Psalms Of Watts 131-135
The
Psalms Of David
By Isaac Watts
In Metre
Psalm 131.
Humility and submission.
1 Is there ambition in my heart?
Search, gracious God, and see;
Or do I act a haughty part?
Lord, I appeal to thee.
2 I charge my thoughts, be humble still,
And all my carriage mild,
Content, my Father, with thy will,
And quiet as a child.
3 The patient soul, the lowly mind
Shall have a large reward:
Let saints in sorrow lie resign'd,
And trust a faithful lord.
Psalm 132.
Verses 5, 13-18.
At the settlement of a church;
or, The ordination of a Minister.
1 Where shall we go to seek and find
An habitation for our God,
A dwelling for th' Eternal Mind
Amongst the sons of flesh and blood?
2 The God of Jacob chose the hill
Of Zion for his ancient rest;
And Zion is his dwelling still,
His church is with his presence blest.
3 Here will I fix my gracious throne,
And reign for ever, saith the Lord;
Here shall my power, and love be known,
And blessings shall attend my word.
4 Here will I meet the hungry poor,
And fill their souls with living bread
Sinners that wait before my door,
With sweet provision shall be fed.
5 Girded with truth and cloth'd with grace,
My priests, my ministers shall shine:
Not Aaron, in his costly dress,
Made an appearance so divine.
6 The saints, unable to contain
Their inward joys shall shout and sing;
The Son of David here shall reign,
And Zion triumph in her King.
7 [Jesus shall see a numerous seed
Born here, t' uphold his glorious name;
His crown shall flourish on his head,
While all his foes are cloth'd with shame!]
Psalm 132.
Verses 4, 5, 7, 8, 15-17.
A church established.
1 [No sleep nor slumber to his eyes
Good David would afford,
Till he had found below the skies
A dwelling for the Lord.
2 The Lord in Zion plac'd his name,
His ark was settled there;
To Zion the whole nation came,
To worship thrice a year.
3 But we have no such lengths to go,
Nor wander far abroad;
Where'er thy saints assemble now,
There is a house for God.]
PAUSE.
4 Arise, O King of Grace, arise,
And enter to thy rest!
Lo! thy church waits, with longing eyes,
Thus to be own'd and blest.
5 Enter with all thy glorious train,
Thy Spirit and thy word;
All that the ark did once contain
Could no such grace afford.
6 Here, mighty God, accept our vows,
Here let thy praise be spread;
Bless the provisions of thy house,
And fill thy poor with bread.
7 Here let the Son of David reign,
Let God's Anointed shine;
Justice and truth his court maintain,
With love and power divine.
8 Here let him hold a lasting throne;
And as his kingdom grows,
Fresh honours shall adorn his crown,
And shame confound his foes.
Psalm 133.
Brotherly love.
1 Lo! what an entertaining sight
Are brethren that agree,
Brethren, whose cheerful hearts unite
In bands of piety!
2 When streams of love from Christ the spring
Descend to every soul,
And heavenly peace, with balmy wing,
Shades and bedews the whole;
3 'Tis like the oil divinely sweet,
On Aaron's reverend head,
The trickling drops perfum'd his feet,
And o'er his garments spread.
4 'Tis pleasant as the morning dews
That fall on Zion's hill,
Where God his mildest glory shows,
And makes his grace distil.
Psalm 133.
Communion of saints; or,
Love and worship in a family.
1 Blest are the sons of peace,
Whose hearts and hopes are one,
Whose kind designs to serve and please
Thro' all their actions run.
2 Blest is the pious house
Where zeal and friendship meet,
Their songs of praise, their mingled vows
Make their communion sweet.
3 Thus when on Aaron's head
They pour'd the rich perfume,
The oil thro' all his raiment spread,
And pleasure fill'd the room.
4 Thus on the heavenly hills
The saints are blest above,
Where joy like morning dew distils,
And all the air is love.
