O! THAT thy statutes ev'ry hour
Might dwell upon my mind!
Thence shou'd I feel a quick'ning pow'r,
And daily peace shou'd find.
To meditate thy precepts, LORD!
Shall be my chief employ;
I never will forget thy word,
But make it all my joy.
Fain would I run in thy commands,
If thou my heart discharge
From each bad passion's hateful bands,
And set my feet at large.
My lips, with courage, shall declare
Thy statutes and thy name,
Whatever loss, or scorn, I bear;
Nor yield to fear, or shame.
Let those depart, who wish to draw
My hand or heart to ill;
I'll keep my maker's holy law,
And bow to all his will.
CONFIDENCE IN THE DIVINE PROTECTION.
THE LORD my pasture shall prepare,
And feed me with a shepherd's care;
His presence shall my wants supply,
And guard me with a watchful eye;
My noon-day walks he shall attend,
And all my midnight hours defend.
When in the sultry glebe I faint,
Or, on the thirsty mountains pant;
To fertile vales and dewy meads,
My weary, wand'ring steps he leads,
Where peaceful rivers, soft and slow,
Amidst the verdant landscape flow,
Though in a bare and rugged way,
Through devious lonely wilds I stray;
His presence shall my pains beguile,
The barren wilderness shall smile,
With sudden greens and herbage crown'd;
And streams shall murmur all around.
Though in the paths of death I tread,
With gloomy horrors overspread;
My stedfast heart shall fear no ill,
For thou, O LORD! art with me still;
Thy friendly hand shall give me aid,
And guide me through the awful shade.
O! THAT thy statutes ev'ry hour
Might dwell upon my mind!
Thence shou'd I feel a quick'ning pow'r,
And daily peace shou'd find.
To meditate thy precepts, LORD!
Shall be my chief employ;
I never will forget thy word,
But make it all my joy.
Fain would I run in thy commands,
If thou my heart discharge
From each bad passion's hateful bands,
And set my feet at large.
My lips, with courage, shall declare
Thy statutes and thy name,
Whatever loss, or scorn, I bear;
Nor yield to fear, or shame.
Let those depart, who wish to draw
My hand or heart to ill;
I'll keep my maker's holy law,
And bow to all his will.
CONFIDENCE IN THE DIVINE PROTECTION.
THE LORD my pasture shall prepare,
And feed me with a shepherd's care;
His presence shall my wants supply,
And guard me with a watchful eye;
My noon-day walks he shall attend,
And all my midnight hours defend.
When in the sultry glebe I faint,
Or, on the thirsty mountains pant;
To fertile vales and dewy meads,
My weary, wand'ring steps he leads,
Where peaceful rivers, soft and slow,
Amidst the verdant landscape flow,
Though in a bare and rugged way,
Through devious lonely wilds I stray;
His presence shall my pains beguile,
The barren wilderness shall smile,
With sudden greens and herbage crown'd;
And streams shall murmur all around.
Though in the paths of death I tread,
With gloomy horrors overspread ;
My stedfast heart shall fear no ill,
For thou, O LORD! art with me still;
Thy friendly hand shall give me aid,
And guide me through the awful shade.
MAN MORTAL, AND GOD ETERNAL.
THROUGH ev'ry age, eternal GOD!
Thou art our rest, our safe abode;
High was thy throne ere heav'n was made,
Or earth, thy humble footstool, laid.
Long hadst thou reign'd ere time began,
Or dust was fashion'd into man;
And long thy kingdom shall endure,
When earth and time shall be no more.
With thee a thousand years amount
Not to a day in our account,
Like yesterday's departed light,
Or, an unnoticed watch of night.
Ah what is life in all its pride?
A rapid year, an ebbing tide;
A winter's gleam, a morning flow'r
That fades and withers in an hour.
Teach us, O LORD! how frail is man!
And kindly lengthen out our span;
Till, form'd by wisdom, we shall be
Prepar'd to die, and dwell with thee.
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