WHOLE BOOK

OF

PSALMS,

IN METRE;

WITH

HYMNS,

SUITED TO THE

FEASTS AND FASTS OF THE CHURCH,

AND OTHER OCCASIONS

OF

PUBLIC WORSHIP.-

NEW-YORK:
Printed and sold by T. & J. Swords,
No. 160 Pearl-Street

1813.

BY the Bishops, the Clergy, and the Laity of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, in Convention, this 15th day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine—

This 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.

2,3, PSALM 1,

HOW blest is he, who ne'er consents 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.

3 Like some fair tree, which, fed by
streams,

with timely fruit does bend,

He 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.

$ 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
shall both in ruin end.

PSALM 2.

"The utmost limits of the lands

"shall be possess'd by thee.

9" Thy threat'ning 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?

Then blest are they, whose hope relies
on his most holy name.

PSALM 3.

tread,HOW 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;

WITH restless and ungovern'd rage,
why do the heathen storm?
Why in such rash attempts engage,
as they can ne'er perform?

2 The great in council 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 fix'd on Sion's hill,
shall there securely reign."
7 Attend, O earth, whilst I declare
God's uncontroll'd deeree:

"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 shall 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 own'd my cause,
And scatter'd 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 iny 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.
The place of other sacrifice
let righteousness supply;
And let your hope, securely fix'd,
on God alone rely.

6 While worldly minds impatient grow
more prosp❜rous 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 possess'd.

PSALM 5.

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 morniny 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
can'st never, Lord, approve,
Who from thy sacred dwelling-place

all evil dost remove.

5 Not long shall stubborn fools remain unpunish'd in thy view;

All such as act unrighteous things
thy vengeance shall pursue,

6 The sland'ring tongue, O God of truth,
by thee shall be destroy'd,
Who hat'st alike the man in blood
and in deceit employ'd.

7 But when thy boundless grace shall me
to thy loved courts restore,
On thee I'll fix my longing eyes,
and humbly thee adore.

& Conduct me by thy righteous laws,
for watchful is my foe;

Therefore, O Lord, make plain the way wherein I ought to go.

Their mouth vents nothing but deceit;
their heart is set on wrong;

Their throat is a devouring grave;
they flatter with their tongue.
10 By their own counsels let them fall,
oppress'd with loads of sin;
For they against thy righteous laws
have harden'd rebels been.

11 But let all those who trust in thee,
with shouts their joy proclaim;
Let them rejoice whom thou preserv'st,
and all that love thy name.

12 To righteous men, the righteous Lord
his blessing will extend;
And with his favour all his saints,
as with a shield, defend.

PSALM 6.

THY dreadful anger, Lord, restrain, and spare a wretch forlorn; Correct me not in thy fierce wrath, too heavy to be borne.

2 Have mercy, Lord; for I grow faint,
unable to endure

The anguish of my aching bones,
which thou alone can'st cure.
3 My tortured flesh distracts my mind,
and fills my soul with grief;
But, Lord, how long wilt thou delay
to grant me thy relief?

4 Thy wonted goodness, Lord, repeat,
and ease my troubled soul;
Lord, for thy wondrous mercy's sake,
vouchsafe to make me whole.

5 For after death no more can
thy glorious acts proclaim,
No pris'ner of the silent grave
can magnify thy name.

I

6 Quite tired with pain, with groaning

faint,

no hope of ease I see;

The night, that quiets common griefs,
is spent in tears by me.

7 My beauty fades, my sight grows dim,
my eyes with weakness close;
Old age
o'ertakes me, whilst I think
on my insulting foes.

8 Depart, ye wicked; in my wrongs
ye shall no more rejoice;
For God, I find, accepts my tears,
and listens to my voice.

9, 10 He hears, and grants my humble
prayer;

and they that wish my fall, Shall blush and rage to see that God protects me from them all.

7 PSALM 7.

Lord my God, since I have placed
my trust alone in thee,

From all my persecutors' rage
do thou deliver me.