PSALM I.

BLESSED is the man who hath not walked

astray

In council of the wicked, and in the way Of sinners hath not stood, and in the seat

Of scorners hath not sat. But in the great

Jehovah's law is ever his delight,

And in his law he studies day and night. He shall be as a tree which planted grows

By watery streams, and in his season knows

To yield his fruit, and his leaf shall not fall,

And what he takes in hand shall prosper all.

Not so the wicked, but as chaff which fanned

The wind drives, so the wicked shall not stand

In judgment, or abide their trial then,
Nor sinners in the assembly of just men.
For the Lord knows the upright way of
the just;

And the way of bad men to ruin must.
JOHN MILTON (1608-1674).

PSALM II.

WHY do the Gentiles rage?

The people think vain things? The rulers of the earth combine? In counsel with the kings? Against the Lord of Hosts and his Anointed king they say, "Asunder let us break their bands, And cast their cords away."

The Lord from Heaven shall laugh
Their forward ways to see,
And he shall speak to them in wrath,
And troubled they shall be;
"And I my king anointed have
On Zion's Holy Hill,

The mountain of my holiness,
My pleasure to fulfill."

"This statute I declare,"
Jehovah said to me,

"Thou art my son, upon this day
I have begotten thee;
Seek ye, and for thy portion sure
The heathen shall be known,

PSALM V.

O LORD, incline Thy gracious ear,
My plaintive sorrows weigh;
To Thee for succor I draw near,
To Thee I humbly pray.
Still will I call, with lifted eyes,
"Come, O my God and King!"
Till Thou regard my ceaseless cries,
And full deliverance bring.

On Thee, O God of purity,

I wait for hallowing grace:
None without holiness shall see
The glories of Thy face.
In souls unholy and unclean
Thou never canst delight;

Nor shall they, while unsaved from sin,
Appear before Thy sight.

Thou hatest all that evil do,

Or speak iniquity;

The hearts unkind, and hearts untrue,
Are both abhorred by Thee.
The greatest and minutest fault

Shall find its fearful doom;
Sinners in deed, or word, or thought,
Thou surely shalt consume.

But as for me, with humble fear
I will approach Thy gate,
Though most unworthy to draw near,
Or in Thy courts to wait.

I trust in Thy unbounded grace,
To all so freely given,

And worship toward Thy holy place,
And lift my soul to heaven.

Lead me in all Thy righteous ways,
Nor suffer me to slide;
Point out the path before my face;
My God, be Thou my Guide!
The cruel power, the guileful art
Of all my foes suppress,
Whose throat an open grave, whose

heart

Is desperate wickedness.

Thou, Lord, shalt drive them from Thy face,

And utterly consume:
Thy wrath on the rebellious race

Shall to the utmost come.

But all who put their trust in Thee
Thy mercy shall proclaim,

And sing with cheerful melody
Their dear Redeemer's Name.

Protected by Thy guardian grace,

They shall extol Thy power, Rejoice, give thanks, and shout Thy praise,

And triumph evermore.

They never shall to evil yield,
Defended from above,

And kept and covered with the shield
Of Thine almighty Love.

CHARLES WESLEY (1708-1788).

PSALM VI.

LORD, in thy wrath reprove me not,
Though I deserve thine ire:
Nor yet correct me in thy rage,
O Lord, I thee desire.

For I am weak, therefore, O Lord,

Of mercy me forbear:

And heal me, Lord, for why? thou know'st

My bones do quake for fear.

My soul is troubled very sore,
And vexed vehèmently:

But, Lord, how long wilt thou delay
To cure my misery?

Lord turn thee to thy wonted grace,
My fainting soul uptake;

O save me not for my deserts,
But for thy mercies' sake.

For why? no man among the dead Remembereth thee one whit:

Or who shall worhip thee, O Lord, In the infernal pit?

So grievous is my plaint and moan,
That I wax wondrous faint:
All the night long I wash my bed
With tears of my complaint.

My sight is dim, and waxeth old,
With anguish of my heart,
For fear of them that be my foes,
And would my soul subvert.

But now depart from me, all ye
That work iniquity.

Because the Lord hath heard the voice
Of my complaint and cry.

He heard not only the request

And prayer of my heart:

But it received at my hands, And took it in good part.

And now my foes that vexèd me
The Lord will soon defame:
And suddenly confound them all
With great rebuke and shame.

JOHN PLAYFORD.
(Published London, 1701.)

PSALM VII.

O LORD my God, I put my trust
And confidence in thee:
Save me from them that me pursue,
And eke deliver me.

Lest like a lyon me they teare

And rend in pieces small;
Whilst their is none to succour me,
And rid me out of thrall.

O Lord my God, if I have done
The thing that is not right.
Or els if I be found in fault,
Or guyltie in thy sight.
Or to my friend rewarded ill,
Or left him in distresse:
Which me pursued most cruelly,

And hated me causelesse.

