1 Though wicked Men grow rich or great,
Yet let not their successful State,
Thy Anger or thy Envy, raise;
Howe'er they boast of blissful Days:
For they cut down like tender Grass,
Shall find their Glories quickly pass;
Or like a Flow'r that droops its Head,
Whose Beauty soon begins to fade.
2 Depend on GOD, and Him obey,
So thou within the Land shalt stay;
Secure from Danger, and from Want,
And he shall thy Petitions grant:
Make His Commands thy chief Delight,
And then thy Duty to requite;
To thee in Mercy he'll impart,
The secret Wishes of thy Heart.
3 In all thy Ways trust thou the Lord,
And he will needful Help afford;
All thy Concerns to him resign,
Who'll perfect ev'ry just Design:
He'll make, as Light, serene and clear,
Thy clouded Innocence appear;
And will thy Righteousness display,
Bright as the Sun's meridian Ray.
4 With quiet Mind on GOD depend,
And patiently for him attend;
Nor let it e'er thy Anger raise,
When those who follow sinful Ways,
With large Possessions still abound,
And with Prosperity are crown'd;
But let thy Soul at once despise
Them and the Plots which they devise.
5 From Anger cease, and Wrath forsake;
Let no ungovern'd Passion make
Thy wav'ring Heart espouse their Crime.
But trust in GOD, and wait his Time;
For he shall sinful Men destroy;
Whilst only they the Land enjoy,
Who humbly seek the LORD most high,
And with firm Hope on him rely.
6 How soon shall wicked Men decay!
Their Place shall vanish quite away;
Nor shall, by the strictest Search, be seen,
The Traces where thy once have been:
Whilst humble Souls possess the Earth,
Rejoicing still with Godly Mirth;
With Plenty they shall still abound,
With gentle Peace be ever crown'd.
Part II
7 While sinful Crouds, with false Design,
Against the righteous few combine,
And gnash their Teeth, and daring stand,
To shake the vengeful threat'ning Hand;
GOD shall their empty Plots deride,
And laugh at their defeated pride;
And while his Justice they defy,
He sees their utter Ruin nigh.
8 They draw the Sword, and bend the Bow,
The Poor and Needy to o'erthrow;
They practise Mischief ev'ry Day,
The Men of upright Lives to slay:
But their strong Bows shall soon be broke,
Their sharpen'd Weapon's mortal Stroke,
Shall back to their own Bosoms turn,
And make their Hearts with Anguish burn.
9 A little, with God's Favour bless'd,
That's by a righteous Man possess'd,
Is always to be valued more
Than all the Sinner's costly Store:
For GOD supports the just Man's Cause;
But as for those that break his Laws,
On them he will his Vengeance show'r
And quell their unsuccessful Pow'r.
10 His constant Care the Upright guides,
And over all their Life presides;
Their Portion shall for ever last;
Their Fruits of Plenty they shall taste;
And when Distress o'erwhelms the Earth,
Shall be unmov'd; and ev'n in Dearth,
The LORD shall all their Wants supply,
And make their Hearts o'erflow with Joy.
11 Not so the wicked Men, and those,
Who proudly dare GOD's Will oppose:
Destruction is their certain Lot;
Their very Names shall be forgot:
Like Fat of Lambs, their Hopes and they
Shall in an Instant melt away;
Like Smoke, that vanishes in Air,
So shall they quickly disappear.
Part III
12 While Sinners, brought to sad Decay,
Still borrow on, and never pay;
The Just have Pow'r and Will to give,
And shall in flowing Plenty live:
For such as GOD vouchsafes to bless,
Shall peaceably the Earth possess;
And those he curses, shall not stand,
But fall by his Almighty Hand,
13 The good Man's Way is GOD's Delight;
He orders all the Steps aright,
Of him, who moves by his Command,
And still upholds him with his Hand:
Though he sometimes may be distress'd,
Yet shall he ne'er be quite oppress'd;
Since GOD with Help is always nigh,
For those who on his Pow'r rely.
14 Though Age doth o'er my Youth prevail,
Yet saw I ne'er the Righteous fail,
Or Want o'ertake his num'rous Race;
GOD made his offspring's Wealth increase;
Because Compassion fill'd his Heart,
And he did chearfully impart,
Thus GOD in Mercy is inclin'd;
To those who keep a gen'rous Mind.
15 With Caution shun each wicked Deed,
In virtuous Ways with Zeal proceed,
For GOD, who Judgment loves, does still
Preserve his Saints secure from Ill;
And never will forsake the Just,
Who place in him their only Trust;
But wicked Men shall soon decay,
And like vain Shadows pass away.
16 The Upright shall possess the Land,
His Portion shall for ever stand;
The Lord shall his Protection be,
And he shall walk from Danger free;
His Tongue by Rules of Judgment moves;
His Heart the Law of God approves;
His Mouth with Wisdom is supply'd,
And his sure Steps shall never slide.
Part IV
17 In wait the watchful Sinner lies,
In Hopes the Righteous to surprize;
But all his Schemes must prove in vain,
For he shall not his Purpose gain;
God will not him defenceless leave,
But when he's judged will reprieve;
His Faults in Mercy he will see,
And From Destruction set him free.
18 Still on the LORD with Hope rely,
And he shall all thy Wants supply;
Wait thou on him, keep his Command,
And then exalted in the Land,
A large Possession thou shalt gain,
And from thy Foes secure remain:
While wicked Men destroy'd shall be,
And thou their dismal Fall shalt see.
19 The Wicked I in Pow'r have seen,
And like a Bay-Tree fresh and green,
That spreads its pleasant Branches round,
Ev'n so was he with Plenty crown'd;
But he was gone as quick as Thought,
And, tho' I diligently fought,
Yet could I, by no Sign or Trace,
Or any Mark, find out his Place.
20 Observe the perfect Man with Care,
And mark all such as upright are;
Their roughest Days in Peace shall end,
And happy Hours on them attend:
Whilst on the latter End of those,
Who dare GOD's holy Will oppose,
A common Ruin, soon or late,
Shall surely be their dismal Fate.
21 GOD, to the Just will Help afford,
Their only Safe-guard is the LORD;
Their Strength in Time of Need is he,
Who will from Danger set them free:
Because on him they still depend,
The LORD will timely Succour send:
The Wicked thus shall ne'er prevail,
Nor shall the Righteous ever fail.
Source: The Psalms of David: with the Ten Commandments, Creed, Lord's Prayer, &c. in metre...for the use of the Reformed Protestant Dutch church of the city of New York #XXXVII
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