The Psalms of David Part 39

Psalm 94:2. 16-23. Second Part.

G.o.d our support and comfort; or, Deliverance from temptation and persecution.

1 Who will arise and plead my right Against my numerous foes, While earth and h.e.l.l their force unite, And all my hopes oppose?

2 Had not the Lord, my rock, my help, Sustain'd my fainting head, My life had now in silence dwelt, My soul amongst the dead.

3 "Alas! my sliding feet," I cry'd; Thy promise was my prop; Thy grace stood constant by my side, Thy Spirit bore me up.

4 While mult.i.tudes of mournful thoughts Within my bosom roll, Thy boundless love forgives my faults, Thy comforts cheer my soul.

5 Powers of iniquity may rise, And frame pernicious laws; But G.o.d, my refuge, rules the skies, He will defend my cause.

6 Let malice vent her rage aloud, Let bold blasphemers scoff; The Lord our G.o.d shall judge the proud, And cut the sinners off.

Psalm 95:1. C. M.

A psalm before prayer.

1 Sing to the Lord Jehovah's Name, And in his strength rejoice; When his salvation is our theme, Exalted be our voice.

2 With thanks approach his awful sight, And psalms of honour sing; The Lord's a G.o.d of boundless might, The whole creation's King.

3 Let princes hear, let angels know, How mean their natures seem, Those G.o.ds on high, and G.o.ds below, When once compar'd with him.

4 Earth with its caverns dark and deep Lies in his s.p.a.cious hand, He fix'd the seas what bounds to keep, And where the hills must stand.

5 Come, and with humble souls adore, Come, kneel before his face; O may the creatures of his power Be children of his grace!

6 Now is the time: he bends his ear, And waits for your request; Come, lest he rouse his wrath and swear "Ye shall not see my rest."

Psalm 95:2. S. M.

A psalm before sermon.

1 Come, sound his praise abroad, And hymns of glory sing; Jehovah is the sovereign G.o.d, The universal King.

He form'd the deeps unknown; He gave the seas their bound; The watery worlds are all his own, And all the solid ground.

3 Come, worship at his throne, Come bow before the Lord: We are his works and not our own; He form'd us by his word.

4 To-day attend his voice, Nor dare provoke his rod; Come like the people of his choice, And own your gracious G.o.d.

5 But if your ears refuse The language of his grace, And hearts grow hard, like stubborn Jews, That unbelieving race;

6 The Lord in vengeance drest Will lift his hand and swear, "You that despise my promis'd rest, "Shall have no portion there."

Psalm 95:3. 1 2 3 6-11. L. M.

Canaan lost through unbelief; or, A warning to delaying sinners.

1 Come, let our voices join to raise A sacred song of solemn praise; G.o.d is a sovereign King; rehea.r.s.e his honours in exalted verse.

2 Come, let our souls address the Lord, Who fram'd our natures with his word; He is our Shepherd; we the sheep His mercy chose, his pastures keep.

3 Come, let us hear his voice to-day, The counsels of his love obey; Nor let our harden'd hearts renew The sins and plagues that Israel knew.

4 Israel, that saw his works of grace, Yet tempt their Maker to his face; A faithless unbelieving brood That tir'd the patience of their G.o.d.

5 Thus saith the Lord, "how false they prove; "Forget my power, abuse my love; "Since they despise my rest, I swear, "Their feet shall never enter there."

6 [Look back my soul, with holy dread, And view those ancient rebels dead; Attend the offer'd grace to-day, Nor lose the blessing by delay.

7 Seize the kind promise while it waits, And march to Zion's heavenly gates; Believe, and take the promis'd rest; Obey, and be for ever blest.]

Psalm 96:1. 1-10. &c. C. M.

Christ's first and second coming.

1 Sing to the Lord, ye distant lands, Ye tribes of every tongue; His new discover'd grace demands A new and n.o.bler song.

2 Say to the nations, Jesus reigns, G.o.d's own almighty Son; His power the sinking world sustains, And grace surrounds his throne.

3 Let heaven proclaim the joyful day, Joy thro' the earth be seen; Let cities shine in bright array, And fields in cheerful green.

4 Let an unusual joy surprise The islands of the sea; Ye mountains, sink, ye vallies, rise, Prepare the Lord his way.

5 Behold he comes, he comes to bless The nations as their G.o.d; To shew the world his righteousness, And send his truth abroad.

6 But when his voice shall raise the dead, And bid the world draw near, How will the guilty nations dread To see their Judge appear!

Psalm 96:2. As the 113th Psalm.

The G.o.d of the Gentiles.

1 Let all the earth their voices raise To sing the choicest psalm of praise, To sing and bless Jehovah's name: His glory let the heathens know, His wonders to the nations show, And all his saving works proclaim.

2 The heathens know thy glory, Lord; The wondering nations read thy word, In Britain is Jehovah known: Our worship shall no more be paid To G.o.ds which mortal hands have made; Our Maker is our G.o.d alone.

3 He fram'd the globe, he built the sky, He made the shining worlds on high, And reigns complete in glory there: His beams are majesty and light; His beauties how divinely bright!

His temple how divinely fair!

4 Come the great day, the glorious hour, When earth shall feel his saving power, And barbarous nations fear his name; Then shall the race of man confess The beauty of his holiness, And in his courts his grace proclaim.

Psalm 97:1. 1-5. First Part.

Christ reigning in heaven, and coming to judgment.

1 He reigns; the Lord, the Saviour reigns; Praise him in evangelic strains; Let the whole earth in songs rejoice, And distant islands join their voice.