Psalms Of Watts 36-40
The
Psalms Of David
By Isaac Watts
In Metre
Psalm 36.
The perfections and providence of God.
1 High in the heavens, eternal God,
Thy goodness in full glory shines;
Thy truth shall break thro' every cloud
That veils and darkens thy designs.
2 For ever firm thy justice stands,
As mountains their foundations keep;
Wise are the wonders of thy hands;
Thy judgments are a mighty deep.
3 Thy providence is kind and large,
Both man and beast thy bounty share;
The whole creation is thy charge,
But saints are thy peculiar care.
4 My God! how excellent thy grace,
Whence all our hope and comfort springs!
The sons of Adam in distress
Fly to the shadow of thy wings.
5 From the provisions of thy house
We shall be fed with sweet repast;
There mercy like a river flows,
And brings salvation to our taste.
6 Life, like a fountain rich and free
Springs from the presence of the Lord;
And in thy light our souls shall see
The glories promis'd in thy word.
Psalm 36.
Practical atheism exposed.
1 While men grow bold in wicked ways!
And yet a God they own,
My heart within me often says,
"Their thoughts believe there's none."
2 Their thoughts and ways at once declare
(Whate'er their lips profess)
God hath no wrath for them to fear,
Nor will they seek his grace.
3 What strange self-flattery blinds their eyes!
But there's an hastening hour
When they shall see with sore surprise
The terrors of thy power.
4 Thy justice shall maintain its throne,
Tho' mountains melt away;
Thy judgments are a world unknown,
A deep unfathom'd sea.
5 Above the heavens' created rounds,
Thy mercies, Lord, extend;
Thy truth outlives the narrow bounds,
Where time and nature end.
6 Safety to man thy goodness brings,
Nor overlooks the beast;
Beneath the shadow of thy wings
Thy children choose to rest.
7 [From thee, when creature-streams run low,
And mortal comforts die,
Perpetual springs of life shall flow,
And raise our pleasures high.
8 Tho' all created light decay,
And death close up our eyes
Thy presence makes eternal day
Where clouds can never rise.]
Psalm 36.
The wickedness of man, and the majesty of God.
1 When man grows bold in sin
My heart within me cries,
He hath no faith of God within,
Nor fear before his eyes."
2 [He walks awhile conceal'd
In a self-flattering dream,
Till his dark crimes at once reveal'd
Expose his hateful name.]
3 His heart is false and foul,
His words are smooth and fair;
Wisdom is banish'd from his soul,
And leaves no goodness there.
4 He plots upon his bed
New mischiefs to fulfil;
He sets his heart, and hand, and head,
To practise all that's ill.
5 But there's a dreadful God,
Tho' men renounce his fear;
His justice hid behind the cloud
Shall one great day appear.
6 His truth transcends the sky;
In heaven his mercies dwell;
Deep as the sea his judgments lie,
His anger burns to hell.
7 How excellent his love,
Whence all our safety springs!
O never let my soul remove
From underneath his wings.
Psalm 37 - Part One.
The cure of envy, fretfulness, and unbelief.
1 Why should I vex my soul and fret
To see the wicked rise?
Or envy sinners waxing great,
By violence and lies.
2 As flowery grass cut down at noon,
Before the evening fades
So shall their glories vanish soon
In everlasting shades.
3 Then let me make the Lord my trust,
And practise all that's good;
So shall I dwell among the just,
And he'll provide me food.
4 I to my God my ways commit,
And cheerful wait his will;
Thy hand, which guides my doubtful feet,
Shall my desires fulfil.
3 Mine innocence shalt thou display,
And make thy judgments known,
Fair as the light of dawning day,
And glorious as the noon.
6 The meek at last the earth possess,
And are the heirs of heav'n;
True riches with abundant peace,
To humble souls are given.
PAUSE.
7 Rest in the Lord and keep his way,
Nor let your anger rise,
Tho' providence should long delay
To punish haughty vice.
8 Let sinners join to break your peace,
And plot, and rage, and foam;
The Lord derides them, for he sees
Their day of vengeance come.
9 They have drawn out the threatening sword,
Have bent the murderous bow,
To slay the men that fear the Lord,
And bring the righteous low.
10 My God shall break their bows, and burn
Their persecuting darts,
Shall their own swords against them turn,
And pain surprise their hearts.
Psalm 37 - Part Two.
