PSALM 119. First Part. C. M. The blessedness of saints, and misery of sinners.
BLEST are the undefil'd in heart,
Whose ways are right and clean;
Who never from thy law depart,
But fly from ev'ry sin.
2 Blest are the men that keep thy word, And practise thy commands; With their whole heart they seek the Lord, And serve him with their hands. 3 Great is their peace who love thy law, How firm their souls abide ! Nor can a bold temptation draw Their steady feet aside.
4 Then shall my heart have inward joy, And keep my face from shame; When all thy statutes I obey,
And honour all thy name..
5 But haughty sinners God will hate; The proud shall die accurst: The sons of falsehood and deceit Are trodden to the dust.
6 Vile as the dross the wicked are; And those that leave thy ways Shall see salvation from afar, But never taste thy grace.
PSALM 119. Second Part. C. M: Spiritual mindedness.
O thee, before the dawning light, My gracious God, I pray;
I meditate thy name by night, And keep thy law by day.
2 My spirit faints to see thy grace, Thy promise bears me up;
And, while salvation long delays, Thy word supports my hope. 3 Seven times a-day I lift my hands, And pay my thanks to thee:
Thy righteous providence demands Repeated praise from me.
4 When midnight darkness veils the skies, I call thy works to mind;
My thoughts in warm devotion rise, And sweet acceptance find.
Repentance and obedience.
HOU art my portion, O my God: Soon as I know thy way,
My heart makes haste t' obey thy word,
And suffers no delay.
2 I choose the path of heav'nly truth, And glory in my choice: Not all the riches of the earth Could make me so rejoice.
3 The testimonies of thy grace, I set before mine eyes; Thence I derive my daily strength; And there my comfort lies.
4 If once I wander from thy path, I think upon my ways; Then turn my feet to thy commands, And trust thy pard'ning grace.
5 Now I am thine, for ever thine, O save thy servant, Lord!
Thou art my shield, my hiding-place; My hope is in thy word.
6 Thou hast inclin'd this heart of mine, Thy statutes to fulfil :
And thus, 'till mortal life shall end, Would I perform thy will.
Instruction from scripture.
W shall the young secure their hearts, And guard their lives from sin? Thy word the choicest rules imparts' To keep the conscience clean. 2 When once it penetrates the mind, It spreads such light abroad; The meanest souls instruction find, And raise their thoughts to God. 3 'Tis, like the sun, a heav'nly light That guides us all the day: And thro' the dangers of the night, A lamp to lead our way.
4 The men that keep thy law with care, And meditate thy word, Grow wiser than their teachers are, And better know the Lord.
5 Thy precepts make me truly wise; I hate the sinner's road:
I hate my own vain thoughts, that rise; But love thy law, my God.
6 The starry heav'ns thy rule obey; The earth maintains her place : And these thy servants night and day Thy skill and pow'r express.
7 But still thy law and gospel, Lord, Give lessons more divine;
Nor earth stands firmer than thy word, Nor stars so nobly shine.
Thy word is everlasting truth;
How pure is ev'ry page!
- That holy book shall guide our youth, And well support our age.
PSALM 119. Fifth Part. C. M. Delight in scripture.
HOW I love thy holy law! 'Tis daily my delight :
And thence my meditations draw Divine advice by night.
2 My waking eyes prevent the day, To meditate thy word:
My soul with longing melts away, To hear thy gospel, Lord.
3 How doth thy word my heart
How well employ my tongue! And in my tiresome pilgrimage, Yield me a heav'nly song! 4 Am I a stranger, or at home, 'Tis my perpetual feast; Not honey, dropping from the comb, So much allures the taste.
5 No treasures so enrich the mind; Nor shall thy word be sold For loads of silver well refin'd; Nor heaps of choicest gold.
6 When nature sinks, and spirits droop, Thy promises of grace
Are pillars to support my hope;
And there I write thy praise.
PSALM 119. Sixth Part. C. M.
Holiness and comfort from the Word.
LORD, I esteem thy judgments right,
And all thy statutes just;
Thence I maintain a constant fight With ev'ry flatt'ring lust.
2 Thy precepts often I survey; I keep thy laws in sight, Thro' all the bus'ness of the day, To form my actions right.
3 My heart in midnight silence cries, "How sweet thy comforts be!" My thoughts in holy wonder rise, And bring their thanks to thee. 4 And when my spirit drinks her fill, At some good word of thine; Not mighty men, that share the spoil, Have joys compar'd to mine.
PSALM 119. Seventh Part. C. M. Imperfection of nature, and perfection of scripture. 1 ET all the heathen writers join, To form one perfect book;
Great God! if once compar'd with thine, How mean their writings look!
2 Not the most perfect rules they gave Could show one sin forgiv'n; Nor lead a step beyond the grave; But thine conduct to heav'n.
3 I've seen an end of what we call Perfection here below:
How short the pow'rs of nature fall! And can no farther go.
4. Yet men would fain be just with God, By works their hands have wrought; But thy commands, exceeding broad, Extend to ev'ry thought.
5 In vain we boast perfection here, While sin defiles our frame;
And sinks our virtues down so far, They scarce deserve the name.
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