v.1-9 C. M. Prayer and faith of persecuted saints. Now plead my cause, Almighty God, With all the sons of strife; And fight against the men of blood, Who fight against my life. Draw

God our shepherd. My Shepherd is the living Lord; Now shall my wants be well supplied; His providence and holy word Become my safety and my guide. In pastures where salvation grows He makes

Christ’s kingdom among the Gentiles. Jesus shall reign where’er the sun Does his successive journeys run; His kingdom stretch from shore to shore, Till moons shall wax and wane no more. [Behold the islands

The Son of God incarnate. Isa. 9:2,6,7. The lands that long in darkness lay Now have beheld a heav’nly light; Nations that sat in death’s cold shade Are blessed with beams divinely bright. The

O Lord, our Lord, how wondrous great Is thine exalted name! The glories of thy heav’nly state Let men and babes proclaim. When I behold thy works on high The moon that rules the

Heaven invisible and holy. 1 Cor. 2:9,10; Rev. 21:27. Nor eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, Nor sense nor reason known, What joys the Father hath prepared For those that love the Son.

Correction for sin, and release by prayer. From age to age exalt his name; God and his grace are still the same; He fills the hungry soul with food, And feeds the poor with

Sincerity professed, and grace tried; or, The heart-searching God. My God, what inward grief I feel When impious men transgress thy will! I mourn to hear their lips profane Take thy tremendous name in

God’s wonders of creation, providence, redemption of Israel, and salvation of his people. Give thanks to God the sovereign Lord; His mercies still endure; And be the King of kings adored; His truth is

A penitent pleading for pardon. Show pity, Lord, O Lord, forgive, Let a repenting rebel live: Are not thy mercies large and free? May not a sinner trust in thee? My crimes are great,

Holiness and comfort from the word. Ver. 128 Lord, I esteem thy judgments right, And all thy statutes just; Thence I maintain a constant fight With every flatt’ring lust. Ver. 97,9 Thy precepts often

The Virgin Mary’s song. Luke 1:46ff. Our souls shall magnify the Lord, In God the Savior we rejoice: While we repeat the Virgin’s song, May the same Spirit tune our voice! [The Highest saw

Guilt of conscience and relief Amidst thy wrath remember love, Restore thy servant, Lord; Nor let a Father’s chast’ning prove Like an avenger’s sword. Thine arrows stick within my heart, My flesh is sorely

Christ’s all-sufficiency. How fast their guilt and sorrows rise Who haste to seek some idol-god! I will not taste their sacrifice, Their offerings of forbidden blood. My God provides a richer cup, And nobler

Pardoning grace. Out of the deeps of long distress, The borders of despair, I sent my cries to seek thy grace, My groans to move thine ear. Great God, should thy severer eye, And

The apostles’ commission. Mark 16:15ff; Matt. 28:18ff. “O preach my gospel,” saith the Lord, “Bid the whole earth my grace receive; He shall be saved that trusts my word, He shall be damned that

v.4-7 C. M. The vanity of man as mortal. 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. A

The true improvement of life. Ps. 90:12. Ane is this life prolonged to me? Are days and seasons giv’n? O let me, then, prepare to be A fitter heir of heav’n. In vain these

Prophecy and inspiration. ‘Twas by an order from the Lord The ancient prophets spoke his word; His Spirit did their tongues inspire, And warmed their hearts with heav’nly fire. The works and wonders which

v.7,8,12ff S. M. Israel punished and pardoned; or, God’s unchangeable love. God of eternal love, How fickle are our ways! And yet how oft did Isr’el prove Thy constancy of grace! They saw thy

v.8,9,13,14 C. M. Prayer and hope. Soon as I heard my Father say, “Ye children, seek my grace,” My heart replied without delay, “I’ll seek my Father’s face.” Let not thy face be hid

The gospel the power of God to salvation. Rom. 1:16. What shall the dying sinner do That seeks relief for all his woe? Where shall the guilty conscience find Ease for the torment of

Deliverance from oppression and falsehood. O Thou whose justice reigns on high, And makes th’ oppressor cease, Behold how envious sinners try To vex and break my peace. The sons of violence and lies

Praise to God from all nations. O all ye nations, praise the Lord, Each with a diff’rent tongue; In every language learn his word, And let his name be sung. His mercy reigns through

The same; or, The martyrs glorified. Rev. 7:13ff. “These glorious minds, how bright they shine! Whence all their white array? How came they to the happy seats Of everlasting day?” From torturing pains to

Melancholy assaulting, and hope prevailing. To God I cried with mournful voice, I sought his gracious ear, In the sad day when troubles rose, And filled the night with fear. Sad were my days,

v.7-9,13-18 C. M. The seasons of the year. With songs and honors sounding loud, Address the Lord on high; Over the heav’ns he spreads his cloud, And waters veil the sky. He sends his

The description of Christ the beloved. SS 5:9-16. The wond’ring world inquires to know Why I should love my Jesus so: What are his charms,” say they, “above The objects of a mortal love?”

