2. Our GOD shall come, at His stern bar The world assembles from afar,
GOD speaks: with solemn awe they hear.
'Hark, the Eternal Judge on high!
Gather my saints, He saith, draw nigh;
His voice dispels their ev'ry fear.
3 Hear, O my people, hear, attend;
Know I am GOD, thy GOD, thy Friend,
Pay me thy vows, present thy praise;
Call on me in affliction's hour;
I'll succour thee with mighty pow'r,
And glorify my truth and grace,
4 Ye, who forget your God, give ear;
Repentant turn, His vengeance fear,
Consider and obey His word.
His saints, who offer praise below,
GOD will approve, confess, and shew
The great salvation of the Lord.
The Royal Penitent, robed in sackcloth, and crowned with ashes, intreats for mercy. This Psalm is a model for penitential confession.
1 HAVE mercy on me, O my GoD,
Remove my sin's oppressive load;
Oh, wash me with Thy pardoning grace,
Cleanse me from sin, my guilt efface.
2 Deign my transgressions to forgive,
Oh, bid the contrite sinner live;
1 justify Thy sentence, LORD,
Yet speak, oh, speak the pardoning word.
3 A child of wrath, conceiv'd in sin,
No sacrifice can make me clean;
No arm but Thine can set me free,
Mercy, O GOD, extend to me.
4 Take not Thy Spirit, LORD, away,
Thy healing pow'r, Thy grace display ;
Then shall my tongue proclaim Thy grace,
Sinners shall hear, and learn Thy ways.
5 Thy Holy Spirit, LORD, impart,
Give me a broken, contrite heart;
That off'ring Thou wilt not despise,
'Tis Thy own work and sacrifice.
6 Then, long as life extends my days,
The GOD of mercy will I praise:
Thou wilt receive, approve, and bless
This sacrifice of righteousness.
1 HEW pity, LORD! O LORD, forgive,
Let a repenting sinner live:
Are not Thy mercies large and free?
May not a sinner trust in Thee?
2 My sins are great, but don't surpass
The power and glory of Thy grace;
Great GOD! Thy nature hath no bound,
So let Thy pardoning love be found.
3 Oh, wash my soul from every stain,
And make my guilty conscience clean;
Here on my heart the burden lies,
And past offences pain mine eyes..
4 My lips with shame my sins confess,
Against Thy Law, against Thy grace;
LORD, should Thy judgments grow severe,
I am condemn'd, but Thou art clear.
5 Yet save a trembling sinner, LORD,
Whose hope, still hov'ring round Thy word,
Would light on some sweet promise there,
Some sure support against despair.
David, persecuted by Doeg, the Edomite, foretels the destruction of the enemies of the Church, and flourishing state of the righteous.
WHILE tyrants boast their fatal power,
Diffusing human woe;
Thy mercies, LORD, through ev'ry hour,
In streams incessant flow.
2 GOD views their pride, their falsehood hears, While they His laws despise :
The righteous see, observe, and fear:
Soon the transgressor dies.
3 The man who makes not God his strength,
Who dares defy His word;
Who trusts in riches, shall at length,
Perish beneath His sword.
4 The righteous, planted by Thy hand,
Like the green olive grow;
With mercies crown'd shall ever stand,
And Thy salvation know.
5 Oh, praise the LORD, trust Him, ye saints
Wait on His sacred name;
JEHOVAH will supply your wants,
In life, in death the same.
This Psalm is the same as the 14th.
1 THERE is a GOD, all nature cries, None but the fool the truth denies;"
On all God's works it stands exprest,
By vivid arguments confest.
2 From heav'n the mighty LORD look'd down, From heav'n His high exalted throne, Enquiring on this world's abode,
Who understands and seeks their GOD? 3 From His appointed righteous way, Alas! they all are gone astray;
The ways of peace they have not known,
And none is righteous; no, not one.
4 Guilty, condemn'd, deprav'd, and lost,
Who before God hath ought to boast?
Arise, O King of Sion, rise,
And bring salvation from the skies.
5 Then shall Thy saints rejoice and sing,
And each glad heart its tribute bring;
Pardon and grace shall then be given,
Peace upon earth, and joy in heav'n.
David, betrayed and surrounded by his enemies, expresseth his trust in Jehovah.
The Church has appointed this Psalm for Good-Friday, as applicable to MESSIAH.
1 SAVE me, O GOD, to Thee I cry,
Incline, and hear my prayer:
Thou art my help, to Thee I fly;
Unto my words give ear.
2 Oppressors rise, and foes surround,
Let all their threats be vain ;
Nor cast Thy servant to the ground,
My God, my soul sustain."
3 Then to Thy courts I'll joyful bring
My sacrifice of praise;
The name of my Deliv'rer sing,
And ceaseless anthems raise.
David, driven from Jerusalem by the rebellion of Absalom and Ahithophel, implores divine protection.
IVE ear, O LORD; hide not Thy face,
In my complaint I mourn;
Forsake me not, my foes oppress;
Oh, when wilt Thou return?
2 Afflictions; pressing on my heart,
Like waves successive roll;
While death with his terrific dart,
O'erwhelms my trembling soul.
3 Oh, had I wings to aid my flight,
Soon like the dove I'd soar;
And speed my way to realms of light,
Where storms alarm no more.
4 Till then, encourag'd by Thy word,
I'll wait, nor wait in vain ;
I'll cast my burden on the LORD,
Almighty to sustain.
5 Ev'ning, and morn, and noon, my prayer
To Thee, my God, I'll raise;
Feed me with Thy parental care,
Till prayer's absorb'd in praise.
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