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Family-Hymns out of Davids Psalms · Matthew Henry

Family-Hymns out of Davids Psalms, Part 3

For the Lord's Day Morning.

Hymn XXV. Psal. 118.1, 2, 3, 4.

GIve thanks to God, for he is good,

His Mercies still endure;

Let all the Seed of Israel say,

His Promises are sure.

Let Aaron's House confess this day,

His Goodness still prevails;

Let them that fear the Lord now say,

His Kindness never fails.

22, 23.

For that same Stone which men refus'd,

Despis'd and trampled on,

Is chosen and preferr'd to be

The Head, and Corner Stone.

This is the work of our great God,

He did the thing devise,

And he this great Salvation wrought

That's wondrous in our Eyes.

24, 25.

This is the joyful day indeed,

Which God hath Holy made,

Hath made for Man, and we will now

With holy mirth be glad.

We'll joyn our Acclamations now,

And loud Hosanna's sing,

Wishing prosperity may wait

On our Anointed King.

26, 27, 28, 29.

Bless Saviour! that from God to us

On this kind Errand came,

We welcome thee, and bless all those

That spread thy glorious Name.

God is the Lord who gives the Light

Which this high day adorns,

Come bind the Sacrifice with Cords

Unto the Altar's Horns.

Thou art my God whom I'll exalt,

My God whom I will praise;

Give thanks to God for he is good,

His mercy lasts always.

Hymn XXVI. Psal. 84.1, 2, 3.

How lovely is the place where thou

Thy Presence (Lord) dost grant!

O! how I long t'approach thy Courts,

Impatient of restraint!

I envy much the Sparrow's place,

And grudge the Swallow's bliss,

That build their Nests in God's own Courts,

My King, my God he is.

4, 5, 6, 7.

Happy the dwellers in thine house,

For they will praise thee still:

Thrice happy they whose strength thou art.

Whose hearts thy Graces fill.

Who make the best of Sion's ways,

And go from strength to strength,

Till they appear before the Lord

In Sion Hill at length.

8, 9, 10.

Lord God of Hosts hear thou my pray'r,

O Jacob's God give ear,

O Lord our shield behold the face

Of thine Anointed Dear.

For in thy Courts thy Name to praise,

I count a day spent there

Far better than a thousand days,

A thousand days elsewhere.

There would I rather be confin'd,

And at the threshold lye

Than dwell in Sinners Tents with Ease

And boundless Liberty.

11, 12.

For God the Lord is Sun and Shield,

He Grace and Glory gives,

And no good thing shall he with-hold

From them that purely live.

O Lord of Hosts, that man is blest,

And happy sure is he

Whose heart by Faith doth ever rest

With confidence in thee.

Hymn XXVII. Psal. 27.4.

THIS is my great request, O God,

Which here I do present,

That all the days I have to live

May in thy House be spent.

There to contemplate and behold

The Beauty of the Lord,

And in his Temple to enquire

Into his holy Word.

8, 9.

Whenas thou saidst, My face seek ye,

Instructed by thy Grace,

My ready heart with Joy reply'd,

Lord, I will seek thy face.

Hide not thy face from me in wrath;

Lord, turn me not away.

My Sav'our, thou hast been my help,

Be still my strength and stay.

—43.3, 4.

O send out Light and Truth divine

To lead and bring me near,

Unto that holy Hill of thine,

And Tabernacles there.

Then to God's Altar I will go,

The Gladness of my Joy,

O God my God, thy praise to show,

My Harp I will employ.

—119.32.

And I will run with full consent

The way thou giv'st in charge,

When with thy sweet encouragement

Thou shalt my heart enlarge.

Hymn XXVIII. Psal. 92.1, 2, 4.

O What a pleasant work it is

To praise the Lord above,

Morning and Ev'ning to proclaim

His Faithfulness and Love!

Thy works, O Lord, with Joy divine,

My ravish'd heart affect,

And in the glory of thy Acts

My Triumphs I'll erect.

5, 6, 7.

O Lord, how great are all thy works!

Thy thoughts are all profound;

The Foolish men mistake thy ways,

These Depths they cannot found!

When prosp'ring sinners flourish most,

And as the Grass do spring,

Tis that they may upon themselves

A swift destruction bring.

12, 13.

But Saints like laden Palms shall thrive,

So flourish and come on,

Grow strong and tall, like Cedar Trees

In fruitful Lebanon.

Trees planted in the Holy Place

Where God the Lord doth dwell,

Still water'd with the dews of Grace,

Shall thrive and prosper well;

14, 15.

