Psalms Of Watts 21-25
The
Psalms Of David
By Isaac Watts
In Metre
Psalm 21.
Our king is the care of heaven.
1 The king, O Lord, with songs of praise,
Shall in thy strength rejoice;
And, blest with thy salvation, raise
To heaven his cheerful voice.
2 Thy sure defence, thro' nations round,
Has spread his glorious name;
And his successful actions crown'd
With majesty and fame.
3 Then let the king on God alone
For timely aid rely;
His mercy shall support the throne,
And all our wants supply.
4 But, righteous Lord, his stubborn foes
Shall feel thy dreadful hand
Thy vengeful arm shall find out those
That hate his mild command.
5 When thou against them dost engage,
Thy just but dreadful doom
Shall, like a fiery oven's rage,
Their hopes and them consume.
6 Thus, Lord, thy wondrous power declare,
And thus exalt thy fame;
Whilst we glad songs of praise prepare
For thine almighty name.
Psalm 21.
Verses 1-9. Christ exalted to the kingdom.
1 David rejoic'd in God his strength,
Rais'd to the throne by special grace;
But Christ, the Son, appears at length,
Fulfils the triumph and the praise.
2 How great is the Messiah's joy
In the salvation of thy hand!
Lord, thou hast rais'd his kingdom high,
And given the world to his command.
3 Thy goodness grants whate'er he will,
Nor doth the least request withhold;
Blessings of love prevent him still,
And crowns of glory, not of gold.
4 Honour and majesty divine
Around his sacred temples shine;
Blest with the favour of thy face,
And length of everlasting days.
5 Thy hand shall find out all his foes;
And as a fiery oven glows
With raging heat and living coals,
So shall thy wrath devour their souls.
Psalm 22 - Part One.
Verses 1-16. The sufferings and death of Christ.
1 "Why has my God my soul forsook,
"Nor will a smile afford ?"
(Thus David once in anguish spoke,
And thus our dying Lord.)
2 Tho' 'tis thy chief delight to dwell
Among thy praising saints,
Yet thou canst hear a groan as well,
And pity our complaints.
3 Our fathers trusted in thy name,
And great deliverance found;
But I'm a worm, despis'd of men,
And trodden to the ground.
4 Shaking the head they pass me by,
And laugh my soul to scorn;
"In vain he trusts in God" they cry,
"Neglected and forlorn."
5 But thou art he who form'd my flesh
By thine almighty word,
And since I hung upon the breast,
My hope is in the Lord.
6 Why will my Father hide his face,
When foes stand threatening round,
In the dark hour of deep distress,
And not an helper found?
PAUSE.
7 Behold thy darling left among
The cruel and the proud,
As bulls of Bashan fierce and strong,
As lions roaring loud.
8 From earth and hell my sorrows meet
To multiply the smart;
They nail my hands, they pierce my feet
And try to vex my heart.
9 Yet if thy sovereign hand let loose
The rage of earth and hell,
Why will my heavenly Father bruise
The Son he loves so well?
10 My God, if possible it be,
Withhold this bitter cup;
But I resign my will to thee,
And drink the sorrows up.
11 My heart dissolves with pangs unknown
In groans, I waste my breath;
Thy heavy hand has brought me down
Low as the dust of death.
12 Father, I give my spirit up;
And trust it in thy hand;
My dying flesh shall rest in hope,
And rise at thy command.
Psalm 22 - Part Two.
Verses 20-21, 27-31.Christ's sufferings and kingdom.
1 "Now from the roaring lion's rage,
"O Lord, protect thy Son;
"Nor leave thy darling to engage,
"The powers of hell alone."
2 Thus did our suffering Saviour pray,
With mighty cries and tears;
God heard him in that dreadful day,
And chas'd away his fears.
3 Great was the victory of his death,
His throne exalted high;
And all the kindreds of the earth
Shall worship or shall die.
