Psalm XXXI

Verse 1

Lord, in thy great, thy glorious name, I place my hope, my only trust; Save me from sorrow, guilt and shame, Thou ever-gracious, ever-just.

Verse 2

Attentive bow thy pitying ear, Let mercy fly to my relief, Be thou my refuge, ever near, A sure defence from all my grief.

Verse 3

Thou art my rock, thy name alone The fortress where my hopes retreat; O make thy pow'r and mercy known, To safety guide my trembling feet.

Verse 4

Preserve me from the fatal snare Of secret foes, who plot my fall; And make my life thy tender care, My God, my strength, my hope, my all.

Verse 5

To thy kind hand, O gracious Lord, My soul I chearfully resign; My Saviour God, I trust thy word, For truth, immortal truth is thine.

Verse 6

I hate their works, I hate their ways, Who follow vanity and lies; But to the Lord my hopes I raise, And trust his pow'r who built the skies.

Verse 7

In thee, my God, I will rejoice, While mercy makes my soul her care; For thou hast heard my mournful voice, In all my sorrows God was near.

Verse 8

Thou hast not left my life to groan, Where chains and tyrant foes oppress; Enlarg'd by thee, my feet have known The sweets of liberty and peace.

Verse 9

Thy wonted mercy, Lord, renew, See how my inward troubles rise; My melting soul with pity view, And these dejected weeping eyes.

Verse 10

My life is spent in grief and tears, In sighs my hours roll slow away, My strength decays, while sins and fears Sink all my frame in deep decay.

Verse 11

While black reproaches blot my fame, And neighbors join with cruel foes, My friends who now forget the name, With horror fly, and shun my woes:

Verse 12

'Till from their memory I slide, And sink in dark oblivion's shade, A broken vessel thrown aside, And mix unheeded with the dead.

Verse 13

I heard the cruel slander rise, While foes and fears beset me round; I heard the murd'rous bands devise To crush me helpless to the ground.

Verse 14

But I have trusted in thy name, O Lord, my hope, my fix'd abode; And still avow'd my humble claim, (O sweet support!) thou art my God.

Verse 15

My life, my all, is in thy hand; Let thy almighty pow'r controul The rage of this remorseless band, And save my persecuted soul.

Verse 16

O let thy favour, bliss divine! Thy smile with heav'nly radiance break, And round thy fainting servant shine; O save me for thy mercy's sake.

Verse 17

Leave not my hope to sink in shame, God of my pray'r, in whom I trust; Let wicked men, who hate thy name, Lose all their glory in the dust.

Verse 18

Deep in the grave be lying tongues In everlasting silence laid, Whose proud disdain, and sland'rous wrongs, The injur'd innocent invade.

Verse 19

What endless bliss, o bounteous Lord, (Immensely great, divinely free!) Hast thou reserv'd for their reward, Who fear thy name, and trust in thee?

Verse 20

Thy gracious hand shall near thee hide These happy fav'rites of thy care; Safe at thy feet they shall abide, Nor pride, nor slander reach them there.

Verse 21

Blest be the Lord, forever blest, Whose mercy bids my fears remove; The sacred walls which guard my rest, Are his almighty pow'r and love.

Verse 22

I rashly said, I sink, I die, Cut off, abandon'd to despair; Yet thou, my God, hast heard my cry, And gracious answer'd all my pray'r.

Verse 23

Ye saints, to whom his mercy flows, O love, for ever love the Lord; While on the proud his hand bestows, A dreadful, and a just reward.

Verse 24

Ye humble souls, who seek his face, Let sacred courage fill your heart; Hope in the Lord, and trust his grace, And he shall heav'nly strength impart.