Reliance cannot be placed on any mortal being, but in the eternal and unchangeable Jehovah.

2 O PRAISE the Lord: and thou, my soul, For ever bless his name.

His wondrous love, while life shall last,
Our constant praise shall claim.

3 On kings, the greatest sons of men,
Let none rely for aid;

Trust not in merely human power,
When threatening ills invade.

4 Depriv❜d of breath, men turn to dust,
And to the grave descend;
Together with their transient life
Their thoughts and counsels end.

5 Then happy he, who Jacob's God,
For his protector takes.

And happy, who the Lord his God
His hope and refuge makes.

Encouragement to trust in Jehovah, derived from a view of his power and goodness.

6 HAPPY the man whose thoughts rely On Israel's God: he made the sky,

And earth, and seas, with all their train. His truth for ever stands secure;

He saves th' opprest, he feeds the poor;

And none shall find his promise vain.

7 The Lord pours eye-sight on the blind;
The Lord supports the fainting mind;

He sends the lab'ring conscience peace.
He helps the stranger in distress,
The widow and the fatherless;

And grants the pris'ner sweet release.

8 He loves his saints, he knows them well;
But turns the wicked down to hell.

Thy God, O Zion, ever reigns.
Let ev'ry tongue, let ev'ry age,
In this exalted work engage;
Praise him in everlasting strains.

PSALM 147.

God's care of his Church and people; and his power and wisdom in his works and dealings.

1 PRAISE ye the Lord: 'tis good to raise
Our hearts and voices in His praise:
His nature and his works invite
To make this duty our delight.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem,
And gathers nations to his name:
His mercy melts the stubborn soul,
And makes the broken spirit whole.

3 He form'd the stars, those heavenly flames,
He counts their numbers, calls their names:
His wisdom's vast, and knows no bound,
A deep, where all our thoughts are drown'd.
4 Great is our Lord, and great his might,
And all his glories infinite;

He crowns the meek, rewards the just,
And treads the wicked to the dust.

God's general providence, and peculiar favour to his people.

5 SING, and give thanks to God most high,
Who with his clouds o'erspreads the sky;
There he prepares the fruitful rain,
Nor sends the genial showers in vain.
6 He makes the grass the hills adorn,
And clothes the smiling fields with corn:
Gives to the beasts their wonted food,
And feeds the ravens' hungry brood.

7 What is the creature's skill or force?
The active man, or warlike horse?
These, tho' created by his might,
Bring not to Him his chief delight.
8 To you, in whom his fear resides,
To you, whose trust in him confides,
To you his fav'ring eye he bends,
And his complacent care extends.

God's power displayed in the seasons of winter, and succeeding spring.

9 EACH changing season God ordains;
He speaks the word, and winter reigns.
Flak'd by his power, the woolly snow
Falls silent on the ground below.

10 He bids, and lo! the hoar-frost's white
Bedews the earth, with spangles bright;
Or the loud hail is made to bear
Its icy morsels thro' the air.

11 His hand the gliding stream detains
In rigid winter's icy chains:

And who a frame unmov'd shall find By His keen blast of wint'ry wind? 12 He bids the warmer currents blow: The chain is loos'd, the waters flow. The Lord, the God of seasons, sing; Stern Winter's Lord! the Lord of Spring! God's 's care of our Church and nation, both as to temporal and spiritual blessings.

13 O LET our Zion sing to God,

And make his honours known abroad;
He bids the ocean round us flow;
No barred gates could guard us so.
14 Our children are secure and blest;
Our shores have peace, our cities rest;
He feeds us with his finest wheat,
And adds his blessing to our meat.

15 Great is the Lord, and great his name,
We will our grateful thanks proclaim;
For we have learnt his holy word,
The laws and judgments of the Lord.
16 Has he to all his word made known?
Has he to us his Gospel shown?
Let then our thankful voices join
To praise the Majesty divine.

PSALM 148.

The Psalmist calls on all created things to praise their Maker.

1

YE realms of heavenly joy,

Exalt your Maker's fame;
His praise your song employ
Above the starry frame;

Your voices raise, Ye Cherubim

And Seraphim,

2

3

To sing his praise.

Thou moon, that rul'st the night;
And sun, that guid'st the day;
Ye glitt'ring stars of light,

To him your homage pay:

His praise declare, Ye realms above,
And clouds that move In liquid air.

Let them adore the Lord,

And praise his holy name;

For by His mighty word

They all from nothing came.

They all shall last

For his decree

From changes free:

Stands ever fast.

All the human race exhorted to praise God, for his glory, and

his love to his people.

4

Let all of royal birth,

Let all of humbler name,

Let judges of the earth,

Their Maker's name proclaim;

Let young and old

By ev'ry tongue

Join in the song;

His praise be told.

5

Let all creation join

Their Maker's praise to tell:
His glories, all divine,

Your highest praise excel.

Earth's utmost ends His power obey;
His boundless sway The sky transcends.

6 He sets his saints on high,
And will to glory raise;
They to his heart are nigh,
And He their constant praise.

Ye saints below,

His praises tell,

Who near Him dwell,

His wonders show.

VERSION II.

1 BEGIN, my soul, th' exalted lay,
Let each enraptur'd thought obey,
And praise th' Almighty Name:
Lo! heaven and earth, and seas and skies,
In one melodious concert rise

To swell th' inspiring theme.

2 Let man,-by nobler passions sway'd,-
The feeling heart, the judging head,
In heavenly praise employ;
Spread his tremendous name around,

Till heaven's broad arch rings back the sound,
The gen'ral burst of joy.

VERSION III.

1 PRAISE the Lord! Ye heavens, adore him:
Praise him, angels, in the height:
Sun and moon, rejoice before him;
Praise him, all ye stars and light.

2 Praise the Lord! for he hath spoken!
Worlds his mighty voice obey'd:
Laws, that never shall be broken,
For their guidance he hath made.