By the Bishops, the Clergy, and the Laity of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, in Convention, this 13th day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine

TH

HIS translation of The Whole Book of Psalms into Metre, with Hymns, is set forth, and allowed to be sung in all Congregations of the said Church, before and after Morning and Evening Prayer, and also before and after Sermons, at the discretion of the Minister.

And it shall be the duty of every Minister of any Church, either by standing directions, or from time to time, to appoint the Portions of Psalms which are to be sung.

And, further, it shall be the duty of every Minister, with such assistance as he can obtain from persons skilled in music, to give order concerning the tunes to be sung, at any time, in his Church; and, especially, it shall be his duty to suppress all light and unseemly music, and all indecency and irreverence in the performance; by which vain and ungodly persons profane the service of the sanctuary,

THE

PSALMS OF DAVID,

IN METRE.

PSALM 1.

OW blessed is he who ne'er consents

H By ill advice to walk,

Nor stands in sinners' ways, nor sits
Where men profanely talk;

2 But makes the perfect law of God
His business and delight;

Devoutly reads therein by day,
And meditates by night.

1

3 Like some fair tree, which, fed by streams, With timely fruit does bend,

We still shall flourish, and success
All his designs attend.

4 Ungodly men, and their attempts,
No lasting root shall find;
Untimely blasted, and dispersed
Like chaff before the wind.

5 Their guilt shall strike the wicked dumb Before their Judge's face;

No formal hypocrite shall then
Among the saints have place.

6 For God approves the just man's ways;
To happiness they tend;

But sinners, and the paths they tread,
Shall both in ruin end.

PSALM 2.

WI

WITH restless and ungoverned rage
Why do the heathen storm?
Why in such rash attempts engage
As they can ne'er perform ?

2 The great in counsel and in might Their various forces bring;

Against the Lord they all unite,
And his anointed King.

3 "Must we submit to their commands ?"
Presumptuously they say:

"No; let us break their slavish bands,
"And cast their chains away."

4 But God, who sits enthroned on high,
And sees how they combine,
Does their conspiring strength defy,
And mocks their vain design.

5 Thick clouds of wrath divine shall break On his rebellious foes:

And thus will he in thunder speak
To all that dare oppose:

6 "Though madly you dispute my will,
"The King that I ordain,

"Whose throne is fixed on Sion's hill,
"Shall there securely reign."

7 Attend, O earth, whilst I declare God's uncontrolled decree :

"Thou art my Son; this day, my heir,
"Have I begotten thee.

8 "Ask, and receive thy full demands ;
"Thine shall the heathen be;
"The utmost limits of the lands
"Shall be possessed by thee.

9 "Thy threatening sceptre thou shalt shake, "And crush them every where, "As massy bars of iron break

"The potter's brittle ware."

10 Learn then, ye princes; and give ear, Ye judges of the earth;

11 Worship the Lord with holy fear; Rejoice with awful mirth.

12 Appease the Son with due respect,
Your timely homage pay,
Lest he revenge the bold neglect,
Incensed by your delay.

13 If but in part his anger rise, Who can endure the flame?

1

Then blessed are they, whose hope relies On his most holy name.

PSALM 3.

HO

TOW many, Lord, of late are grown The troublers of my peace! And, as their numbers hourly rise, So does their rage increase.

2 Insulting, they my soul upbraid, And him whom I adore ;

"The God in whom he trusts," say they, "Shall rescue him no more."

3 But thou, O Lord, art my Defence ; On thee my hopes rely;

Thou art my Glory, and shalt yet
Lift up my head on high.

4 Since, whensoe'er, in like distress,
To God I made my prayer,
He heard me from his holy hill,
Why should I now despair?

5 Guarded by him, I laid me down
My sweet repose to take;
For I, through him, securely sleep,
Through him in safety wake.

6 No force nor fury of my foes
My courage shall confound,
Were they as many hosts as men,
That have beset me round.

7 Arise, and save me, O my God,

Who oft hast owned my cause, And scattered oft these foes to me And to thy righteous laws.

8 Salvation to the Lord belongs;
He only can defend ;
His blessings he extends to all
That on his power depend.

PSALM 4.

LORD, thou art my righteous Judge; To my complaint give ear; Thou still redeem'st me from distress; Have mercy, Lord, and hear.

2 How long will ye, O sons of men,
To blot my fame devise?
How long your vain designs pursue,
And spread malicious lies?

3 Consider that the righteous man
Is God's peculiar choice;
And, when to him I make my prayer,
He always hears my voice.

4 Then stand in awe of his commands,
Flee every thing that's ill,
Commune in private with your hearts,
And bend them to his will.

5 The place of other sacrifice
Let righteousness supply;
And let your hope, securely fixed,
On God alone rely.

6 While worldly minds impatient grow
More prosperous times to see,
Still let the glories of thy face
Shine brightly, Lord, on me.

7 So shall my heart o'erflow with joy,
More lasting and more true,

Than theirs, who stores of corn and wine
Successively renew.

8 Then down in peace I'll lay my head, And take my needful rest;

No other guard, O Lord, I crave,
Of thy defence possessed.

PSALM 5.

1

LORD, hear the voice of my complaint,

Accept my secret prayer;

2 To thee alone, my King, my God, Will I for help repair.

3 Thou, in the morn, my voice shalt hear,
And, with the dawning day,

To thee devoutly I'll look up,
To thee devoutly pray.

4 For thou the wrongs that I sustain
Canst never, Lord, approve;
Who from thy sacred dwelling-place

All evil dost remove.