Come and hear the sacred story

I. Come and hear the sacred Story,
All who have a Mind to learn,
What's their Life, Reward and Glory,
Who the Christian Title earn;
Who, in ev'ry Word and Deed,
Shew forth Christ, who for 'em bled;
Honour God, and freely labour
For the Service of their Neighbour.

II. Blessed are the poor in Spirit,
Who Humility possess;
And disclaim their own Self-Merit,
Conscious of their Nothingness;
Who to God ascribe all Praise,
Resting on him all their Days.
To such humble Souls, in Heaven
Crowns eternal shall be given.

III. Blessed are the secret Mourners
For Corruption yet within,
And for all the Mocks that Scorners
Make at the Deserts to Sin.
God who numbers all their Tears,
All their Sighs, and all their Pray'rs,
Will remove those sweet Lamenters,
Where no Sin nor Sorrow enters.

IV. Blest, who in a scorn'd Condition,
Bowing to the sacred Rod,
Meekly bears the Fool's Derision,
And the Insults of the Proud;
Leaving Vengeance to the Lord;
And obeying still his Word.
To the Meek the Earth is given,
And the brightest Crowns in Heaven.

V. Blest are those who thirst and hunger
For the Sweets of Righteousness;
And in Grace grow daily stronger;
And in all their Ways confess
Truth and Love that well agree
With the Dove's Simplicity;
Hating Fraud and all Extortion,
Sweetest Plenty is their Portion.

VI. Blest are Those, who with Compassion,
See their Fellow-Creatures Grief;
And with Joy embrace th' Occasion
To administer Relief.
For God's saving Love and Care
Putting up a fervent Pray'r.
Such in Heav'n firm Root have taken,
And shall never be forsaken.

VII. Blest are Those, who from Subjection
To the Tyrant Lust are free;
And with chast and pure Affection
Follow Truth and Purity:
Who renounce the Sway of Sense
For the Bands of Continence.
Such shall have an endless Treasure
Of the purest Love and Pleasure.

VIII. Blest are Those, whose pious Labours
Truth and Unity and Peace
To establish with their Neighbours
Never vary, never cease.
Whose Behaviour still is seen
Calm and steady and serene.
These blest Mortals shall inherit
Richest Unctions of the Spirit.

IX. Blest are Those who in Affliction
Yield to Heav'n and kiss the rode,
Without Pride or Contradiction;
Fearing still and praising God.
Such shall in the sharpest Wrath
Taste God's Goodness; and when Death
Has from ev'ry Grief unbound 'em,
Joys eternal shall surround 'em.

X. Lord, with all those splendid Graces
O, this Day, my wishes crown.
Cover me with thy Embraces;
And O! make me all thy own.
Grant me true Humility,
And an ardent Love for Thee.
Bring my Foes to equal Measures;
And bless them too with these Treasures.

XI. Give me Grace, in all Conditions
Firmly to adhere to Thee;
And in all the Exhibitions
Of thy bounteous Hand to me,
To let my poor Neighbour share
In my Plenty and my Pray'r.
O my God, let me inherit
All thy Graces of thy Spirit.

Source: Psalmodia Germanica: or, The German Psalmody: translated from the high Dutch together with their proper tunes and thorough bass (2nd ed., corr. and enl.) #75