Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

7. As a bird by feigned call,

Fallen in thrall,

Breaks the snare and is untrapped;

So our souls, so near betray'd,
By thine aid,

As a bird un-snar'd escaped.

8. God, who earth and heaven made, Doth us shade

With the wing of his protection;

He it is by whom we daunt

Foes that vaunt,

He 'tis keeps them in subjection.

PSALM CXXVII.

By Joseph Bryan.

1. EXCEPT the Lord himself will deign To build the house, the work to guide,

The builder's labour is in vain,

Like Babel's builder's haughty pride.
Nor watch, nor guard, nor centinel,

Can battled, trench'd, fenc'd towns defend,

Unless the God of Israel

Do guard, and guide, and his help lend.

2. It is not early rising up,

Nor going very late to bed,

Nor drinking of a strengthless cup,

Nor sweating eating careful bread,

That aught avails; 'tis all in vain,
Carking is naught worth approved;
But God gives rest, and without pain,
All needful things to his beloved.

3. Children, the staff and crown of age,

Issue to succeed their sires,

Are th' Almighty's heritage,

Wherewith he crowns his Saints' desires.

4. As shafts are in an archer's hand,

Who draws a stiff bent sinewy bow;

Even so are children in thy land,

Which up in strength and virtue grow.

Strength shaft-like sprouts in shape and mind,

Strong but to virtue, not to vice;

Straight bent to glorious deeds by kind,

And to no brave achievements nice.

5. O happy sire, whose aged wings
Are ympt with plumes of this account;
He need not fear the face of kings;

But eagle-like his fame shall mount.

PSALM CXXVIII.

1. HOWSOEVER the world doth deem thee, Or thy godless rout esteem thee,

Thou secure and sure mayst rest,
That thou, fearing God, art blest.

2. Thou shalt eat, and be sustained
With thy food, thy hand hath gained.
O then happy shalt thou be,
And it shall go well with thee.

3. Thy kind wife, a chaste life leading,
Shall be like a fair vine spreading

On thy houses southward wall,
Fraught with fruit celestial.

And about thy heaven-stor'd table,
Shall thy children amiable,

Stand like olive plants around,

Fat and green in thriving ground.

4. Thus behold, the Lord hath spoke it,
He who never will revoke it,
Shall the man be blessed still,

That fears God, and doth his will.

5. God shall bless thee out of Sion,
And thou still shalt feast thine eye on
Salem's joy, and Salem's wealth,
Salem's good and saving health.

6. Thou shalt view, and joy in viewing,
Thy son's sons thy name renewing;
And calm peace to rest, and dwell
Still on God's own Israel.

1

PSALM CXXXIII.

By Joseph Bryan.

1. O BEHOLD with admiration

What great good and contentation,
And what joy it is to see
Brethren's love and amity.

2. It is like that balmy ointment, Consecrate by God's appointment,

And still used to be shed

Upon Aaron's sacred head;
Which unto his beard distilling,
And along his vesture trilling,
Did embalm the very hem,

And the nether skirts of them.

3. As the dew, so fat, so pearly,
Waters Hermon late and early,
Clothing Sion's sacred hill
Like to Ver, and Flora still.

4. So, where the kind band is holden

Firmly, still the age is golden:

« AnteriorContinuar »