I have called upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O G.o.d: Incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest them which put their trust in thee From those that rise up against them, by thy right hand.

Keep me as the apple of the eye, Hide me under the shadow of thy wings.

As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

--_Psalm 17_.

{26}

A SONG OF DELIVERANCE.

In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried unto my G.o.d: He heard my voice out of his temple, And my cry before him came into his ears.

Then the earth shook and trembled, The foundations also of the mountains moved And were shaken, because he was wroth.

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals were kindled by it.

He bowed the heavens also, and came down; And thick darkness was under his feet.

And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: Yea, he flew swiftly upon the wings of the wind.

He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion round about him; Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

At the brightness before him his thick clouds pa.s.sed, Hailstones and coals of fire.

The Lord also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered his voice; Hailstones and coals of fire.

And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; Yea, lightnings manifold, and discomfited them. {27} Then the channels of waters appeared, And the foundations of the world were laid bare, At thy rebuke, O Lord, At the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

He sent from on high, he took me; He drew me out of many waters.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, And from them that hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

I love thee, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My G.o.d, my strong rock, in him will I trust; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies.

The cords of death compa.s.sed me, And the floods of unG.o.dliness made me afraid.

The cords of Sheol were round about me: The snares of death came upon me.

They came upon me in the day of my calamity: But the Lord was my stay.

He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my G.o.d.

For all his judgments were before me, {28} And I put not away his statutes from me.

I was also perfect with him, And I kept myself from mine iniquity.

Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; With the perfect man thou wilt shew thyself perfect; With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; And with the perverse thou wilt shew thyself froward.

For thou wilt save the afflicted people; But the haughty eyes thou wilt bring down.

For thou wilt light my lamp: The Lord my G.o.d will lighten my darkness.

For by thee I run upon a troop; And by my G.o.d do I leap over a wall.

As for G.o.d, his way is perfect: The word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield unto all them that trust in him.

For who is G.o.d, save the Lord?

And who is a rock, beside our G.o.d?

The G.o.d that girdeth me with strength, And maketh my way perfect.

He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: And setteth me upon my high places.

The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the G.o.d of my salvation: Even the G.o.d that executeth vengeance for me, {29} And subdueth peoples under me.

He rescueth me from mine enemies: Yea, thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me; Thou deliverest me from the violent man.

Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the nations, And will sing praises unto thy name.

Great deliverance giveth he to his king, And showeth lovingkindness to his anointed, To David and to his seed, for evermore.

--_Psalm 18:1-33,46-50_.

{30}

SONG OF THE EARTH AND SKY.

The heavens declare the glory of G.o.d; And the firmament sheweth his handiwork.

Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night sheweth knowledge.

There is no speech nor language; Their voice cannot be heard.

Their line is gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.

In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course.

His going forth is from the end of the heaven, And his circuit unto the ends of it: And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul: The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: The judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: {31} Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is thy servant warned: In keeping of them there is great reward.

Who can understand his errors?

Clear thou me from hidden faults.

Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be perfect, And I shall be clear from great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

--_Psalm 19_.

{32}

OUR TRUST IS IN G.o.d

The Lord answer thee in the day of trouble: The name of the G.o.d of Jacob set thee up on high; Send thee help from the sanctuary, And strengthen thee out of Zion; Remember all thy offerings, And accept thy burnt sacrifice; Grant thee thy heart's desire, And fulfil all thy counsel.

We will triumph in thy salvation, And in the name of our G.o.d we will set up our banners: The Lord fulfil all thy pet.i.tions.

Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; He will answer him from his holy heaven With the saving strength of his right hand.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: But we will make mention of the name of the Lord our G.o.d.

They are bowed down and fallen: But we are risen, and stand upright.

--_Psalm 20:1-8_.

{33}{34}

[Ill.u.s.tration]

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside the still waters"

[End ill.u.s.tration]

{35}

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me: Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

--_Psalm 23_.