While sorrow wrings my bleeding heart, And black despondence reigns,

Satan exults at my complaints,

And triumphs o'er my pains.

Let thy returning spirit, Lord,
Dispel the shades of night;
Smile on my poor deserted soul,
My God, thy smiles are light.

While scoffers at thy sacred word
Deride the pangs I feel,
Deem my religion insincere,
Or call it useless zeal.

Yet will I ne'er repent my choice,
I'll ne'er withdraw my trust;
I know thee, Lord, a pow'rful friend,
And kind, and wise, and just.

To doubt thy goodness would be base

Ingratitude in me;

Past favours shall renew my hopes,
And fix my faith in thee.

4

Indulgent God! my willing tongue
Thy praises shall prolong;

For oh! thy bounty fires my breast,
And rapture swells my song.

COTTON

PSALM XV.*

LORD, who's the happy man that may

To thy blest courts repair,

Not, stranger-like, to visit them,

But to inhabit there?

'Tis he, who ev'ry thought and deed

By rules of virtue moves;

Whose gen'rous tongue disdains to speak

The things his heart disproves :

Who never did a slander forge,

His neighbour's fame to wound;

Or hearken to a false report,

By malice whisper'd round:

*THE fifteenth psalm is admirably translated by Mr. Tate the last verse in particular is beautiful and sublime; though the classical reader will see that the translator had his eye on the "Si fractus illabatur orbis" of Horace.-Dr. GREGORY.

Who vice, in all its pomp and pow'r,
Can treat with just neglect,

And piety, though cloth'd in rags,
Religiously respect :

Who to his plighted vows and trust
Has ever firmly stood;

And tho' he promise to his loss,
He makes his promise good:

Whose soul in usury disdains
His treasure to employ ;
Whom no rewards can ever bribe,
The guiltless to destroy.

The man, who by this steady course

Has happiness insur'd,

When earth's foundation shakes, shall stand

By Providence secur❜d.

NEW VERSION.

PSALM XVI.

The Psalmist beautifully expresseth his sole dependence on Jehovah his God; his contempt of all

profane divinities; his thankfulness for the good things already received, and his firm hope of future favour and protection.-GEDDES.

FATHER of all my soul defend;
On thee my stedfast hopes depend;
"Thou, mightiest Lord, and none beside,
"Thou art my God," my heart has cry'd.

In vain, with grateful zeal I burn
Thy boundless goodness to return;
In vain, would gifts by me bestow'd
Augment the treasures of my God.

Yet shall my love on all descend,
Whose souls to thy decrees attend,
My heart's desire to each incline,
Whose saint-like virtue marks him thine

Thee, Lord, my patrimony, thee
The portion of my cup I see;

In all my acts, in each intent,

Thee to my soul my thoughts present.

Thee let me bless, the faithful guide,
Whose counsels o'er my life preside;

Whose sure

defence my gate has barr'd, And planted on my right a guard.

Each blessing by thy care secur'd,
Life's choicest gifts around me pour'd;
For this my heart, for this my tongue
Shall meditate the joyful song.

MERRICK.

PSALM XVII.

This psalm appears to have been composed, when David was persecuted by Saul, and obliged to take refuge in the most inaccessible places. It is entitled a prayer of David.

There are many hard passages in this otherwise beautiful psalm; which it is not easy to render; and which cannot, and ought not to be literally rendered.-GEDDES.

E