The Hymn or Prayer Collected out of the One hundred forty and seventh Psalm.
O Thou great Lord of heaven and earth, [Ver. 5] thy power is great, and thy understanding infinite, thy goodnesse is incomprehensible, and thy mercy above all thy works, when I consider thy greatnesse, I tremble; when I look upon thy wisdom I admire, but as often as I look back upon thy good∣nesse and mercy I am animated to approach thy throne, and to pay that debt of thankfulnesse unto thee for thy providence over the whole world, and pecu∣liarly thy care and love extended to thy poor Church.
When the thirsty earth gasps for rain, thou coverest the heaven with clouds, [Ver. 8] and preparest to moisten it, thou clothest the mountains with grass, and blessest the valleys with plenty. There's not a beast to which thou givest not food, [Ver. 9] nor a bird of the aire, nor a fowle of heaven, no nor a young Raven that thou hearest not when they cry for want. [Ver. 15] Thy command is a Law, and thy word runs very swiftly. [ 16] When thou sayest the word in winter the Snow de∣scends like Wooll, [ 17] and the hoar-frost covers the earth like ashes, the waters cake into ice, and the rivers become stiff and run not. But thou again no sooner sends forth thy word in the Spring, but their hardnesse is dissolved, thou causest thy wind to blow, [ 18] and the waters flow.
Who, [Ver. 1] Lord, can consider these thy wayes without admiration, and ad∣miring, [Ver. 7] praise, and in praising sing unto thée with thanksgiving. O Lord, make it our work, for it is good; make it our delight, for it is pleasant; make it our labour, for it is comely; that must néeds become us, which becomes thy Angels and Saints in heaven, whose joy it is day and night to sing pray∣ses to thy holy name, for thy wondrous works of providence, wisdome, good∣nesse, [Ver. 11] and mercy toward the sons of men, but especially for thy love and protection over that people that fear thée, and hope in thy mercy.
Gracious God consider their afflictions, and how that at this time a prin∣cipal member groans under the Crosse, thy Temples are cast down, thy houses of prayer destroyed, thy people scattered on the mountains as shéep that have no shepherd. [Ver. 2] O then build, restore, and confirme once more Je∣rusalem, [Ver. 3] and gather together unto her the outcasts of Israel. Heal those that are broken in heart, and binde up, as a good Physitian the merciless wounds they have received; [Ver. 4] these are stars in the firmament of thy Church, let them not wander up and down in shéeps skins and goats skins, being destitute, af∣flicted, and tormented for ever, their number thou knowest, call them all then by their names, and though now obscured, yet let them shine again in thy Church. [Ver. 6] These are méek in heart, and poor in spirit, look to them. O Lord, and lift them up; and execute thy just wrath against their oppressors, and cast the wicked who with a proud hand insult over them, down even to the ground.
Take pleasure, [Ver. 11] O Lord, in them that fear thee, and tremble at thy word, Page 529bring back thy banished, and build them a sure house, provide for them a City to dwell in, and strengthen the bars of the gates thereof, [Ver. 13] blesse her children within her. Make peace in her borders, and fill her with the finest of the wheat. [ 14]
But above all, shew thy word unto Jacob, [Ver. 19] and thy statutes and judgments unto Israel. And where thou hast not dealt so with other Nations, [Ver. 20] to reveal unto them the secret Mysteries of thy Gospel, open to us these glad-tydings, and inflame our hearts with the love of them, and give us grace to conform our lives unto them. For so shall Jerusalem praise thee, [Ver. 12] and Zion magnifie thy Name for ever and ever. Hallelujah, Hallelujah. Praise the Lord.