Imperfection of nature, and perfection of scripture. Ver. 96, paraphrased. Let all the heathen writers join To form one perfect book; Great God! if once compared with thine, How mean their writings look! Not

Warning to magistrates. Judges, who rule the world by laws, Will ye despise the righteous cause, When th’ injured poor before you stands? Dare ye condemn the righteous poor, And let rich sinners ‘scape

Professions of sincerity, repentance, and obedience. Ver. 57,60 Thou art my portion, O my God; Soon as I know thy way, My heart makes haste t’ obey thy word, And suffers no delay. Ver.

God fights for his church. Let Zion in her King rejoice; Though tyrants rage, and kingdoms rise, He utters his almighty voice, The nations melt, the tumult dies. The Lord of old for Jacob

Regeneration. John 1:13; 3:3, etc. Not all the outward forms on earth, Nor rites that God has giv’n, Nor will of man, nor blood, nor birth, Can raise a soul to heav’n. The sovereign

Our own weakness, and Christ our strength. 2 Cor. 12:7,9,10. Let me but hear my Savior say, “Strength shall be equal to thy day,” Then I rejoice in deep distress, Leaning on all-sufficient grace.

Christ inviting, and the church answering the invitation. SS 2:14-17. [Hark! the Redeemer from on high Sweetly invites his fav’rites nigh; From caves of darkness and of doubt, He gently speaks, and calls us

The deity and humanity of Christ. John 1:1,3,14; Col. 1:16. Ere the blue heav’ns were stretched abroad, From everlasting was the Word: With God he was; the Word was God, And must divinely be

Persecutors punished. Up from my youth, may Isr’el say, Have I been nursed in tears; My griefs were constant as the day, And tedious as the years. Up from my youth I bore the

v.17-21 C. M. The aged Christian’s prayer and song. God of my childhood and my youth, The guide of all my days, I have declared thy heav’nly truth, And told thy wondrous ways. Wilt

v.7ff C. M. The power and majesty of God; or, Reverential worship. With rev’rence let the saints appear, And bow before the Lord; His high commands with rev’rence hear, And tremble at his word.

Christ’s dying, rising, and reigning. Luke 23:27,29,44-46; Mt. 27:50,57; 28:6ff. He dies! the friend of sinners dies! Lo! Salem’s daughters weep around; A solemn darkness veils the skies; A sudden trembling shakes the ground.

The kingdoms of the world become the kingdoms of our Lord; or, The day of judgment. Rev. 11:15-18. Let the seventh angel sound on high, Let shouts be heard through all the sky; Kings

A vision of the kingdom of Christ among men. Rev. 21:1-4. Lo! what a glorious sight appears To our believing eyes! The earth and sea are passed away, And the old rolling skies. From

Persevering grace. Jude 1:24,25. To God the only wise, Our Savior and our King, Let all the saints below the skies Their humble praises bring. ‘Tis his almighty love, His counsel, and’ his care,

The man is ever bless’d Who shuns the sinners’ ways, Among their councils never stands, Nor takes the scorner’s place; But makes the law of God His study and delight, Amidst the labours of

Salvation by grace. Titus 3:3-7. [Lord, we confess our num’rous faults, How great our guilt has been! Foolish and vain were all our thoughts, And all our lives were sin. But, O my soul!

Praise for the gospel. To our Almighty Maker, God, New honors be addressed; His great salvation shines abroad, And makes the nations blest. He spake the word to Abraham first; His truth fulfils the

Submission to afflictive providences. Job 1:21. Naked as from the earth we came, And crept to life at first, We to the earth return again, And mingle with our dust. The dear delights we

The backslider restored. O Thou that hear’st when sinners cry, Though all my crimes before thee lie, Behold them not with angry look, But blot their mem’ry from thy book. Create my nature pure

The offices of Christ. From several scriptures. Join all the glorious names Of wisdom, love, and power, That ever mortals knew, That angels ever bore: All are too mean to speak his worth, Too

Storm and thunder. Give to the Lord, ye sons of fame, Give to {he Lord renown and power, Ascribe due honors to his name, And his eternal might adore. The Lord proclaims his power