PSALlyi$.LXXVIII. LXXX. 83 PSALM LXXVIII. PART III. The punishment of luxury and intem- perance: or, chastisement and salva- tion. 1 WHEN Israel sins, the Lord reproves, And fills their hearts with dread, Yet he forgives the men he loves, And sends them heav'nly bread. s He fed themwith a lib'ral hand. And made his treasures known: He gave themidnight clouds command To pour provisions down. 3 The manna, like a morning show',, Lay thick around their feet; The corn of heav'n so light, so pure, As tho' 'twere angels meat. 4 But they in murm's ing language said ' Manna is all our feast; " We loathe this light, this airy bread; " We must have fleshto taste." 6 "Ye shall have flesh to please your lust," The Lord in wrath reply'd; And sent them quails like sand or dust, Heap'd up from side to side. 6 He gave them all their own desire: And greedy as they fed, His vengeance burnt with secret fire, And smote the rebels dead. 7 When some were slain, the rest re turn'd, And sought the Lord with tears ; Under the rod they fear'd and mourn'd, But soon forgot their fears. 8 Oft he chastis'd and still forgave, Till by his gracious hand The nation he resolv'd to save, Possess'd the promis'd land. PSALM LXXVIII. 32, RC. PART IV. Backsliding and forgiveness or, sin punished and saints saved. 1 GREAT God, how oft did Israel prove By turns thine anger and thy love? There in a glass our hearts may see How fickle and how false they be. 2 How soon the faithless Jews forgot The dreadful wondersGod had wrought! Then they provoke him to his face, Nor fear his pow'r, nor trust his grace. a The Lord consum'dtheir years in pain, And made their travels long and vain ; A tedious march thro' unknown ways, Wore outtheirstrength, and spent their days. 4 Oft when they saw their brethren. slain, They mourn'd and sought the Lord again; Call'd him the rock of their abode, Their high Redeemer and their God. 5 Their pray'rs and vows before him rise, As flatt'ring words or solemn lies, While their rebellious tempers prove False to his cov'nant and bis love. 6 Yet did his sov'reign grace forgive The men who not deserv'd to live ; His anger oft away he turn'd, Or else with gentle flames it burn'd. 7 He saw their flesh was weak and frail, He saw temptations still prevail ; The God of Abraham lov d them still, And led them to his holy hill. PSALM LXXX. The church's prayer under affliction ; or, the vineyard of God wasted. t GREAT Shepherd of thine Israel, Who didst between the cherubs dwell, And led the tribes, thy chosen sheep, Safe thro' the desert and the deep. I Thy church is in the desert now, Shine from on high, and guide us thro'; Turn us to thee, thy love restore; We shall be sav'd, and sigh no more. 3 Great God, whom heav'nly hosts obey, How long shall we lament and pray, And wait in vain thy kind return How long shall thy fierce anger burn? 4 Instead of wine and cheerful bread, Thy saints with their own tears are fed ; Turn us to thee, thy love restore: We shall be sav'd, and sigh no more. PAUSE I. 5 Hast thou not planted with thy hands A lovely vine in heathen lands ? Did not thy pow'r defend it round, And heav'nly dews enrich the ground? 6 How did the spreading branches shoot,, And bless the nations with the fruit? Butnow, dear Lord, lookdown and see, Thy mourning vine, that lovely tree. 7 Why is its beauty thusdefac'd? Whyhast thou laid her fences waste ? Strangers and foes against her join, And ev'ry beast devoursthy vine. 8 Return, Almighty God, return; Nor let thy bleeding vineyard mourn ; Turn us to thee, thy love restore ; We shall be sav'd, and sigh no more. PAUSE II. 9 Lord, whenthis vine in Canaan grew, Thou wast its strength and glory too! Attack'd in vain by all its foes, Till their fair Branch of Promise rose. 10 Fair Branch, ordain'd of old to shoot From David'sstock, from Jacob's root Himself a noble vine and we The lesser branches of the tree. 11 'Tis thine own Son,and heshall stand, Girt with thy strength at thy right - hand, Thy first-born Son adorn'd and bleat With grace and pow'r above the rest. r 2
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