4 A numerous offspring must arise
From his expiring groans;
They shall be reckon'd in his eyes
For daughters and for sons.
5 The meek and humble soul shall see
His table richly spread;
And all that seek the Lord shall be
With joys immortal fed.
6 The isles shall know the righteousness
Of our incarnate God;
And nations yet unborn profess
Salvation in his blood.
Psalm 22.
Christ's sufferings and exaltation.
1 Now let our mournful songs record
The dying sorrows of our Lord;
When he complain'd in tears and blood
As one forsaken of his God.
2 The Jews beheld him thus forlorn,
And shake their heads, and laugh in scorn;
"He rescu'd others from the grave,
"Now let him try himself to save.
3 "This is the man did once pretend
"God was his father and his friend;
"If God the blessed lov'd him so,
"Why doth he fail to help him now ?"
4 Barbarous people! cruel priests!
How they stood round like savage beasts!
Like lions gaping to devour,
When God had left him in their power.
5 They wound his head, his hands, his feet,
Till streams of blood each other meet;
By lot his garments they divide
And mock the pangs in which he dy'd.
6 But God, his Father, heard his cry:
Rais'd from the dead he reigns on high.
The nations learn his righteousness,
And humble sinners taste his grace.
Psalm 23.
God our Shepherd.
1 My Shepherd is the living Lord;
Now shall my wants be well supply'd
His providence and holy word
Become my safety and my guide.
2 In pastures where salvation grows
He makes me feed, he makes me rest;
There living water gently flows,
And all the food's divinely blest.
3 My wandering feet his ways mistake,
But he restores my soul to peace,
And leads me for his mercy's sake,
In the fair paths of righteousness,
4 Tho' I walk thro' the gloomy vale,
Where death and all its terrors are,
My heart and hope shall never fail,
For God my Shepherd's with me there
5 Amidst the darkness and the deeps
Thou art my comfort, thou my stay;
Thy staff supports my feeble steps,
Thy rod directs my doubtful way.
6 The sons of earth and sons of hell
Gaze at thy goodness and repine
To see my table spread so well
With living bread and cheerful wine.
7 [How I rejoice when on my head
Thy Spirit condescends to rest!
'Tis a divine anointing, shed
Like oil of gladness at a feast.
8 Surely the mercies of the Lord
Attend his household all their days;
There will I dwell to hear his word,
To seek his face, and sing his praise.]
Psalm 23.
God our Shepherd.
1. My Shepherd will supply my need,
Jehovah is his name;
In pastures fresh he makes me feed
Beside the living stream.
2 He brings my wandering spirit back,
When I forsake his ways;
And leads me for his mercy's sake,
In paths of truth and grace.
3 When I walk thro' the shades of death,
Thy presence is my stay;
A word of thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
4 Thy hand, in spite of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thine oil anoints my head.
5 The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may thy house be mine abode,
And all my work be praise!
6 There would I find a settled rest,
(While others go and come)
No more a stranger or a guest,
But like a child at home.
Psalm 23.
God our Shepherd.
1 The Lord my Shepherd is,
I shall be well supply'd;
Since he is mine, and I am his,
What can I want beside?
2 He leads me to the place
Where heavenly pasture grows,
Where living waters gently pass,
And full salvation flows.
3 If e'er I go astray,
He doth my soul reclaim,
And guides me in his own right way,
For his most holy name.
4 While he affords his aid,
I cannot yield to fear;
Tho' I should walk thro' death's dark shade
My Shepherd's with me there.
5 In spite of all my foes,
Thou dost my table spread,
My cup with blessings overflows,
And joy exalts my head.
6 The bounties of thy love
Shall crown my following days;
Nor from thy house will I remove,
Nor cease to speak thy praise.
Psalm 24.
Dwelling with God.
1 The earth for ever is the Lord's,
With Adam's numerous race;
He rais'd its arches o'er the floods,
And built it on the seas.
2 But who among the sons of men
May visit thine abode?
