D ISTRESS'D , and in my mind dismay'd,
When destitute of human aid,
To Thee successfully I pray'd.

Lord, shield me from the fraudulent,
From those that are on malice bent,
Who envious calumnies invent.

O thou false tongue, steep'd in the gall
Of serpents! what reward for all
Thy mischief shall to thee befall?

Like arrows shot from Parthian strings,
Fir'd juniper, and scorpions' stings,
Such art thou, O thou worst of things!

Woe's me, that I from Israel
Exiled, must in Mesech dwell,
And in the tents of Ismael!

Part I.

ALEPH .

B LEST are the undefil'd who God obey,
Seek with their hearts, nor from His precepts stray.
No tempting vice shall those from virtue draw,
Who with unfainting zeal observe His law.
Lord, by Thy sacred rule my steps direct.
Those shall not blush who Thy commands affect.
Thy justice learnt, my soul shall sing Thy praise.
Forsake me not, O guide me in Thy ways.

Part II.

BETH .

Part I.

P RAISE our Good God, that King of kings,
From whom eternal mercy springs.
Let Israel, let Aaron's race,
Let all that flourish in His grace,
Confess, that from the King of kings
Eternity of mercy springs.
He in my trouble heard my pray'rs,
And freed me from their deadly snares.
He fights my battles, then how can
I fear the pow'r of feeble man?
Assists my friends; my enemies
Shall with their slaughter feast mine eyes.
Far better to have confidence
In God, than trust to man's defence;

You nations of the earth,
Our Great Preserver praise.
All you of human birth,
To heav'n His glory raise.
Whose mercy hath
No end nor bound:
His promise crown'd
With constant faith.

My soul entirely shall affect
The Lord, Whose ears my groans respect.
In misery
He heard thy cry;
To Him thy pray'rs direct.

Sorrows of death my soul assail'd,
The greedy jaws of hell prevail'd;
Depress'd with grief,
When all relief
And human pity fail'd,

I cried: My God, O look on me,
Thou ever just th' afflicted free:
O from the grave
Thy servant save;
For mercy lives in Thee.

The innocent, and long distrest,
The humble mind by wrongs opprest,
Thy favour still
Preserves from ill:

Part I.

W E nothing can of merit claim;
Not for our sakes Thy aid afford,
But for the honour of Thy Name,
Thy mercy, and unfailing word.
Why should th' insulting heathen cry,
Where's now the God they vainly praise?
Our Lord, enthron'd above the sky,
All underneath at pleasure sways.
Their gods but gold and silver be,
Made by a frail artificer;
For they have eyes that cannot see,

When Israel left th' Egyptian land,
Freed from a tyrannous command,
God His own people sanctified,
And He Himself became their Guide.
Th' amazed seas, this seeing, fled,
And Jordan shrunk into his head.
The cloudy mountains skipp'd like rams,
The little hills like frisking lambs.
Recoiling seas, what caus'd your dread?
Why, Jordan, shrunk'st thou to thy head?
Why, mountains, did you skip like rams?
And why, you little hills, like lambs?
Earth, tremble thou before His Face,
Before the God of Jacob's race;

HALLELUJAH .

O YOU , who serve the living Lord,
Due praises to His Name afford.
Now and for ever celebrate;
Let all His noble acts relate,
Ev'n from the purple morn's uprise
To where the ev'ning flecks the skies.
All pow'r to His dominion bends;
His glory the bright stars transcends.
What god can be compar'd with ours,
Who, thron'd in heav'n's superior tow'rs,
Submits Himself to guide and move
All that is done in heav'n above;
And from that height vouchsafes to throw
His eyes on us, who creep below?

HALLELUJAH .

That man is blest who fears the Lord,
And cheerfully obeys His word.
His seed shall flourish on the earth,
Their offspring happy from their birth.
His house with riches shall abound,
His truth with endless honour crown'd.
To him in darkness light ascends,
Mild, gracious, just in all his ends.
His bounty for the poor provides,
Discretion all his actions guides.
No violence shall cast him down,
No time deface his just renown,
Nor rumours shake his confidence,

My soul the honour of our King
Shall in the great assembly sing.
Great are the wonders He hath shown,
With joy by their admirers known.
His glorious deeds all praise transcend,
His equal justice knows no end;
Left in-eternal monuments,
Whose mercy death and hell prevents;
Feeds those who fear His Name, and will
His promise faithfully fulfill.
Who planted with a pow'rful Hand
His people in this pleasant land.
Just judgment executes, directs
By sacred laws, and truth affects.
These fretting time shall never waste,