PSALM IV.* THOU witness of my truth sincere, Thou hast my soul from thrall releas'd. * THE pious, learned, and eloquent Joseph Hall, Bishop of Norwich, has translated the first ten psalms, under the quaint title of" A few of David's Psalms metaphrased for a taste of the rest;" from these I have made choice of the 4th, which is very affectingly rendered. This eminent prelate was born in 1574, and died in 1656. † Bishop Hall and Archbishop Parker were not strangers to persecution, and in some of the psalms of affliction, if they have failed to do justice to the beauties of the poetry, they have at least entered deeply into the feelings of David in his days of adversity, when he was desolate, and in misery; when the sorrows of his heart were enlarged." Psalm xxv. 15, 16. He was indeed a most patient + See his short but interesting life of himself, prefixed to the folio edition of his works. Favour me still, and deign to hear Still will ye love what thing is vain, And seek false hopes? know then at last That God hath chose, and will maintain His favourite, whom ye disgrac'd. God will regard my instant moan; Oh! tremble then, and cease offending, sufferer, knowing that "whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." "As for this earthly trash," (says this excellent man, in one of his beautiful tracts,) "and the vaine delights of the flesh, which we have so fondly doted on; we cannot carry them indeed away with us, but the sting of the guilty mis-enjoying of them will be sure to stick by us; and, to our sorrow, attend us both in death and judgment; in summe therefore, if we would be truly contented, and happy, our hearts can never be enough enlarged in our desires of spiritual and heavenly things, never too much contracted in earthly."Of Contentation, Sect. 23. our desires of And on your silent bed alone Talk with your hearts, your ways amending. Offer the truest sacrifice Of broken hearts; on God besetting Your only trust: the most devise The ways of worldly treasure getting. But thou, O Lord, lift up to me Than their's with all their corn, and wine. So I in peace shall lay me down, While thou, O Lord, shalt me alone From dangers all securely keep. BISHOP HALL. PSALM V. Seems to have been composed during the rebellion of Absalom. There is nothing obscure in this beautiful psalm.-GEDDES. PSALM VIII.* O KING eternal and divine! * CHRISTOPHER Pitt, Rector of Pimperne, Dorsetshire, to whose Muse my reader owes some of the best psalms in this collection, is the well-known translator of the Æneid, and of Vida. His life has been written by Dr. Johnson, and concludes with the following simple and interesting inscription on his tomb-stone at Blandford: In Memory of Chr. Pitt, Clerk, M. A. for his talents in poetry; for the universal candour of his mind, and the primitive simplicity of his manners. He lived innocent, and died beloved, Apr. 13, 1748, How far extends thy mighty name! That sun thy wonders shall proclaim, The infant's tongue shall speak thy pow'r, And vindicate thy laws; The tongue that never spoke before, For when I lift my thoughts and eyes, Who in their dance attend the moon, And pour, around her silver throne, Their tributary light: Lord! what is mortal man, that he Thy kind regard should share, And challenges thy care? Next to the blest Angelic kind,'. Thy hands created man, And this inferiour world assign'd, To dignify his span. |