Verses 16, 21, 26-31. Charity to the poor.
1 Why do the wealthy wicked boast,
Amid grow profanely bold?
The meanest portion of the just
Excels the sinner's gold.
2 The wicked borrows of his friends,
But ne'er designs to pay;
The saint is merciful and lends,
Nor turns the poor away.
3 His alms with liberal heart he gives
Amongst the sons of need;
His memory to long ages lives,
And blessed is his seed.
4 His lips abhor to talk profane,
To slander or defraud;
His ready tongue declares to men
What he has learn'd of God.
5 The law and gospel of the Lord
Deep in his heart abide;
Led by the Spirit and the word,
His feet shall never slide.
6 When sinners fall, the righteous stand,
Preserv'd from every snare;
They shall possess the promis'd land,
And dwell for ever there.
Psalm 37 - Part Three.
Verses 23-27.
The way and end of the righteous and the wicked.
1 My God, the steps of pious men
Are order'd by thy will;
Tho' they should fall, they rise again,
Thy hand supports them still.
2 The Lord delights to see their ways,
Their virtue he approves;
He'll ne'er deprive them of his grace,
Nor leave the men he loves.
3 The heavenly heritage is theirs,
Their portion and their home
He feeds them now, and makes them heirs
Of blessings long to come.
4 Wait on the Lord, ye sons of men,
Nor fear when tyrants frown;
Ye shall confess their pride was vain,
When justice casts them down.
PAUSE.
5 The haughty sinner have I seen,
Nor fearing man nor God,
Like a tall bay-tree fair and green,
Spreading his arms abroad.
6 And lo! he vanish'd from the ground,
Destroy'd by hands unseen:
Nor root, nor branch, nor leaf was found
Where all that pride had been.
7 But mark the man of righteousness,
His several steps attend;
True pleasure runs thro' all his ways,
And peaceful is his end.
Psalm 38.
Guilt of conscience and relief.
1 Amidst thy wrath remember love,
Restore thy servant, Lord;
Nor let a father's chastening prove
Like an avenger's sword.
2 Thine arrows stick within my heart,
My flesh is sorely prest;
Between the sorrow and the smart
My spirit finds no rest.
3 My sins a heavy load appear,
And o'er my head are gone;
Too heavy they for me to bear,
Too hard for me t' atone.
4 My thoughts are like a troubled sea,
My head still bending down;
And I go mourning all the day
Beneath my Father's frown.
5 Lord, I am weak, and broken sore,
None of my powers are whole;
The inward anguish makes me roar,
The anguish of my soul.
6 All my desire to thee is known,
Thine eye counts every tear,
And every sigh, and every groan
Is notic'd by thine ear.
7 Thou art my God, my only hope;
My God will hear my cry
My God will bear my spirit up
When Satan bids me die.
8 [My foot is ever apt to slide,
My foes rejoice to see 't;
They raise their pleasure and their pride
When they supplant my feet.
9 But I'll confess my guilt to thee,
And grieve for all my sin,
I'll mourn how weak my graces be,
And beg support divine.
10 My God, forgive my follies past,
And be for ever nigh;
O Lord of my salvation, haste,
Before thy servant die.]
Psalm 39 - Part One.
Watchfulness over the tongue.
1 Thus I resolv'd before the Lord,
"Now will I watch my tongue,
"Lest I let slip one sinful word,
"Or do my neighbour wrong."
2 And if I'm e'er constrain'd to stay
With men of lives profane
I'll set a double guard that day,
Nor let my talk be vain.
3 I'll scarce allow my lips to speak
The pious thoughts I feel,
Lest scoffers should th' occasion take
To mock my holy zeal.
4 Yet if some proper hour appear,
I'll not be overaw'd,
But let the scoffing sinners hear
That I can speak for God.
Psalm 39 - Part Two.
Verses 4-7. The vanity of man as mortal.
1 Teach me the measure of my days,
Thou maker of my frame;
I would survey life's narrow space,
And learn' how frail I am.
2 A span is all that we can boast,
An inch or two of time;
Man is but vanity and dust
In all his flower and prime.
3 See the vain race of mortals move
Like shadows o'er the plain;
They rage and strive, desire and love,
But all the noise is vain.
4 Some walk in honour's gaudy show,
Some dig for golden ore,
They toil for heirs, they know not who,
And straight are seen no more.
5 What should I wish or wait for then
From creatures, earth and dust?