Psalm 133.
The blessings of friendship.
1 How pleasant 'tis to see
Kindred and friends agree,
Each in their proper station move,
And each fulfil their part
With sympathizing heart
In all the cares of life and love!
2 'Tis like the ointment shed
On Aaron's sacred head,
Divinely rich, divinely sweet;
The oil, thro' all the room,
Diffus'd a choice perfume,
Ran thro' his robes, and blest his feet.
3 Like fruitful showers of rain,
That water all the plain,
Descending from the neighbouring hills;
Such streams of pleasure roll
Thro' every friendly soul,
Where love, like heavenly dew, distils.
Psalm 134.
Daily and nightly devotion.
1 Ye that obey th' immortal King,
Attend his holy place,
Bow to the glories of his power,
And bless his wondrous grace;
2 Lift up your hands by morning light,
And send your souls on high;
Raise your admiring thoughts by night
Above the starry sky.
3 The God of Zion cheers our hearts
With rays of quickening grace;
The God that spread the heavens abroad,
And rules the swelling seas.
Psalm 135 - Part One.
Verses 1-4, 14, 19-21.
The church is God's house and care.
1 Praise ye the Lord, exalt his name,
While in his holy courts ye wait,
Ye saints, that to his house belong,
Or stand attending at his gate.
2 Praise ye the Lord; the Lord is good;
To praise his name is sweet employ;
Israel he chose of old, and still
His church is his peculiar joy.
3 The Lord himself will judge his saints;
He treats his servants as his friends;
And when he hears their sore complaints,
Repents the sorrows that he sends.
4 Thro' every age the Lord declares
His name and breaks th' oppressor's rod;
He gives his suffering servants rest,
And will be known th' Almighty God.
6 Bless ye the Lord, who taste his love,
People and priests exalt his name:
Amongst his saints he ever dwells;
His church is his Jerusalem.
Psalm 135 - Part Two.
Verses 5-12.
The works of creation, providence, redemption
of Israel, and destruction of enemies.
1 Great is the Lord, exalted high
Above all powers and every throne;
Whate'er he please in earth or sea,
Or heaven, or hell, his hand hath done.
2 At his command the vapours rise,
The lightenings flash, the thunders roar;
He pours the rain, he brings the wind,
And tempest from his airy store.
3 'Twas he those dreadful tokens sent,
O Egypt, thro' thy stubborn land;
When all thy first-born, beasts and men,
Fell dead by his avenging hand.
4 What mighty nations, mighty kings,
He slew, and their whole country gave
To Israel, whom his hand redeem'd,
No more to be proud Pharaoh's slave!
5 His power the same, the same his grace,
That saves us from the hosts of hell;
And heaven he gives us to possess,
Whence those apostate angels fell.
Psalm 135.
Praise due to God, not to idols.
1 Awake, ye saints; to praise your King,
Your sweetest passions raise,
Your pious pleasure, while you sing,
Increasing with the praise.
2 Great is the Lord; and works unknown
Are his divine employ;
But still his saints are near his throne,
His treasure and his joy.
3 Heaven, earth, and sea, confess his hand;
He bids the vapours rise;
Lightning and storm at his command
Sweep thro' the sounding skies.
4 All power, that gods or kings have claim'd
Is found with him alone;
But heathen gods should ne'er be nam'd
Where our Jehovah's known.
5 Which of the stocks or stones they trust
Can give them showers of rain?
In vain they worship glittering dust,
And pray to gold in vain.
6 [Their gods have tongues that cannot talk,
Such as their makers gave:
Their feet were ne'er design'd to walk,
Nor hands have power to save.
7 Blind are their eyes, their ears are deaf,
Nor hear when mortals pray;
Mortals, that wait for their relief,
Are blind, and deaf as they.]
8 0 Britain, know thy living God,
Serve him with faith and fear;
He makes thy churches his abode,
And claims thine honours there.
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