For when Thy justice sternly frowns, behold and live?
Who may But mercy mild that justice crowns, And Mercy must forgive.
Thence, with firm faith and holy fear, All impious doubts withdrawn, I wait Thy saving grace to share,
As watchmen wait the dawn.
That faith, that fear, through Israel spread, Shall dart a cheerful ray,
Till full redemption, o'er his head, Diffuse eternal day.
PSALM CXXXVII.-Mason.
CAPTIVES of Babylon, we sought the vale, Where broad Euphrates rolls in crystal state, Hung our mute harps upon its poplars pale,
And sat, dear Sion, weeping o'er thy fate! While our proud victors, in opprobrious vein, Cry'd, "Slaves, arise! your silent lyres resume, And swell your voices with that choral strain, Which echo'd sweet in Sion's ruin'd dome!”
What! to an alien ear, an alien clime,
Shall we repeat JEHOVAH's hallow'd song? Ah! sooner than profane that lay sublime, Cleave to its roots each fibre of our tongue;
Forget, my hand, each warbling chord to sweep,, So prompt thy modulating powers to own, Or ere my soul neglects her vows to keep, To sing in Salem's sacred courts alone.
O think, great GOD, on Salem's fatal hour, When hemm'd around by Edom's impious race!
They cried, as they beheld each falling tower,
Raze, instant raze it, to its central base!"
Blest be that future foe, by justice led, Who Israel's woes repeats in Edom's fall, Wreaks all her wrongs on Babylon's proud head, And flings her children 'gainst the shatter'd wall.
PSALM CXLVIII.-Dr. Ogilvie.
BEGIN, my soul, th' exalted lay, Let each enraptur'd thought obey,
And praise th' ALMIGHTY's name.
Lo! heaven and earth, and seas and skies, In one melodious concert rise,
To swell th' inspiring theme.
Ye fields of light, celestial plains, Where gay transporting beauty reigns, Ye scenes divinely fair;
Your Maker's wond'rous power proclaim, Tell how He form'd your shining frame, And breath'd the fluid air.
Ye angels, catch the thrilling sound; While all th' adoring thrones around His boundless mercy sing;
Let ev'ry list'ning saint above Wake all the tuneful soul of love,
And touch the sweetest string.
Join, ye loud spheres, the vocal choir; Thou, dazzling orb of liquid fire, The mighty chorus aid:
Soon as grey ev'ning gilds the plain, Thou moon, protract the melting strain, And praise Him in the shade.
Thou, heaven of heavens, His vast abode; Ye clouds, proclaim your forming GOD,
Who call'd yon worlds from night; "Ye shades, dispel!"-th' Eternal said; At once th' involving darkness fled, And nature sprung to light.
Whate'er a blooming world contains, That wings the air, that skims the plains, United praise bestow;
Ye dragons, sound His awful name To heav'n aloud; and roar acclaim, Ye swelling deeps below.
Let every element rejoice: Ye thunders, burst with awful voice To Him who bids you roll; Ye stormy winds, a chorus raise, Ye balmy zephyrs, breathe His praise In whispers to the soul.
To Him, ye graceful cedars, bow; Ye tow'ring mountains, bending low, great Creator own; Tell, when affrighted nature shook, How Sinai kindled at His look,
And trembled at His frown.
Ye flocks, that haunt the humble vale, Ye insects, flutt'ring on the gale, Some grateful off'ring pay;
Join the great hymn, ye warbling throng, To Him awake the heavenly song, And tune the melting lay.
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 areh rings back the sound, The general burst of joy.
Ye, whom the charms of grandeur please, Nurs'd on the downy lap of ease,
Fall prostrate at His throne:
Ye princes, rulers, all adore;
Praise Him, ye kings, who makes your power An image of His own.
Ye fair, by nature form'd to move, O praise th' eternal source of love, With youth's enlivening fire:
Let age take up the tuneful lay, Sigh His bless❜d name-then soar away, And ask an angel's lyre.
PSALM CL.-Merrick.
PRAISE, O praise, the name divine; Praise it at the hallow'd shrine; Let the firmament on high To its Maker's praise reply: Let His acts and pow'r supreme To your songs suggest a theme: Be the harp no longer mute; Sound the trumpet, touch the lute; Wake to life each tuneful string; Bring the pipe, the timbrel bring; Let the organ in His praise Learn its loudest note to raise, And the cymbal's varying sound From the vaulted roof rebound. All who vital breath enjoy, In His praise that breath employ, And in one great chorus join; Praise, O praise, the name divine.
FROM A PARAPHRASE ON PART OF THE BOOK OF JOB.-Young.
THRICE happy Job long liv'd in regal state, Nor saw the sumptuous East a prince so great,
Whose worldly stores in such abundance flow'd, Whose heart with such exalted virtue glow'd. At length, misfortunes take their turn to reign, And ills on ills succeed; a dreadful train! What now but deaths, and poverty, and wrong, The sword wide-wasting, the reproachful tongue, And spotted plagues, that mark'd his limbs all o'er So thick with boils, there wanted room for more? A change so sad what mortal heart could bear? Exhausted woe had left him nought to fear; But gave him all to grief. Low earth he prest, Wept in the dust, and sorely smote his breast. His friends around the deep affliction mourn'd, Felt all his pangs, and groan for groan return'd: In anguish of their hearts their mantles rent, And seven long days in solemn silence spent: A debt of rev'rence to distress so great! Then Job contain'd no more; but curs'd his fate, His day of birth,-its inauspicious light, He wishes sunk in shades of endless night, And blotted from the year; nor fears to crave Death, instant death; impatient for the grave. His words were daring, and displeased his friends; His conduct they reprove, and he defends : So high, at length, their arguments were wrought, They reach'd the last extent of human thought: A pause ensu'd.-When, lo! Heav'n interpos'd, And awfully the long contention clos'd. Full o'er their heads, with terrible surprise, A sudden whirlwind blacken'd all the skies: (They saw, and trembled!) From the darkness
A dreadful voice, and thus th' ALMIGHTY spoke : "Who gives his tongue a loose so bold and vain, "Censures my conduct, and reproves my reign? "Can thine arm measure with an arm divine? "And canst thou thunder with a voice like mine? "Of late so brave, now lift a dauntless eye, "Face my demand, and give it a reply:
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