"The great, the wife, the dreadful God! "How holy is his way!"
2 I'll meditate his works of old;
The King that reigns above,
I'll hear his ancient wonders told,
And learn to truft his love.
3 Long did the house of Jofeph lie
With Egypt's yoke oppreft;
Long he delay'd to hear their cry,
Nor gave his people rest.
4 The fons of good old Jacob feem'd
Abandon'd to their foes;
But his almighty arm redeem'd
The nation that he chofe.
5 Ifrael, his people and his fheep,
Muft follow where he calls;
He bids them venture through the deep,
And makes the waves their walls.
6 The waters faw thee, mighty God,
The waters faw thee come;
Backward they fled, and frighted stood,
To make thine armies room.
7 Strange was thy journey through the fea,
Thy footsteps, Lord, unknown;
Terrors attend the wond'rous way
That brings thy mercies down.
[Thy voice, with terror in the found,
Through clouds and darkness broke ;
All heav'n in light'ning fhone around,
And earth with thunder fhook.
9 Thine arrows through the fky were hurl'd; How glorious is the Lord!
Surprife and trembling feiz'd the world, And his own faints ador'd.
10 He gave them water from the rock,
And fafe, by Mofes' hand,
Through a dry defart led his floek
Home to the promis'd land.]
PSALM LXXVIII. ift Part. Com.Met. Providences of God recorded'; or, pious education and inftruction of Children.
LE Which God perform'd of old;
ET children hear the mighty deeds
Which in our younger years we saw,
And which our fathers told.
2 He bids us make his glories known;
His works of pow'r and grace;
And we'll convey his wonders down,
Through every rifing race.
3 Our lips fhall tell them to our fons,
And they again to theirs;
That generations yet unborn
May teach them to their heirs.
4 Thus fhall they learn in God alone
Their hope fecurely ftands;
That they may ne'er forget his works,
But practife his commands.
PSALM LXXVIII. 2d Part. Com.Met. Ifrael's rebellion and punishment; or, the fins and chaftifements of God's people.
WHAT a stiff rebellious houfe
Was Jacob's ancient race!
Falfe to their own moft folemn vows,
And to their Maker's grace.
2 They broke the cov'nant of his love, And did his laws defpife,
Forgot the works he wrought to prove His pow'r before their eyes.
3 They faw the plagues on Egypt light, From his avenging hand;
What dreadful tokens of his might
Spread o'er that ftubborn land!
4 They faw him cleave the mighty fea,
And march in fafety through,
With wat❜ry walls to guard their way,
Till they had 'scap'd the foe.
5 A wond'rous pillar mark'd the road,
Compos'd of fhade and light;
By day it prov'd a fhelt'ring cloud,
A leading fire by night.
6 He from the rock their thirst supply'd; The gufhing waters fell,
And ran in rivers by their fide,
A conftant miracle.
7 Yet they provok'd the Lord most high,
And dar'd diftruft his hand;
"Can he with bread our hofts fupply
"Amidft this defart land?"
8 The Lord with indignation heard,
And caus'd his wrath to flame;
His terrors ever ftand prepar'd
To vindicate his name.
PSALM LXXVIII. 3d Part. Com.Met. The punishment of luxury and intemperance; or, chaftifement and falvation.
HEN Ifr'el fins, the Lord reproves,
1W And fills their hearts with dread ;
Yet he forgives the men he loves,
And fends them heav'nly bread.
2 He fed them with a lib'ral hand,
And made his treasures known;
He gave the midnight-clouds command
To pour provifion down.
The manna, like a morning fhow'r,
Lay thick around their feet:
The corn of heav'n, fo light, fo pure,
As though 'twere angels' meat.
4 But they in murm'ring language faid,
"Manna is all our feaft,
"We loathe this light, this airy bread; "We must have flesh to tafte."
5 "Ye fhall have flefh to please your luft,"
The Lord, in wrath, reply'd;
And fent them quails, like fand or duft,
Heap'd up from fide to fide.
6 He gave them all their own defire;
And greedy as they fed,
His vengeance burnt with fecret fire,
And fmote the rebels dead.
7 When fome were flain, the reft return'd,
And fought the Lord with tears;
Under the rod they fear'd and mourn'd,
But foon forgot their fears.
8 Oft he chaftis'd, and still forgave,
Till by his gracious hand
The nation he refolv'd to fave,
Poffefs'd the promis'd land.
PSALM LXXVIII.
Ver. 32, &c.
Backfliding and forgiveness; or, fin punished, and
REAT God, how oft did Ifr'el prove
G By turns thine anger and thy love!
There in a glafs our hearts, may fee
How fickle and how false they be.
2 How foon the faithlefs Jews forgot
The dreadful wonders God had wrought
Then they provoke him to his face,
Nor fear his pow'r, nor trust his grace.
3 The Lord confum'd their years in pain,
And made their travels long and vain ;
A tedious march, through unknown ways,
Wore out their strength, and spent their days.
4 Oft when they faw their brethren flain,
They mourn'd and fought the Lord again;
Call'd him the Rock of their abode,
Their high Redeemer and their God.
5 Their pray'rs and vows before him rise,
As flatt'ring words, or folemn lies,
While their rebellious tempers prove
Falfe to his cov'nant, and his love.
6 Yet did his fov'reign grace forgive
The men who ne'er deferv'd to live;
His anger oft away he turn'd,
Or elfe with gentle flame it burn'd.
He faw their flesh was weak and frail,
He faw temptations ftill prevail ;
The God of Abr'am lov'd them fill,
And led them to his holy hill.
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