Classic Poem

Part I.

M Y soul, and all my faculties,
Jehovah praise; sing till the skies
Re-echo His ascending fame:
My soul, O celebrate His Name!
Nor ever let the memory
Of His surpassing favours die.
He gently pardons our misdeeds,
And cures the wound which inward bleeds;
Hath from the chains of death unbound,
With clemency and mercy crown'd.
With food our hunger He subdues,
And eagle-like our youth renews.
His justice He extends to all;
Oppressors by His vengeance fall.
His sacred paths to Moses shown;
His miracles to Israel known.
From Him the springs of mercy flow;
Swift to forgive, to anger slow.
For He will not for ever chide,
Nor constant to His wrath abide;
But mildly from His rage relents,
And shortens our due punishments.
For as the heav'ns in amplitude
Exceed the centre they include,
So ample is His clemency
To all who on His grace rely.

Part II.

As far as the bright orient
Is distant from the sun's descent,
So far He sets from His aspect
Their guilt who Him with fear affect;
And as a father to his child,
So soft, so quickly reconcil'd.
He knows the fabric of us all,
That dust is our original.
Man flourisheth like grass, a flow'r
That blows and withers in an hour,
By scorching heat, by blasting wind
Deflow'r'd, and leaves no print behind.
But His firm mercy shall embrace
His saints for ever, and their race;
Those who His equal laws fulfill,
Remember and perform His will.
In heav'n the Great Jehovah reigns,
And governs all that earth contains.
You angels who in strength exceed.
Who Him obey with winged speed,
You order'd hosts of radiant stars,
O you His flaming ministers,
All whom His wisdom did create,
Through His large empire celebrate
His glorious Name with sweet accord.
Join thou, my soul, to praise the Lord.