Yea (ev'n when Nature's strength decays)

In Ages much fruit shall bring,

And in the Winter of their days

Be fat and flourishing.

To shew that God's an upright God,

He is a Rock to me;

And there is no unrighteousness

In him, nor none can be.

Hymn XXIX. Psal. 96.1, 2.

SIng ye with praise unto the Lord,

New Songs of Joy and Mirth:

Sing to the Lord with one accord,

All People of the Earth.

Sing to the Lord, isthron'd on high,

Bless his adored Name,

The great Salvation he hath wrought

From day to day proclaim.

—98.1, 2.

Renew your Songs to God, and tell

What wonders he hath done;

Let's all admire the Victories

His Holy Arm hath won.

His mercy which was kept before

A secret and inclos'd,

Now to the clear and open view

Of Heathen is expos'd.

3, 4, 5, 6.

His promis'd Goodness and his Truth

Was first to Israel shown,

But now the ends of th'Earth have seen

His great Salvation.

Let all the Earth this Welcome news

Applaud with loudest noise,

Joyn Musick to their Hymns of Praise

To testifie their Joys.

7, 8, 9.

Let swelling Seas roar, and excite

The Joys of neighb'ring Lands;

Let echoing Hills the noise repeat,

And Rivers clap their hands.

Whole Nature well may feel a change,

When God's approach is nigh,

Who comes to judge and rule the World

With Truth and Equity.

Hymn XXX. Psal. 68.4, 17.

SIng unto God, sing forth his p…ise,

Extol him with your Voice.

That rides on th'Heav'ns by JAll his Name,

In which we will rejoyce.

God's Char'ots twenty thousand are;

Always before his face

Millions of Angels do attend,

As in the Holy Place.

18.

Thou hast ascended up on high,

And thou, O Christ, didst then

Lead Captive our Captivity,

Receiving Gifts for Men:

Yea, ev'n for Rebellious men

Thou didst those Gifts receive,

That God the Lord might dwell with them,

And they Rebellion leave.

24, 28.

For they have seen thy Pow'r, O God,

They saw thy steps of Grace,

The goings of my God, my King,

Within his Holy Place.

Thy God by his supreme command

Hath strengthened thee thus;

Strengthen, O God, by thy good hand

What thou hast wrought for us.

34, 35.

Ascribe ye strength to our great God,

Whose excellency rare,

Is over Israel's Land display'd,

Whose strength the Clouds declare.

They that in Holy Places see

Thy Glory, are amaz'd,

The God of Israel gives us strength,

His Holy Name be prais'd.

Hymn XXXI. Psal. 95.1, 2, 3, 4.

COme let us sing with joyful noise

To our Salvation's Rock,

With Psalms of Praise, and thankful Joys,

Into his presence flock.

A God, a King of great command,

A King of Gods He is;

The Earth's great Deeps are in his hand,

The strength of Hills is his.

5, 6, 7.

Dry Land and Seas, ev'n both of these

His hands did form and frame;

O come adore with bended knees

The Lord our Maker's Name.

For he's our God, and we the Flock

Of whom he hath command,

His People, and his Pasture-stock,

And Sheep of his own hand.

8, 9, 10, 11.

Let's therefore hear his Voice to day,

And not hard-hearted prove,

As those that in the Wilderness

Provoked God above.

They prov'd his pow'r, and saw his works,

And long they griev'd him there,

Till weary'd with that murm'ring Race

He could no longer bear:

But did in just and holy wrath

By solemn Oath protest,

That they should never come into

The Blessed Canaan's Rest.

Heb. 4.1.

Let us then fear left a like Rest

Being propos'd to us,

Any of us through unbelief

Come short and perish thus.

Hymn XXXII. Psal. 36.7, 8.

HOW excellent, Lord, is that Grace,

And Love that from thee springs,

Therefore the Sons of Men do place

Their Trust in thy spread wings!

With fatness of thine House on high

Thou shalt thy Saints suffice,

And make them drink abundantly

The River of thy Joys.

9, 10.

Because the Springs of Life most pure

Do ever flow from thee;

And in thy Light-we shall be sure

Eternal Light to see.

To those who thus esteem thy Love,

Thy Kindness still impart,

And all thy Promises fulfil

To men of upright heart.

—89.15, 16.

Blest is the People that doth know

And hear the joyful sound,

Thy Beams shall light them as they go,

And shine about them round.

Th'expressions of thy wondrous Love

Will constant Joys create.

And thou, the Glory of their strength

Wilt crown their low Estate.

—65.4.—41.13.

They with the Goodness of thy House

Shall feast their Appetites;

Full of the Joys thy Temple yields,

And ravish'd with Delights.