They make our expectations vain,
And disappoint our trust.
6 Now I forbid my carnal hope,
My fond desires recall;
I give my mortal interest up,
And make my God my all.
Psalm 39. Part Three.
Sick-bed devotion.
1 God of my life, look gently down,
Behold the pains I feel;
But I am dumb before thy throne,
Nor dare dispute thy will.
2 Diseases are thy servants, Lord,
They come at thy command;
I'll not attempt a murmuring word
Against thy chastening hand.
3 Yet I may plead with humble cries,
Remove thy sharp rebukes;
My strength consumes, my spirit dies
Thro' thy repeated strokes.
4 Crush'd as a moth beneath thy hand,
We moulder to the dust;
Our feeble powers can ne'er withstand,
And all our beauty's lost.
5 [This mortal life decays apace,
How soon the bubble's broke!
Adam and all his numerous race
Are vanity and smoke.]
6 I'm but a sojourner below,
As all my fathers were,
May I be well prepar'd to go
When I the summons hear.
7 But if my life be spar'd awhile,
Before my last remove,
Thy praise shall be my business still,
And I'll declare thy love.
Psalm 40 - Part One.
Verses 1-8, 5, 17.
A song of deliverance from great distress.
1 I waited patient for the Lord,
He bow'd to hear my cry;
He saw me resting on his word,
And brought salvation nigh.
2 He rais'd me from a horrid pit
Where mourning long I lay,
And from my bonds releas'd my feet,
Deep bonds of miry clay.
3 Firm on a rock he made me stand,
And taught my cheerful tongue
To praise the wonders of his hand,
In a new thankful song.
4 I'll spread his works of grace abroad;
The saints with joy shall hear,
And sinners learn to make my God
Their only hope and fear.
5 How many are thy thoughts of love!
Thy mercies, Lord, how great!
We have not words nor hours enough
Their numbers to repeat.
6 When I'm afflicted, poor and low,
And light and peace depart,
My God beholds my heavy woe,
And bears me on his heart.
Psalm 40 - Part Two.
The incarnation and sacrifice of Christ.
1 Thus saith the Lord,
"Your work is vain,
"Give your burnt offerings o'er,
"In dying goats and bullocks slain
"My soul delights no more."
2 Then spake the Saviour, "Lo, I'm here,
"Mv God, to do thy will;
"'Whate'er thy sacred books declare,
"Thy servant shall fulfil.
3 "Thy law is ever in my sight,
"I keep it near my heart;
"Mine ears are open'd with delight
"To what thy lips impart."
4 And see the bless'd Redeemer comes,
Th' eternal Son appears,
And at th' appointed time assumes
The body God prepares.
5 Much he reveal'd his Father's grace,
And much his truth he shew'd,
And preach'd the way of righteousness,
Where great assemblies stood.
6 His Father's honour touch'd his heart,
He pity'd sinners' cries,
And, to fulfil a Saviour's part,
Was made a sacrifice,
PAUSE.
7 No blood of beasts on altars shed
Could wash the conscience clean,
But the rich sacrifice he paid
Atones for all our sin.
Then was the great salvation spread,
And Satan's kingdom shook;
Thus by the woman's promis'd seed
The serpent's head was broke.
Psalm 40.
Verses 5-10. Christ our sacrifice.
1 The wonders, Lord, thy love has wrought,
Exceed our praise, surmount our thought;
Should I attempt the long detail,
My speech would faint, my numbers fail.
2 No blood of beasts on altars spilt,
Can cleanse the souls of men from guilt,
But thou hast set before our eyes
An all-sufficient sacrifice.
3 Lo! thine eternal Son appears,
To thy designs he bows his ears,
Assumes a body, well prepar'd,
And well performs a work so hard.
4 "Behold, I come," (the Saviour cries,
With love and duty in his eyes)
"I come to bear the heavy load
"Of sins, and do thy will, my God.
5 "'Tis written in thy great decree,
"'Tis in thy book foretold of me,
"I must fulfil the Saviour's part,
"And, lo! thy law is in my heart!
6 "I'll magnify thy holy law,
"And rebels to obedience draw,
"'When on my cross I'm lifted high,
"Or to my crown above the sky.
7 "The Spirit shall descend, and show
"What thou hast done, and what I do;
"The wond'ring world shall learn thy grace,
"Thy wisdom and thy righteousness."
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