2 Soft as the rains from heaven descend,TesT
As fertile lands with produce bend,
The blade, the ear, the ripening corn,
Wide cultur'd fields with fruit adorn;
Messiah reigns, the world to bless
With fruits of holiness and peace.
3 All kings, all nations, join to praise
The triumphs of His truth and grace;
In Him the poor and helpless find
A Saviour, merciful and kind;
While Gentile realms and islands sing
The conquest of our glorious KING.
4 His name for ever shall remain

Glorious, immortal, as His reign;
In Him shall all mankind be blest,
Shall seek and find eternal rest :
Oh praise Him, praise His sacred name;
AMEN, AMEN, resound the theme.

PSALM 72. II. Metre.

JESUS shall reign where'er the sun Doth his successive journies run; His kingdom stretch from shore to shore, Till moons shall wax and wane no more. 2 To Him shall endless prayer be made, And praises throng to crown His head: His name like sweet perfume shall rise, With every morning sacrifice.

3 People and realms of ev'ry tongue

Dwell on his love with sweetest song;> HT

And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His name.
4 Blessings abound where'er he reigns;
The pris'ner leaps to lose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,

And all the sons of want are blest.

5 Where He displays His healing power,
Death and the curse are known no more;
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.
6 Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honours to their King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud AMEN.

PSALM 73.

(C. M.) The Psalmist tempted to despondency, encourages himself with contemplating the examples of the saints, and the final issue of their affliction.

10 GOD, how truly good Thou art,
Though enemies assail,

Though grief oppress my anxious heart,
And haughty foes prevail.

2 Cast down, I look'd to Thy abode,
Where all my hopes depend,
There in the sanctuary of GoD,
I learnt to know their end.

3 Thy hand through life my wants supplied,
Almighty to relieve,

And Thou wilt with Thy counsel guide,
To glory then receive.

4 Could I ascend to realms on high,
Or dwell in heav'n's abode;
No scenes of glory could supply
The absence of my GoD.

5 Not all the joys this world inspires
Could equal bliss afford;

No; none on earth my soul desires,
Compar'd with Thee, O LORD.

6 I'll praise Thee with my dying breath,
Thou wilt my soul sustain;
To live depriv'd of Thee is death,
To die with Thee is gain.

PSALM 74.

(C. M.) The Church, in a time of persecution, bemoans herself as deserted of GOD, and intreats the return of divine favour and protection for the honour of his holy name.

1 WHY hast thou cast us off, O God,
Thy absence, LORD, we mourn;

Pity Thy Church, Thy lov'd abode,
O LORD of hosts return!

20 GOD, Thy sanctuary behold,
Low levell'd to the ground;
Ensigns of war our foes unfold,
And compass us around.

*K

3 The seas Thou didst divide, O LORD,
The raging storm was still;

And rocks of stone their waters pour'd,
Obedient to Thy will.

4 Assert the honour of Thy name,

Display Thy mighty arm;
Subdue the rebels who blaspheme,
The pride of man disarm.

5 Respect Thy covenant, O GOD,
Dispel the shades of night;
This world, fierce cruelty's abode,
Revive with glorious light.

6 Arise, O GOD, maintain Thy cause,
The name of Zion raise;
Relieve her poor, enforce Thy Laws,
Thy name shall have the praise.

PSALM 75.

(L.M.)

The Prophet gives thanks with the Church unto JEHOVAH for the manifestation of his NAME: and then describes the government of MESSIAH, of whom David was a type, and his administration of divine justice.

1 THY power, O God, will we proclaim,

Give thanks, and praise Thy sacred name;

Immortal GOD, Thy works declare

Thy name in glorious might is near.

2 Let joyful congregations sing

The triumphs of their LORD and King:
MESSIAH reigns; at His command
All nations rise, subside, or stand.

3 GOD is our Judge; adore His word;
He sways the sceptre, holds the sword;
Promotion comes from Him alone,
He raises up, and He puts down.

4 Phials of wrath His hands dispense,
Full mixt, the sinner's recompense;
The foes of GoD shall drink the same,
In shades of everlasting shame.

5 The GoD of Jacob guards the just,
But treads the wicked to the dust;
By His right hand, His saints shall rise,
And reign exalted in the skies.

A Psalm of praise, on account of some great deliverance by the immediate hand of God; probably, the miraculous destruction of the Assyrian army, by the angel in the days of Hezekiah, as is affirmed by the LXX. version.

I IN Judah is JEHOVAH known,

There His almighty power is shewn ; In Salem's courts His name is great, On Sion's hill, His chosen seat.