6 But thou for ever art our Lord;
And powerful is thy hand,

As when the heathen felt thy sword,
And perished from thy land.

7 Thou wilt prepare our hearts to pray,
And cause thine ear to hear;
Wilt mark whate'er thy children say,
And put the world in fear.

8 Proud tyrants shall no more oppress,
No more despise the just;
And mighty sinners shall confess
They are but earth and dust.

11 Confidence in the Justice of God.
1 MY refuge is the God of love;

Why do my foes insult and cry,"Fly, like a timorous trembling dove, To distant woods or mountains fly ?" 2 If government be all destroyed,

That firm foundation of our peace,) And violence make justice void,

Where shall the righteous seek redress? 3 The Lord in heaven has fixed his throne; His eye surveys the world below: To him all mortal things are known, His eyelids search our spirits through. 4 If he afflicts his saints so far,

To prove their love and try their grace, What may the bold transgressors fear? His very soul abhors their ways.

5 On impious wretches he will rain

Tempests of brimstone, fire, and death, Such as he kindled on the plain

Of Sodom, with his angry breath.

6 The righteous Lord loves righteous souls, Whose thoughts and actions are sincere; And with a gracious eye beholds

12

The men who his own image bear.

The Saint's Safety in evil Times.

1 LORD, if thou dost not soon appear, Virtue and truth will fly away;

L.M.

L. M.

A faithful man among us here

Will scarce be found, if thou delay.
2 The whole discourse, when neighbors meet,
Is filled with trifles, loose, and vain;
Their lips are flattery and deceit,

And their proud language is profane. 3 But lips that with deceit abound

Shall not maintain their triumph long; The God of vengeance will confound The flattering and blaspheming tongue. 4 "Yet shall our words be free," they cry; "Our tongues shall be controlled by none; Where is the Lord will ask us why, Or say our lips are not our own?

5 The Lord, who sees the poor oppressed, And hears the oppressor's haughty strain, Will rise to give his children rest,

Nor shall they trust his word in vain.
6 Thy word, O Lord, though often tried,
Void of deceit shall still appear;
Not silver, seven times purified

From dross and mixture, shines so clear.
7 Thy grace shall in the darkest hour
Defend the holy soul from harm;
Though, when the vilest men have power,
On every side will sinners swarm.

12

Prevailing Wickedness.

1 HELP, Lord, for men of virtue fail; Religion loses ground;

The sons of violence prevail,

And treacheries abound.

2 Their oaths and promises they break,
Yet act the flatterer's part;
With fair deceitful lips they speak,
And with a double heart.

3 If we reprove some hateful lie,
How is their fury stirred!

66
"Are not our lips our own," they cry;
"And who shall be our Lord ?"

4 Scoffers appear on every side,

Where a vile race of men

C. M.

Is raised to seats of power and pride,
And bears the sword in vain.

PAUSE.

5 Lord, when iniquities abound,
And blasphemy grows bold,
When faith is hardly to be found,
And love is waxing cold;-
6 Is not thy chariot hastening on?
Hast thou not given the sign?
May we not trust and live upon
A promise so divine?

"Yes," saith the Lord, "now will I rise,
And make oppressors flee;

I will appear to their surprise,
And set my servants free."

8 Thy word, like silver seven times tried,
Through ages shall endure;

The men that in thy truth confide,
Shall find the promise sure.

13

1

Pleading with God under Desertion.
OW long, O Lord, shall I complain,
Like one that seeks his God in vain?

HOW

Canst thou thy face for ever hide,

And I still pray,

and be denied?

2 Shall I for ever be forgot,

As one whom thou regardest not?
Still shall my soul thine absence mourn,
And still despair of thy return?

3 How long shall my poor troubled breast
Be with these anxious thoughts oppressed,
And Satan, my malicious foe,

Rejoice to see me sunk so low?

4 Hear, Lord, and grant me quick relief,
Before my death conclude my grief;
If thou withhold thy heavenly light,
I sleep in everlasting night.

5 How will the powers of darkness boast,
If but one praying soul be lost!
But I have trusted in thy grace,
And shall again behold thy face.

L. M.

6 Whate'er my fears or foes suggest, Thou art my hope, my joy, my rest; My heart shall feel thy love, and raise My cheerful voice to songs of praise. 13

Complaint under Temptations.

1 HOW long wilt thou conceal thy face,
My God, how long delay?

When shall I feel those heavenly rays,
That chase my fears away?

2 How long shall my poor laboring soul
Wrestle and toil in vain ?

Thy word can all my foes control
And ease my raging pain.

3 See how the prince of darkness tries
All his malicious arts;

He spreads a mist around my eyes,
And throws his fiery darts.

4 Be thou my sun, and thou my shield;
My soul in safety keep;

Make haste, before mine eyes are sealed
In death's eternal sleep.

5 How would the tempter boast aloud,
If I become his prey!

Behold, the sons of hell grow proud
At thy so long delay.

6 But they shall fly at thy rebuke,
And Satan hide his head;

He knows the terrors of thy look,
And hears thy voice with dread.
7 Thou wilt display that sovereign grace,
Where all my hopes are hung;

1

I shall employ my lips in praise,
And victory shall be sung.

14

FIRST PART.

By Nature all Men are Sinners.

FOOLS in their hearts believe and say

That all religion's vain;

There is no God that reigns on high,
Or minds th' affairs of men.

2 From thoughts so dreadful and profane,
Corrupt discourse proceeds;

C. M.

C. M.

And in their impious hands are found
Abominable deeds.

3 The Lord, from his celestial throne,
Looked down on things below,
To find the man that sought his grace,
Or did his justice know.
4 By nature all are gone astray,
Their practice all the same;

There's none that fears his Maker's hand,
There's none that loves his name.

5 Their tongues are used to speak deceit,
Their slanders never cease;.

How swift to mischief are their feet,
Nor know the paths of peace!

6 Such seeds of sin, that bitter root,
In every heart are found;

Nor can they bear diviner fruit,
Till grace refine the ground.

14

1 A

SECOND PART.

The Folly of Persecutors.

RE sinners now so senseless grown,
That they the saints devour,

And never worship at thy throne,
Nor fear thine awful power?

2 Great God, appear to their surprise;
Reveal thy dreadful name;

Let them no more thy wrath despise,
Nor turn our hopes to shame.

3 Dost thou not dwell among the just?
And yet our foes deride,

That we should make thy name our trust;
Great God, confound their pride.

4 Oh that the joyful day were come

To finish our distress:

When God shall bring his children home,
Our song shall never cease.

15

The Citizen of Zion.

1 WHO shall inhabit in thy hill,

God of holiness?

Whom will the Lord admit to dwell
So near his throne of grace?

C. M.

C. M.