Part 43 (1/2)

1 The lord, the sovereign King, Hath fix'd his throne on high; O'er all the heavenly world he rules, And all beneath the sky.

2 Ye angels great in might, And swift to do his will, Bless ye the Lord, whose voice ye hear, Whose pleasure ye fulfil.

3 Let the bright hosts who wait The orders of their King, And guard his churches when they pray, Join in the praise they sing.

4 While all his wondrous works, Thro' his vast kingdoms shew Their Maker's glory, thou, my soul, Shalt sing his graces too.

Psalm 104.

The glory of G.o.d in creation and providence.

1 My soul, thy great Creator praise; When cloth'd in his celestial rays He in full Majesty appears, And, like a robe, his glory wears.

Note, This psalm may be sung to the tune of the old 112th or 127th Psalm, by adding the two following lines to every stanza, viz.

Great is the Lord; what tongue can frame An equal honour to his Name?

Otherwise it must be sung as the 100th psalm.

2 The heavens are for his curtains spread, Th' unfathom'd deep he makes his bed; Clouds are his chariot, when he flies On winged storms across the skies.

3 Angels, whom his own breath inspires, His ministers are flaming fires; And swift as thought their armies move To bear his vengeance, or his love.

4 The world's foundations by his hand Are pois'd, and shall for ever stand; He binds the ocean in his chain, Lest it should drown the earth again.

5 When earth was cover'd with the flood, Which high above the mountains stood, He thunder'd, and the ocean fled, Confin'd to its appointed bed.

6 The swelling billows know their bound, And in their channels walk their round; Yet thence convey'd by secret veins, They spring on hills, and drench the plains.

7 He bids the crystal fountains flow, And cheer the vallies as they go; Tame heifers there their thirst allay, And for the stream wild a.s.ses bray.

8 From pleasant trees which shade the brink The lark and linnet light to drink; Their songs the lark and linnet raise; And chide our silence in his praise.

PAUSE I.

9 G.o.d from his cloudy cistern, pours On the parch'd earth enriching showers; The grove, the garden, and the field A thousand joyful blessings yield.

10 He makes the gra.s.sy food arise, And gives the cattle large supplies; With herbs for man of various power, To nourish nature, or to cure.

11 What n.o.ble fruit the vines produce!

The olive yields a s.h.i.+ning juice; Our hearts are cheer'd with gen'rous wine, With inward joy our faces s.h.i.+ne.

12 O bless his Name ye Britons, fed With nature's chief supporter, bread; While bread your vital strength imparts, Serve him with vigour in your hearts.

PAUSE II.

13 Behold the stately cedar stands, Rais'd in the forest by his hands: Birds to the boughs for shelter fly And build their nests secure on high.

14 To craggy hills ascends the goat; And at the airy mountain's foot The feebler creatures make their cell; He gives them wisdom where to dwell.

15 He sets the sun his circling race, Appoints the moon to change her face; And when thick darkness veils the day, Calls out wild beasts to hunt their prey.