BY the Bishops, the Clergy, and the Laity of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, in Convention, this 13th 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. Stereotyped by D. & G. Bruce, No. 27 William-street, New-York. PSALMS OF DAVID, IN METRE. 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. 8" Ask, and receive thy full demands; "shall be possess'd by thee. 9"Thy threatening sceptre thou shalt shake 10 Learn then, ye princes; and give ear, 11 Worship the Lord with holy fear; 12 Appease the Son with due respect, 13 If but in part his anger rise, 5 Their guilt shall strike the wicked dumb Then blest are they, whose hope relies 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 tread, shall both in ruin end. PSALM 2. 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. S"Must we submit to their commands ?" presumptuously they say: "No, let us break their slavish bands, "and cast their chains away." 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 decree: Thou art my Son; this day, my heir, have I begotten thee. on his most holy name. PSALM 3. HOW many, Lord, of late are grown so dos their rage increase. "The God in whom he trusts," say they, 3 But thou, O Lord, art my defence; 4 Since whensoe'er, in like distress, 5 Guarded by him, I laid me down 7 Arise, and save me, O my God, His blessings he extends to all Bb 2 Lord, thou art my righteous Judge to my complaint give enr: 321 Thou still redeem'st me from distress; 4 Then stand in awe of his commands, 6 While worldly minds impatient grow more prosperous 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. Laccept my secret prayer; 2 To thee alone, my King, my God, 3 Thou in the morn my voice shalt hear, 4 For thou the wrongs that I sustain 5 Not long shall stubborn fools remain All such as act unrighteous things thy vengeance shall pursue. 6 The slandering tongue, O God of truth., by thee shall he 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. 8 Conduct me by thy righteous laws, for watchful is my foe; Therefore, O Lord, make plain the way wherein I ought to go. 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. HY dreadful anger, Lord, restrain, 2 Have mercy, Lord; for I grow faint, unable to endure The anguish of my aching bones, 4 Thy wonted goodness, Lord, repeat, 5 For after death no more can 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 whilst I think me, on my insulting foes. 8 Depart, ye wicked; in my wrongs 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. PSALM 7. Lord my God, since I have places my trust alone in thee, From all my persecutors' rage do thou deliver me. 2 To save me from my threat'ning foe, Lord, interpose thy power; 9 Their mouth vents nothing but deceit;Lest, like a savage lion, he their heart is set on wrong; my helpless soul devour. 8,4 Tf I am guilty, or did e'er against his peace combine; Nay, if I had not spared his life, who sought unjustly miue; 5 Let then to persecuting foes my soul become a prey; Let them to earth tread down my life, in dust my honour lay. 6 Arise, and let thine anger, Lord, In my defence engage; Exait thyself above my foes, and their insulting rage: Awake, awake, in iny behalf, the judgment to dispense, Which thou hast righteously ordain'd for injured innocence. 7 So to thy throne, adoring crowds Ch: therefore, for their sake, resume 9 Let wicked arts and wicked men But guard the just, thou God, to whom 10, 11 God me protects, not only me, 15 Ev'n now, with swift destruction wing'd, my foe 15 The pit he digg'd for me, has proved 16 On his own head his spite returns, which he design'd for me. 17 Therefore will I the righteous ways of Providence proclaim; I'll sing the praise of God most high, and celebrate his name. PSALM 8. Thou, to whom all creatures how Through all the world how great art thou! In heaven thy wondrous acts are sung, 2 And yet thou mak'st the infant tongue 13 When heaven, thy beauteous work on employs my wondering sight; 4 What's man, say I, that, Lord, thou lov's Or what his offspring, that thou prov'st to them so wondrous kind? 5 Him next in power thou didst create 6 Ordain'd, with dignity and state, 7 They jointly own his powerful sway; 8 The bird that wings its airy way; 90 Thou, to whom all creatures bow Through all the world how great art thou! To celebrate thy praise, O Lord, To all the listening world, thy works, 2 The thought of them shall to my soul Whilst to thy name, O thou Most High, 3 Thou mad'st my haughty foes to turn 4 Against insulting foes advanced, 6 Mistaken foes, your haughty threats Our city stands, which you design'd to make our common tomb. 7, 8 The Lord for ever lives, who has 9 God is a constant sure defence As troubles rise, his needful aids in our behalf engage. 10 All those who have his goodness proved Whose mercy ne'er forsook the man 11 Sing praises therefore to the Lord, Proclaim his deeds, till all the world PART II. 12 When he inquiry makes for blood, 13 Take pity on my troubles, Lord, 15 Deep in the pit they digg'd for me, 16 Thus, by the just return he makes, While wicked men by their own plots, Nor nation, from his just revenge, 18 His suffering saints, when most distress'd, 19 Arise, O Lord, assert thy power, 20 Strike terror through the nations round, till, by consenting fear, They to each other, and themselves, but mortal men appear. PSALM 10. They think their vain designs shall thrive, from all misfortunes free. 7 Vain and deceitful is their speech, By which the mischief of their heart 8 Near public roads they lie conceal'd, The innocent and poor at once 9 Not lions, couching in their dens, 10 Sometimes they act the harmless man, poor may PART II. less 11 For God, they think, no notice takes 12 But thou, O Lord, at length arise, 14 But sure thou seest, and all their deeds The orphan, therefore, and the poor, 15 Defenceless let the wicked fall, Confound, O God, their dark designs, THY presence why withdraw'st thou, 16 Assert thy just dominion, Lord, Lord? why hid'st thou now thy face, When dismal times of deep distress 2 The wicked, swell'd with lawless pride, 8 For straight they triumph, if success 4 To own a power above themselves, And therefore in their stubborn mind 8 They fondly think their prosperous state which shall for ever stand; Thou who the heathen didst expel from this thy chosen land. 17 Thou hear st the humble supplicants Thou first prepar'st their hearts to pray, That so the tyrants of the earth may persecute no more. SING INCE I have placed my trust in God, a refuge always nigh, Why should I, like a tumorous bird, to distant mountains fly? 2 Behold, the wicked bend their bow, the men of upright heart. S When once the firm assurance fails, which public faith unparts, |