The Lord the God of Israel

Be prais'd eternally,

From age to age for evermore,

Amen, Amen, say I.

Hymn XXXIII. Psal. 123.1. —26.8. —5.7.

TO thee, O Lord, to thee alone

Do I lift up mine Eyes,

O thou the high and lofty One

That dwell'st above the Skies.

The Habitation of thine House,

Lord, I have loved well,

And that sweet place so glorious,

Where thy Renown doth dwell.

And to that House will I draw near

In thine abundant Grace,

And worship with an awful fear

Towards thine Holy Place.

—119.5, 11, 12, 18, 19.

Assist me therefore, O my God,

And so direct my way,

That I may keep thy holy Word,

And never go astray.

Let it be hid within my heart,

From sin to keep me free,

A blessed One, O Lord, thou art,

Thy Statutes teach thou me.

Open mine Eyes that I may see

The wonders of thy Law,

For b'ing a stranger here, I must

From thence my comfort draw.

24, 54.

And these thy Testimonies are

My heart's intire delight,

Nor need I other Counsellor

To guide my ways aright.

For ev'ry where thy Statutes are

My comfortable Songs,

Whilst in my Pilgrimage I am

Expos'd to griefs and wrongs.

Hymn XXXIV. Psal. 119.68, 73.

LORD thou art good, and thou dost good,

All Graces flow from thee;

Teach me to know thy Testaments,

How good and just they be.

Thy hands have made, and fashion'd me,

Thy Grace on me bestow,

To know thy Precepts what they be,

And practise what I know.

105, 106, 108.

For of my Life they are the Guide,

And to my Paths give Light;

I've sworn to keep thy Right'ous Laws,

Which I'll perform aright.

The Free-will Off'rings of my Mouth

I pray thee Lord accept,

And teach me now, which way and how

Thy Judgments may be kept.

109, 111.

My Soul is ever in my hand,

Expos'd to dangers great,

Therefore the Precepts of thy Word

I never will forget.

Thy Statutes are the Heritage

Whereof I have made choice,

To my last day, for those are they

That make my heart rejoyce.

112.96.

I have inclin'd my heart to keep

The Laws thou didst decree,

And by thy Grace will cleave to them

Ev'n till I come to thee.

For, Lord, of all Perfection here

I soon discern an end;

But to all times and states of Life

Thy perfect Laws extend.

Hymn XXXV. Psal. 119.137, 138, 162, 163.

THY Nature, Lord, and thy Commands

Exactly do agree;

Holy, and just, and true thou art,

And such thy Precepts be.

I have rejoyced at thy Word,

As one that finds a Prize;

And I do love thy Law, O Lord.

But hate the way of Lies.

164, 165, 140.

Sev'n times a day I'll give thee praise,

For thy just Judgments sake,

Great peace have they that love thy ways,

And no offence they take.

Thy Word indeed is very pure,

As Silver try'd by Fire,

Therefore thy Servant will be sure

To love it most intire.

17.132.

Deal bounteously in gifts of Grace

With me thy Servant, Lord,

That I may live and run my Race,

And keep thy Holy Word.

Look on me in thy mercy, Lord,

And grant me of the same,

As thou art wont to deal with those

That love and fear thy Name.

133, 171.

Let all my steps by thy just Word

Exactly order'd be,

That no iniquity may have

Dominion over me.

And then my Lips shall be prepar'd

To offer thankful praise,

When unto me thou hast declar'd

And taught me all thy ways.

Hymn XXXVI. Psal. 63.1, 2.

To the Tune of Psal. 67.

O God thou art my God,

I'll seek thee earnestly.

My Soul in me thirsts after thee

Here in the Desarts dry:

That I might see thy pow'r,

And thy most glorious Grace,

As I sometimes have seen it shine

Within thy Holy Place.

3, 4, 8.

That Loving-kindness, Lord,

Which I will ever praise,

Is better far than Life it self,

Tho' fill'd with prosp'ring days,

Thus while my Life doth last

I will extol thy Fame,

My heart and hands will I lift up

In thy most holy Name.

My Soul is pressing on

To follow after thee,

And still I stand by thy right hand,

For that upholdeth me.

—122.1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Therefore will I rejoyce

When they to me shall say,

Unto the House of God let us

Together take our way.

For there will we be found,

Where Isr'el's Tribes attend

Upon the lively Oracles

Joynt-praise to Heav'n to send.

Pray for Jerus'lem's peace,

And for my Brethren dear;

Peace be in Sion's sacred Walls,

Prosperity be there.