His terrors ever stand prepar'd
To vindicate his name.
PSALM 78. Third Part. C. M.
Israel punished for intemperance.
HEN Israel sinn'd, the Lord reprov'd, And fill'd their hearts with dread; Yet he forgave the tribes he lov'd,
And sent 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 provision down.
3 The manna like a morning show'r,
Lay thick around their feet:
The corn of heav'n, so light, so pure,
As tho' 'twere angel's meat.
4 But they in murm'ring language said,
"Manna is all our feast:
"We loathe this light, this airy bread; "We must have flesh to taste.'
Ye shall have flesh to please your lust,"
The Lord in wrath replied;
And sent them quails, like sand or dust,
Heap'd up from side to side.
6 He gave them all their own desire;
And, greedy as they fed,
His vengeance burnt with secret fire,
And smote the rebels dead.
7 When some were slain, the rest return'd,
And sought the Lord with tears;
Under the rod they fear'd and mourn'd,
But soon forgot their fears.
8 Oft he chastis'd, and still forgave;
Till, by his gracious hand,
The nation, he resolv❜d to save,
Possess'd the promis'd land.
PSALM 79. L. M.
Complaint of the church against enemies.
EHOLD! O God, what cruel foes,
Thy peaceful heritage invade:
Thy holy temple stands defil'd;
In dust thy sacred walls are laid.
2 Wide o'er the vallies, drench'd in blood,
Thy people fall'n in death remain:
The fowls of heav'n their flesh devour;
And savage beasts divide the slain.
3 Th' insulting foes with impious rage,
Reproach thy children to their face:
"Where is your God of boasted pow'r,
"And where the promise of his grace?"
4 Deep from the prison's horrid gloom,
O! hear the mournful captive sigh;
And let thy sov'reign pow'r reprieve
The trembling souls condemn'd to die.
5 Let those who dar'd t' insult thy reign,
Return dismay'd with endless shame;
While heathens, who thy grace despise,
Shall from thy vengeance learn thy name.
6 So shall thy children, freed from death,
Eternal songs of honour raise;
And ev'ry future age shall tell
Thy sov'reign pow'r and pard'ning grace.
The prayer of the church under affliction.
|REAT Shepherd of thine Israel,
Who didst between the cherubs dwell,
And lead the tribes, thy chosen sheep,
Safe thro' the desert and the deep.
2 Thy church is in the desert now,
Shine from on high, and guide us through:
Turn us to thee, thy love restore,
We shall be sav'd and sigh no more.
3 Great God, whom heav'nly hosts obey,
How long shall we lament and pray,
And wait in vain thy kind return?
How long shall thy fierce anger burn?
4. Instead of wine and cheerful bread,
Thy saints with their own tears are fed:
Turn us to thee, thy love restore,
We shall be sav'd, and sigh no more.
PSALM 80. Second Part.
The vineyard of God wasted.
LORD, thou hast planted with thy hands
A lovely vine in heathen lands;
Thy pow'r defended it around,
And heav'nly dews enrich'd the ground.
2 How did the spreading branches shoot,
And bless the nations with the fruit!
But now, dear Lord, look down and see
Thy mourning vine, that lovely tree.
3 Why is its beauty thus defac'd?
Why hast thou laid her fences waste?
Strangers and foes against her join,
And ev'ry beast devours thy vine.
4 Return, almighty God, return;
Nor let thy bleeding vineyard mourn:
Turn us to thee, thỷ love restore;
We shall be sav'd, and sigh no more.
PSALM 80. Third Part. L. M.
Christ, the defender of his church.
LORD, when the vine and glory o
Thou wast its strength, and glory too;
Attack'd in vain by all its foes,
Till the fair branch of promise rose.
2 Fair Branch, ordain'd of old to shoot
From David's stock, from Jacob's root;
Himself a noble Vine, and we
The lesser branches of the Tree.
3 'Tis thy own Son; and he shall stand
Girt with thy strength, at thy right hand;
Th' eternal Son, enthron'd and blest,
To give his suff'ring people rest.
4 O! for his sake attend our cry,
Shine on thy churches, lest they die:
Turn us to thee, thy love restore;
We shall be sav'd, and sigh no more.
PSALM 81. S. M.
The warnings of God to his people. (ING to the Lord aloud,
And make a joyful noise:
God is our strength, our Saviour God;
Let Israel hear his voice.
2 "From vile idolatry
"Preserve my worship clean:
"I am the Lord, who set thee free "From slavery and sin.
3 "Stretch thy desires abroad, "And I'll supply them well; "But if ye will refuse your God, "If Israel will rebel,
4 "I'll leave them," saith the Lord, “To their own lusts a prey, "And let them run the dang'rous road, ""Tis their own chosen way.
5 "Yet O, that all my saints "Would hearken to my voice! "Soon would I ease their sore complaints, "And bid their hearts rejoice. 6"While I destroy'd their foes, "I'd richly feed my flock,
"And they should taste the stream, that flows "From their eternal Rock."
God the supreme ruler; or, magistrates warned.
MONG th' assemblies of the great,
A greater Ruler takes his seat;
The God of heav'n, as Judge, surveys
Those gods on earth, and all their ways.
2 Why will ye then frame wicked laws?
Or why support th' unrighteous cause?
When will ye once defend the poor,
That sinners vex the saints no more?
3 They know not, Lord, nor will they know;
Dark are the ways in which they go:
Their name of earthly gods is vain:
For they shall fall, and die like men.
4 Arise, O Lord, and let thy Son
Possess his universal throne;
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