lord.
1 O LORD, the guardian of my life,
To my requests give ear;
Thou, who dost keep thy saints from harm,
Have mercy, Lord, and hear.
2 While worldly minds impatient grow
More prosp'rous times to see.
Still let the glories of thy face
Shine brightly, Lord, on me.
3 So shall my heart o'erflow with joy,
More lasting and more true
Than theirs, who stores of corn and wine Successively renew.
4 Then down in peace I'll lay my head,
And take my needful rest;
No other guard, O Lord, I crave,
Of thy defence possest.
5 C. M.
Seeking God in his house.
1 LORD, in the morning thou shalt hear
My voice ascending high;
To thee will I direct my prayer,
To thee lift up mine eye.
2 Oft to thy house will I resort
To taste thy mercies there;
I will frequent thy holy court,
And worship in thy fear.
3 O may thy Spirit guide my feet
In ways of truth and grace;
Make every path of duty straight
And plain before my face.
4 All they that love and fear thy name,
Shall see their hopes fulfill'd;
The mighty God will compass them
With favour as a shield.
The Prayer of the Penitent.
1 IN tender mercy, not in wrath,
Rebuke us, gracious God,
Lest, if thy whole displeasure rise,
We fall beneath thy rod.
2 Touch'd by thy Spirit's quick'ning power, Our load of guilt we feel;
The wounds thy Spirit hath unclos'd,
Oh! let that Spirit heal.
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