LORD, judge thou me and plead my right With such as cruel be: From wicked men, that use deceit Oh God! deliver me. For since thou, Lord, my fortress art, Mee let thy Light and Truth's bright raies, Unto thy dwelling bring: And at thine Altars to thy praise Still praise thou God, and on him rest: For he my God will be. GEORGE WITHER (1583-1667). PSALM XLIV. O GOD! we with our ears have heard, What work Thou wroughtest in their days The famous days of old. Thou didst the heathen dispossess, But Thou by thy right hand and arm, Didst mightily befriend; Their conquests multiply, their bounds On every hand extend. Thou art my King: Do Thou, O God, Deliverance command Once more for Jacob; yet once more Display. Thy helping hand. Through Thee we will push down our foes, Trample and put to shame; Thou hast our adversaries quelled, And chased their flying ranks: In Thee we made all day our boast, To Thee will still give thanks. But now Thou hast us quite cut off, Thou hast not gone forth with our hosts, Nor on our side hast fought: And they who hate have us for spoil; Thy people Thou dost sell for nought; We're sneered at without rest! Among the nations a by-word, The Gentiles' constant jest. I have all day before mine eyes All this has come upon us, Lord! Though Thou hast crushed us in the place Of jackals howling near; Hast shrouded us with shades of night, And blackest glooms of fear. If we've the Name of God forgot, And played a treacherous part; Shall God not search this out? He knows The secrets of the heart. We're all day long for Thy sake slain; Awake: why sleepest Thou, O Lord? Arise for our relief: Why hidest Thou Thy face from us, Forgetful of our grief? For to the dust are we bowed down, Rise to our help, redeem us for ABRAHAM COLES. PSALM XLV. Lo, mine heart indites good matter, From my tongue the essence flows. Gird thyself and press thou forward In thy strength and glory bright, In thy majesty ride onward, In thy meekness and thy might. Thy right hand shall teach thee surely Lo, thy throne is God's for ever, God anoints thee, king to be. Sweet with spices are thy garments, From the ivory dwellings fair, Sounds of richest, sweetest psaltery Hail thy rising everywhere. Daughters of the kings surround thee, 'Midst thy maidens fair and bright, Robed in finest gold of Ophir Stands thy queen upon thy right. Hearken unto me, O daughter, Home and people-all that's thine; Crowned with glory 'midst the maidens. I will make thy name remembered PSALM XLVI. A SAFE stronghold our God is still, Strong mail of craft and power He weareth in this hour; On earth is not his fellow. With force of arms we nothing can, And were this world all devils o'er, We lay it not to heart so sore, That word, for all their craft and force, One moment will not linger, But, spite of hell, shall have its course, 'Tis written by his finger. And though they take our life, MARTIN LUTHER (1483-1546). PSALM XLVII. CLASP your hands with adoration, Sing to God your loudest lays; King of every land and nation Worthy of immortal praise. He will have the realms subjected, All opposing powers removed; He for us the lot selected, Jacob's glory whom he loved. God ascends with acclamation, Sing his praise with understanding, God, the King, the world commanding, Over all exalts his throne. Kings and peoples honors yielding, Raise to him their loudest song; Abram's God the sceptre wielding, He to whom earth's shields belong. ABNER JONES. (Published New York, 1860.) PSALM XLVIII. GREAT is the Lord, and greatly he Mount Sion stands most beautifui, The Lord within her palaces But when they did behold the same, Great terror there took hold on them, PSALMODY OF THE FREE CHURCH OF PSALM XLIX. ALL people hearken and give eare, Both high and low, both rich and poor For why? my mouth shall make dis course, Of many things right wise: I will incline my eares to know, |