1 Curst with deceitful joy his sottish heart,
His soul with fancied happiness alert,
His flagrant guilt against the wicked cries;
There is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 With soothing plea and artful argument
He lulls his conscience to a false content;
In vain his crimes are of the blackest die,
And call for dreadful vengeance from on high.
3 For lo! his tongue is tipt with frauds and lies,
Him to deceive, who on his faith relies;
In wordly craft he chuses to excel,
And with celestial wisdom shuns to dwell.
4 Averse to goodness is his headstrong will,
E'en on his downy bed he studies ill;
With eyes askance the paths of virtue views,
And 'gainst his better mind the worse pursues.
5 While thy great mercy, Lord, the heav'ns above,
And all thy works, and all thy creatures prove.
6 For higher than the highest hills, does show
Thy goodness deeper, than the depths below.
Thy goodness, which the sons of men sustains,
And all the hearts that range the wilds and plains.
7 Who can thy great beneficence express,
The various gifts with which thy mercies bless?
E'en while with gratitude thy love he sings,
Man rests beneath the shadow of thy wings.
8 On him thou nameless bounties dost bestow;
To him the rivers of thy pleasures flow;
9 From thee life's fountain springs; from thee a ray
The mind illumes, and spreads eternal day.
10 O still the blessings of thy love impart
To all that serve thee with a perfect heart;
11 Me from th' insulting heel of pride defend;
'Gainst the destroying hand assistance lend;
12 Soon let them feel the vengeance of thy pow'r,
And fall so low, that they may rise no more.
Source: New Version of the Psalms of David #XXXVI