Paraphrase Of The First Psalm
99 lines✦
he man, in life wherever plac’d,Hath happiness in store,Who walks not in the wicked’s way,Nor learns their guilty lore! Nor from the seat of scornful prideCasts forth his eyes abroad,But with humility and aweStill walks before his God. That man shall flourish like the trees,Which by the streamlets grow;The fruitful top is spread on high,And firm the root below. But he whose blossom buds in guiltShall to the ground be cast,And, like the rootless stubble, tostBefore the sweeping blast. For why? that God the good adore,Hath giv’n them peace and rest,But hath decreed that wicked menShall ne’er be truly blest. First Six Verses Of The Ninetieth Psalm Versified, The O Thou, the first, the greatest friendOf all the human race!Whose strong right hand has ever beenTheir stay and dwelling place! Before the mountains heav’d their headsBeneath Thy forming hand,Before this ponderous globe itselfArose at Thy command; That Pow’r which rais’d and still upholdsThis universal frame,From countless, unbeginning timeWas ever still the same. Those mighty periods of yearsWhich seem to us so vast,Appear no more before Thy sightThan yesterday that’s past. Thou giv’st the word: Thy creature, man,Is to existence brought;Again Thou say’st, “Ye sons of men,Return ye into nought!” Thou layest them, with all their cares,In everlasting sleep;As with a flood Thou tak’st them offWith overwhelming sweep. They flourish like the morning flow’r,In beauty’s pride array’d;But long ere night cut down it liesAll wither’d and decay’d. Prayer, In The Prospect Of Death O Thou unknown, Almighty CauseOf all my hope and fear!In whose dread presence, ere an hour,Perhaps I must appear! If I have wander’d in those pathsOf life I ought to shun,As something, loudly, in my breast,Remonstrates I have done; Thou know’st that Thou hast formed meWith passions wild and strong;And list’ning to their witching voiceHas often led me wrong. Where human weakness has come short,Or frailty stept aside,Do Thou, All-Good—for such Thou art—In shades of darkness hide. Where with intention I have err’d,No other plea I have,But, Thou art good; and Goodness stillDelighteth to forgive. Stanzas, On The Same Occasion Why am I loth to leave this earthly scene?Have I so found it full of pleasing charms?Some drops of joy with draughts of ill between—Some gleams of sunshine ’mid renewing storms,Is it departing pangs my soul alarms?Or death’s unlovely, dreary, dark abode?For guilt, for guilt, my terrors are in arms:I tremble to approach an angry God,And justly smart beneath His sin-avenging rod. Fain would I say, “Forgive my foul offence,”Fain promise never more to disobey;But, should my Author health again dispense,Again I might desert fair virtue’s way;Again in folly’s part might go astray;Again exalt the brute and sink the man;Then how should I for heavenly mercy prayWho act so counter heavenly mercy’s plan?Who sin so oft have mourn’d, yet to temptation ran? O Thou, great Governor of all below!If I may dare a lifted eye to Thee,Thy nod can make the tempest cease to blow,Or still the tumult of the raging sea:With that controlling pow’r assist ev’n me,Those headlong furious passions to confine,For all unfit I feel my pow’rs to be,To rule their torrent in th’ allowed line;O, aid me with Thy help, Omnipotence Divine! 1782
✦