Psalms Of Watts 76-80
The
Psalms Of David
By Isaac Watts
In Metre
Isaac Watts did not write a Psalms in Metre for Psalm 79.
Psalm 76.
Israel saved, and the Assyrians destroyed.
1 In Judah God of old was known;
His name in Israel great;
In Salem stood his holy throne,
And Sion was his seat.
2 Among: the praises of his saints
His dwelling there he chose;
There he receiv'd their just complaints
Against their haughty foes.
3 From Sion went his dreadful word,
And broke the threatening spear;
The bow, the arrows, and the sword,
And crush'd th' Assyrian war.
4 What are the earth's wide kingdoms else
But mighty hills of prey?
The hill on which Jehovah dwells
Is glorious more than they.
5 'Twas Sion's King that stopt the breath
Of captains and their bands:
The men of might slept fast in death,
And never found their hands.
6 At thy rebuke, O Jacob's God,
Both horse and chariot fell;
Who knows the terrors of thy rod?
Thy vengeance who can tell?
7 What power can stand before thy sight
When once thy wrath appears?
When heaven shines round with dreadful light,
The earth lies still and fears.
8 When God in his own sovereign ways
Comes down to save th' opprest,
The wrath of man shall work his praise,
And he'll restrain the rest.
9 [Vow to the Lord, and tribute bring,
Ye princes, fear his frown:
His terror shakes the proudest king,
And cuts an army down.
10 The thunder of his sharp rebuke
Our haughty foes shall feel:
For Jacob's God hath not forsook,
But dwells in Sion still.]
Psalm 77 - Part One.
Melancholy assaulting, and hope prevailing.
1 To God I cry'd with mournful voice,
I sought his gracious ear,
In the sad day when troubles rose,
And fill'd the night with fear.
2 Sad were my days, and dark my nights,
My soul refus'd relief;
I thought on God the just and wise,
But thoughts increas'd my grief.
3 Still I complain'd, and still opprest,
My heart began to break;
My God, thy wrath forbid my rest,
And kept my eyes awake.
4 My overwhelming sorrows grew
Till I could speak no more;
Then I within myself withdrew,
And call'd thy judgments o'er.
5 I call'd back years and ancient times,
When I beheld thy face;
My spirit search'd for secret crimes
That might withhold thy grace.
6 I call'd thy mercies to my mind
Which I enjoy'd before;
And will the Lord no more be kind?
His face appear no more?
7 Will he for ever cast me off?
His promise ever fail?
Has he forgot his tender love?
Shall anger still prevail?
8 But I forbid this hopeless thought,
This dark despairing frame,
Rememb'ring what thy hand hath wrought,
Thy hand is still the same.
9 I'll think again of all thy ways,
And talk thy wonders o'er;
Thy wonders of recovering grace,
When flesh could hope no more.
10 Grace dwells with justice on the throne;
And men that love thy word
Have in thy sanctuary known
The counsels of the Lord.
Psalm 77 - Part Two.
Comfort derived from ancient providences.
1 How awful is thy chastening rod!"
(May thine own children say)
"The great, the wise, the dreadful God!
"How holy is his way!"
2 I'll meditate his works of old;
The King that reigns above;
I'll hear his ancient wonders told,
And learn to trust his love.
3 Long did the house of Joseph lie
With Egypt's yoke opprest:
Long he delay'd to hear their cry,
Nor gave his people rest.
4 The sons of good old Jacob seem'd
Abandon'd to their foes;
But his almighty arm redeem'd
The nation that he chose.
5 Israel, his people, and his sheep,
Must follow where he calls;
He bid them venture thro' the deep,
And made the waves their walls.
6 The waters saw thee, mighty God!
The waters saw thee come;
Backward they fled, and frighted stood,
To make thine armies room.
7 Strange was thy journey thro' the sea,
Thy footsteps, Lord, unknown,
Terrors attend the wondrous way
That brings thy mercies down.
8 [Thy voice with terror in the sound
Thro' clouds and darkness broke;
All heaven in lightning shone around,
And earth with thunder shook.
9 Thine arrows thro' the skies were hurl'd;
How glorious is the Lord!
Surprise and trembling seiz'd the world,
And his own saints ador'd.
10 He gave them water from the rock;
And safe by Moses' hand
Thro' a dry desert led his flock
Home to the promis'd land.]
Psalm 78 - Part One.
Providence of God recorded.
1 Let children hear the mighty deeds,
Which God perform'd of old,
Which in our younger years we saw,
And which our fathers told.
2 He bids us make his glories known,
His works of power and grace;
And we'll convey his wonders down
Thro' every rising race.
3 Our lips shall tell them to our sons,
And they again to theirs,
That generations yet unborn
May teach them to their heirs.
4 Thus shall they learn in God alone
Their hope securely stands,
That they may ne'er forget his works,
But practise his commands.
Psalm 78 - Part Two.
Israel's rebellion and punishment.
1 What a stiff rebellious house
Was Jacob's ancient race!
False to their own most solemn vows,
And to their Maker's grace.