He that has hands from mischief clean,
Whose heart is right with God.
3 This is the man may rise, and take
The blessings of his grace;
This is the lot of those that seek
The God of Jacob's face.
4 Now let our soul's immortal powers
To meet the Lord prepare,
Lift up their everlasting doors,
The King of glory's near.
5 The King of glory! who can tell
The wonders of his might!
He rules the nations; but to dwell
With saints is his delight.
Psalm 24.
Saints dwell in heaven; or, Christ's ascension.
1 This spacious earth is all the Lord's,
And men, and worms, and beasts, and birds:
He rais'd the building on the seas,
And gave it for their dwelling-place.
2 But there's a brighter world on high,
Thy palace, Lord, above the sky:
Who shall ascend that blest abode,
And dwell so near his Maker God?
3 He that abhors and fears to sin,
Whose heart is pure, whose hands are clean,
Him shall the Lord the Saviour bless,
And clothe his soul with righteousness.
4 These are the men, the pious race
That seek the God of Jacob's face;
These shall enjoy the blissful sight,
And dwell in everlasting light.
PAUSE.
5 Rejoice, ye shining worlds on high,
Behold the King of glory nigh!
Who can this King of glory be?
The mighty Lord, the Saviour's he.
6 Ye heavenly gates, your leaves display
To make the Lord the Saviour way:
Laden with spoils from earth and hell,
The Conqueror comes with God to dwell.
7 Rais'd from the dead he goes before,
He opens heaven's eternal door,
To give his saints a blest abode
Near their Redeemer, and their God.
Psalm 25 - Part One.
Waiting for pardon and direction.
1 I lift my soul to God,
My trust is in his name;
Let not my foes that seek my blood
Still triumph in my shame.
2 Sin and the powers of hell
Persuade me to despair;
Lord, make me know thy covenant well,
That I may 'scape the snare.
3 From the first dawning light
Till the dark evening rise,
For thy salvation, Lord, I wait
With ever-longing eyes.
4 Remember all thy grace,
And lead me in thy truth;
Forgive the sins of riper days,
And follies of my youth.
5 The Lord is just and kind,
The meek shall learn his ways;
And every humble sinner find
The methods of his grace.
6 For his own goodness' sake
He saves my soul from shame;
He pardons (tho' my guilt be great)
Thro' my Redeemer's name.
Psalm 25 - Part Two.
Verses 12-14, 10. Divine instruction.
1 Where shall the man be found
That fears t' offend his God,
That loves the gospel's joyful sound,
And trembles at the rod?
2 The Lord shall make him know
The secrets of his heart,
The wonders of his covenant show,
And all his love impart.
3 The dealings of his hand
Are truth and mercy still
With such as to his covenant stand,
And love to do his will.
4 Their souls shall dwell at ease
Before their Maker's face,
Their seed shall taste the promises,
In their extensive grace.
Psalm 25 - Part Three.
Verses 15-22. Distress of soul;
or, Backsliding and desertion.
1 Mine eyes and my desire
Are ever to the Lord;
I love to plead his promises,
And rest upon his word.
2 Turn, turn thee to my soul,
Bring thy salvation near:
When will thy hand release my feet
Out of the deadly snare ?
3 When shall the sovereign grace
Of my forgiving God
Restore me from those dangerous ways
My wandering feet have trod?
4 The tumult of my thoughts
Doth but enlarge my woe;
My spirit languishes, my heart
Is desolate and low.
5 With every morning light
My sorrow new begins;
Look on my anguish and my pain,
And pardon all my sins.
PAUSE.
6 Behold the hosts of hell
How cruel is their hate!
Against my life they rise, and join
Their fury with deceit.
7 O keep my soul from death,
Nor put my hope to shame,
For I have plac'd my only trust
In my Redeemer's name.
8 With humble faith I wait
To see thy face again;
Of Israel it shall ne'er be said,
"He sought the Lord in vain."
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