To my just Plea and sad Complaint (Hopkinson)

Verse 1

To my just Plea and sad Complaint, Attend, O righteous LORD! And to my Pray'r, which is unfeign'd, A gracious Ear afford. As thou my Ways hast seen, And I have upright been, So let my righteous Sentence be; For I resign my Cause to thee.

Verse 2

Thou, LORD, hast search'd my Heart by Day, And visited by Night; And on the strictest Trial found Its secret Motions right; Nor shalt thou only find My Heart to Good inclin'd, For I have purpos'd that my Tongue Shall be restrain'd and speak no Wrong.

Verse 3

I know what wicked Men would do, Their Safety to maintain; But me thy just and mild Commands, From bloody Paths restrain. That from thy righteous Way My Soul may never stray; Do thou my Innocence secure, And make my Footsteps ever sure.

Verse 4

Since heretofore I ne'er in vain To Thee my Pray'r address'd, O now, my GOD, incline thine Ear To this my just Request. The Wonders of thy Love Let me, thy Servant prove, Thou whose Right-hand doth oft engage, To quell the bold Oppressor's Rage.

Verse 5

Oh! keep me in thy tend'rest Care! Thy shelt'ring Wing stretch out, To guard me safe from savage Foes, That compass me about. Their wicked Tongues blaspheme, O LORD! thy holy Name, Enclos'd in their own Fat they lie, And GOD, and Man, at once defy.

Verse 6

Well may they boast, for they have now Encompass'd me around, Their Eyes at watch, their Bodies bow'd And couching on the Ground: In Treach'ry they engage, Or, like the Lion rage, When greedy searching for his Prey, He lurks within a Covert Way.

Verse 7

Arise, O LORD! defeat their Plots, Their swelling Rage controul: From wicked Men, who are thy Sword, Deliver thou my Soul: From Men who still employ Their Thoughts in worldly Joy; Who find their Portion's here below, And seek no higher Bliss to know.

Verse 8

Their Race is num'rous, that partake Their Substance while they live; Their Heirs survive, to whom they may The vast Remainder give. But in thy heav'nly Grace, I'll seek thy glorious Face, And when I 'wake, with Joy shall find, Thy Image dwelling in my Mind. reflected in my Soul.