Psalm 145:3. 7 &c. Second Part.
The goodness of God.
1 Sweet is the memory of thy grace,
My God, my heavenly king;
Let age to age thy righteousness
In sounds of glory sing.
2 God reigns on high, but not confines
His goodness to the skies;
Thro’ the whole earth his bounty shines,
And every want supplies.
3 With longing eyes thy creatures wait
On thee for daily food,
Thy liberal hand provides their meat
And fills their mouths with good.
4 How kind are thy compassions, Lord!
How slow thine anger moves!
But soon he sends his pardoning word
To cheer the souls he loves.
5 Creatures, with all their endless race, Thy power and praise proclaim; But saints that taste thy richer grace Delight to bless thy Name.
Psalm 145:4. 14 17 &c. Third Part.
Mercy to sufferers; or, God hearing prayer.
1 Let every tongue thy goodness speak,
Thou sovereign Lord of all;
Thy strengthening hands uphold the weak,
And raise the poor that fall.
2 When sorrow bows the spirit down,
Or virtue lies distrest
Beneath some proud oppressor’s frown,
Thou giv’st the mourners rest.
3 The Lord supports our tottering days,
And guides our giddy youth;
Holy and just are all his ways,
And all his words are truth.
4 He knows the pains his servants feel,
He hears his children cry,
And their best wishes to fulfil
His grace is ever nigh.
5 His mercy never shall remove
From men of heart sincere;
He saves the souls whose humble love
Is join’d with holy fear.
6 [His stubborn foes his sword shall slay, And pierce their hearts with pain; But none that serve the Lord shall say, “They sought his aid in vain.”]
7 [My lips shall dwell upon his praise,
And spread his fame abroad;
Let all the sons of Adam raise
The honours of their God.]
Psalm 146:1. L. M.
Praise to God for his goodness and truth.
1 Praise ye the Lord, my heart shall join
In work so pleasant, so divine,
Now, while the flesh is mine abode,
And when my soul ascends to God.
2 Praise shall employ my noblest powers,
While immortality endures;
My days of praise shall ne’er be past,
While life and thought and being last.
3 Why should I make a man my trust? Princes must die and turn to dust; Their breath departs, their pomp and power And thoughts, all vanish in an hour.
4 Happy the man whose hopes rely On Israel’s God: he made the sky, And earth and seas with all their train, And none shall find his promise vain.
5 His truth for ever stands secure; He saves th’ opprest, he feeds the poor; He sends the labouring conscience peace, And grants the prisoner sweet release.
6 The Lord hath eyes to give the blind;
The Lord supports the sinking mind;
He helps the stranger in distress,
The widow and the fatherless.