2 They broke the covenant of his love,
And did his laws despise,
Forgot the works he wrought to prove
His power before their eyes.
3 They saw the plagues on Egypt light,
From his revenging hand
What dreadful tokens of his might
Spread o'er the stubborn land!
4 They saw him cleave the mighty sea,
And march'd in safety thro',
With watery walls to guard their way,
Till they had 'scap'd the foe.
5 A wondrous pillar mark'd the road,
Compos'd of shade and light;
By day it prov'd a sheltering cloud,
A leading fire by night.
6 He from the rock their thirst supply'd;
The gushing waters fell,
And ran in rivers by their side,
A constant miracle.
7 Yet they provok'd the Lord most high,
And dar'd distrust his hand;
"Can he with bread our host supply
"Amidst this desert land?"
8 The Lord with indignation heard,
And caus'd his wrath to flame
His terrors ever stand prepar'd
To vindicate his name.
Psalm 78 - Part Three.
The punishment of luxury and intemperance.
1 When Israel sins, the Lord reproves,
And fills their hearts with dread;
Yet he forgives the men he loves,
And sends them heavenly bread.
2 He fed them with a liberal hand,
And made his treasures known;
He gave the midnight clouds command
To pour provision down.
3 The manna, like a morning shower,
Lay thick around their feet;
The corn of heaven, so light, so pure,
As tho' 'twere angels' meat.
4 But they in murmuring language said,
"Manna is all our feast;
"We loathe this light, this airy bread;
"We must have flesh to taste."
5 "Ye shall have flesh to please your lust;"
The Lord in wrath reply'd,
And sent them quails like sand or dust,
Heap'd up from side to side.
6 He gave them all their own desire;
And greedy as they fed,
His vengeance burnt with secret fire,
And smote the rebels dead.
7 When some were slain, the rest return'd,
And sought the Lord with tears;
Under the rod they fear'd and mourn'd,
But soon forgot their fears.
8 Oft he chastis'd and still forgave,
Till by his gracious hand
The nation he resolv'd to save,
Possess'd the promis'd land.
Psalm 78 - Part Four.
Verses 32ff. Backsliding and forgiveness;
or, Sin punished, and saints saved.
1 Great God, how oft did Israel prove
By turns thine anger and thy love!
There in a glass our hearts may see
How fickle and how false they be.
2 How soon the faithless Jews forgot
The dreadful wonders God had wrought!
Then they provoke him to his face,
Nor fear his power, nor trust his grace.
3 The Lord consum'd their years in pain,
And made their travels long and vain;
A tedious march thro' unknown ways
Wore out their strength and spent their days.
4 Oft when they saw their brethren slain,
They mourn'd and sought the Lord again;
Call'd him the Rock of their abode,
Their high Redeemer and their God.
5 Their prayers and vows before him rise
As flattering words or solemn lies,
While their rebellious tempers prove
False to his covenant and his love.
6 Yet did his sovereign grace forgive
The men who not deserv'd to live;
His anger oft away he turn'd,
Or else with gentle flame it burn'd.
7 He saw their flesh was weak and frail,
He saw temptation still prevail
The God of Abraham lov'd them still,
And led them to his holy hill.
Psalm 80.
The church's prayer under affliction;
or, The vineyard of God wasted.
1 Great Shepherd of thine Israel,
Who didst between the cherubs dwell,
And led the tribes, thy chosen sheep,
Safe thro' the desert and the deep.
2 Thy church is in the desert now,
Shine from on high and guide us thro';
Turn us to thee, thy love restore,
We shall be sav'd, and sigh no more.
3 Great God, whom heavenly hosts obey,
How long shall we lament and pray,
And wait in vain thy kind return?
How long shall thy fierce anger burn?
4 Instead of wine and cheerful bread,
Thy saints with their own tears are fed;
Turn us to thee, thy love restore,
We shall be sav'd, and sigh no more.
PAUSE I.
5 Hast thou not planted with thy hands
A lovely vine in heathen lands?
Did not thy power defend it round,
And heavenly dews enrich the ground?
6 How did the spreading branches shoot,
And bless the nations with the fruit!
But now, dear Lord, look down and see
Thy mourning vine, that lovely tree.
7 Why is its beauty thus defac'd?
Why hast thou laid her fences waste?
Strangers and foes against her join,
And every beast devours the vine.
8 Return, Almighty God, return,
Nor let thy bleeding vineyard mourn;
Turn us to thee, thy love restore,
We shall be sav'd, and sigh no more.
PAUSE II.
9 Lord, when this vine in Canaan grew
Thou wast its strength and glory too;
Attack'd in vain by all its foes,
Till the fair Branch of Promise rose;
10 Fair Branch, ordain'd of old to shoot
From David's stock, from Jacob's root;
Himself a noble vine, and we
The lesser branches of the tree.
11 'Tis thy own Son, and he shall stand
Girt with thy strength at thy right hand;
Thy first-born Son, adorn'd and blest
With power and grace above the rest.
12 O! for his sake attend our cry,
Shine on thy churches lest they die;
Turn us to thee, thy love restore,
We shall be sav'd, and sigh no more.
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