4, 5. With men descending to the tomb

I'm rank'd-as one whose strength is gone :
Death's freeman-I am like the slain,
Whose home is in the sepulchre,
Whom Thou rememberest no more,
Who're cut off from thy hand for ever.

6, 7. Thou'st laid me in the lowest pit,
Midst darkness, in abysses dire:

Thy heavy wrath upon me weighs,
Thou plaguest me with all thy waves!

8, 9. Thou'st put my friends away from me,
And to abhorrence changed their love:
I'm caged, and no escape I find,
Mine eye consumes with misery:
O Lord, on Thee all day I call,
To Thee I stretch my suppliant hands.

10, 11,

12.

13, 14, 15.

Wilt Thou shew wonders to the dead?
Shall shades rise up and praise thy name?
Thy mercy in the tomb be told?
Destruction hear thy faithfulness?
Shall darkness all thy wonders learn?
Oblivion's land thy righteousness?

But I, Lord, unto Thee have cried,
My prayer hath met Thee with the dawn:
Why dost Thou cast away my soul?
Why hide from me thy face, O Lord?
Weak from my youth, and nigh to death,
Thy fear distracts my labouring soul.

16, 17,) Thy surging wrath hath o'er me roll'd, And by thy terrors I'm destroy'd:

18.

Round me all day like streams they rush,

On every side they compass me :

Lover and friend Thou'st from me put,
And darkness made my company.

PSALM LXXXIX.

A lesson of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1. THE Mercies of the Lord
For ever will I sing:

Thy faithfulness from age to age
My mouth shall celebrate.

2.

For mercy, I have said,

3.

Is now built up for ever:

Upon the heavens thy faithfulness

Thou hast established.

With my adopted son

A covenant I've made;

And to my servant David sworn

An everlasting oath.

5.

6.

Thy seed will I set up;

And build thy throne, unmoved to stand
From age to furthest age.

Behold, the heavens, O Lord,

Thy wonders celebrate :

The assembly of the holy ones
Thy faithfulness extols.

For who, throughout the skies,
Can with the Lord compare?

And who, amongst the sons of gods,

Is like unto the Lord?

8.

God's awful terrors own;

The reverence of his holy name
On all around Him falls.

O Lord, Thou God of Hosts,

Whose might is like to thine?

Whose truth, O Jah, with that can vie

Which Thee encompasseth?

The swelling of the sea:

When lift her waves their crests on high,

Thou dost their pride subdue.

10.

As with a mortal wound

Thou crushedst Rahab's might :

And by the power of thine arm

Dispersedst all thy foes.

M

11.

12, 13.

14.

15.

16.

Thine are the heavens, O Lord,

Thine also is the earth:

The world's foundations Thou hast laid,
And all its wealth is thine.

North Thou hast made and south;
Tabor and Hermon shout,

Exulting in thy name :

Thine is an arm of might, thy hand
Is strong, thy right hand high.

Judgment and righteousness
Thy throne's foundations are:
Mercy and truth, attendants pure,
Before thy presence march.

That people blessed is

That knows the shout of joy:

That walketh in the light which beams

From thy bright face, O Lord.

They all day long with joy

Shall in thy name exult,

And in thy righteousness and truth

Shall they be raised on high.

17.

For Thou their glory art,

18.

The beauty of their strength:

Thou, by the power of thy grace,

Dost elevate our horn.

For to the Lord belongs

Our shield and our defence :

'Tis Israel's Holy One who gives
His chosen for our king.

19. Of old in vision to thy saints

Thou spakest, and didst say-
"Upon a warrior help I've laid,
Out of the people I have raised
A chief of youthful prime.

20, 21. "David, my servant, I have found, And with my holy oil

22, 23.

I have anointed him. With him
My firmly planted hand shall rest,
My arm shall strengthen him.

"Him shall no foe distress, nor son

Of wickedness molest:

His adversaries I will crush

Before his face, and all who hate

His sway, with scourges lash.

24, 25. "My truth and mercy shall with him Abide, and through my name

His horn shall be exalted high:
His hand upon the sea I'll place,

His right hand on the streams.

26, 27. "Then he shall call Me, Father, God, And his salvation's rock :

28, 29.

And I will him my firstborn make,
And raise him to the highest throne,
Above the kings of earth.

"For him my mercies I will keep

For ever, and with him

I will maintain my covenant :

His seed for aye shall stand, his throne

Be lasting as the heavens.