Then let my foes pursue my soule, And eke my life downe thrust: Unto the earth, and also lay

Mine honor in the dust. Start up O Lord now in thy wrath, And put my foes to paine: Performe the kingdom promised

To me which wrong sustaine.

Then shall great nations come to thee,
And know thee by this thing:
If thou declare for love of them,

Thyselfe as Lord and king.
And thou that art of all men judge,
O Lord now judge thou me:
According to my righteousness
And mine integritie.

Lord cease the harts of wicked men,
And be the just man's guyde,
By whome the secrets of all hearts
Are searched and discride.

I take my help to come of God,
In all my griefe and smart:

That doth preserve all those that be
Of pure and perfect hart.

The just man and the wicked both,
God judgeth by his power:
So that he feeleth his mightie hand
Even every day and houre.
Except he chaunge his minde I dye,
For ever as he should smite:
He whets his sword, his bow he bendes,
Ayming where he may hit.

And doth prepare his mortall dartes,
His arrowes keen and sharpe :
For them that do me persecute,

Whiles he doth mischiefe warpe.
But low though he in travele be,
Of his devilish forecast:
And of his mischiefe once conceived
Yet brings forth naught at last.

He digs a ditch and delves it deepe,
In hope to hurt his brother:
But he shall fall into the pit,

That he digd up for other.
Thus wrong returneth to the hurt,
Of him in whome it bred:

And all the mischiefe that he wrought,
Shall fall upon his head.

I will give thanks to God therefore,
That judges righteously;

And with a song will praise the name,
Of him that is most high.

THOMAS STERN HOLD (circa 1500-1549).

PSALM VIII.

How excellent, O Lord, our Lord, thy name in all the earth! Transcending glory of the skies -supreme above all worth.

The frailest infant form of life gives utterance to thy praise,

And strength, 'gainst evil is ordained from childlike, trustful ways. When turns my thoughts to heaven's expanse of wondrous calm and light, And ponders o'er the silvery moon and radiant stars of night,

My soul is thrilled with reverent awe, and questions, What is man, That God should give him place and power in all his wondrous planShould give him rank exalted high and crowned with honor fair,

Should place him on his glorious carth to hold dominion there?

Subjecting to man's power and will the

works of hand divine,

God gives to human soul the gift of majesty sublime.

Mysterious, mighty powers of earth He trusts to man for care

All things therein, created life of land and sea and air.

With my whole heart and every power bestowed in mortal frame,

I give thee praise, O Lord, our Lord! How excellent thy name!

EMILY F. CArleton.

PSALM IX.

I WILL give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with all my heart;

I will speak of all thy marvellous works, in whole or in part.

I will be glad and rejoice in thee;
Yea, my songs and praises shall ever be,
O thou most highest, ever the same,
Will I sing of thy holy name.

While mine enemies all

Are driven back, they shall fall,
And at thy presence perish,

And none their welfare shall cherish.
For thou hast maintained my right and

my cause;

Thou are set on the throne that judges by right laws.

Thou hast rebuked the heathen, the ungodly destroyed,

Thou hast put out their name forever and made them void.

O thou enemy destruction all come to perpetual end,

Thy walls Adonai did rend,

Even as the cities which thou hast destroyed,

Their memorial is perished with them and is void.

But the Lord forever shall endure,

He hath also prepared his seat, for his judgments are sure.

For he shall judge the world aright, And minister true judgments unto the people-so bright.

The Lord, also, will be a defense for the oppressed,

Even a refuge in due time of trouble, and goodly rest.

And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee,

For thou, Lord, hast never failed them that to thee flee.

O praise the Lord who in Sion doth dwell;

Show the people of his doings so well. For, when the inquisitors for blood are made,

Their goodly works are well weighed.
He forgeteth not the complaint of the
Door;

Their trust in him is always sure.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord;
Let my life with thy will accord.
Consider the trouble which I endure
Of them that hate me, thy servant, so
poor.

Thou that lifteth me up from the gates of death,

Thou that inspires me with new breath, That I may show all thy praises within the ports of Sion,

I will rejoice in thy salvation-with the strength of the lion.

The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made,

In the same net which they hid privately me they waylaid.

The Lord is known to execute judgment in all lands;

The ungodly is trapped in the work of his hands.

The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the people that forgot God shall

not with him dwell.

For the poor shall not always forgotten be;

That patient abiding of the meck shall not perish, but be forever free

Up, Lord, and let no man have the upper hand;

Let the heathen be judged in thy sight

and land.

Put them in fear, O Lord-then The heathen may know themselves to be but men.

ISAAC P. NOYES. (Version of Edward VI.) [1537-1553].

PSALM X.

THE face, Oh Lord; why dost thou hide,
And stande aloofe so farr?
Lo, Sinners, merely out of pride,
The Spoile of poremen are.