Preface
The following extract from the Doctor’s Preface, as it contains the plan of his version of the Psalms, may be found useful:
“I come therefore to explain my own design, which is this, To accommodate the book of Psalms to Christian worship. And in order to do this, it is necessary to divest David and Asaph, &c. of every other character but that of a psalmist and a saint, and to make them always speak the common sense, and language of a Christian.
“Attempting the work with this view, I have entirely omitted several whole psalms, and large pieces of many others; and have chosen out of all of them, such parts only as might easily and naturally be accommodated to the various occasions of the Christian life, or at least might afford us some beautiful allusion to Christian affairs. These I have copied and explained in the general style of the gospel; nor have I confined my expressions to any particular party or opinion; that in words prepared for public worship, and for the lips of multitudes, there might not be a syllable offensive to sincere Christians, whose judgments may differ in the lesser matters of religion.
“Where the Psalmist uses sharp invectives against his personal enemies, I have endeavoured to turn the edge of them against our spiritual adversaries, sin, Satan, and temptation. Where the flights of his faith and love are sublime, I have often sunk the expressions within the reach of an ordinary Christian: where the words imply some peculiar wants or distresses, joys, or blessings, I have used words of greater latitude and comprehension, suited to the general circumstances of men.
“Where the original runs in the form of prophecy concerning Christ and his salvation, I have given an historical turn to the sense: there is no necessity that we should always sing in the obscure and doubtful style of prediction, when the things foretold are brought into open light by a full accomplishment. Where the writers of the New Testament have cited or alluded to any part the Psalms, I have often indulged the liberty of paraphrase, according to the words of Christ, or his Apostles. And surely this may be esteemed the word of God still, though borrowed from several parts of the Holy Scripture. Where the Psalmist describes religion by the fear of God, I have often joined faith and love to it. Where he speaks of the pardon of sin, through the mercies of God, I have added the merits of a Saviour. Where he talks of sacrificing goats or bullocks, I rather chuse to mention the sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God. When he attends the ark with shouting into Zion, I sing the ascension of my Saviour into heaven, or his presence in his church on earth. Where he promises abundance of wealth, honour, and long life, I have changed some of these typical blessings for grace, glory, and life eternal, which are brought to light by the gospel, and promised in the New Testament. And I am fully satisfied, that more honor is done to our blessed Saviour, by speaking his name, his graces, and actions, in his own language, according to the brighter discoveries he hath now made, than by going back again to the Jewish forms of worship, and the language of types and figures.”
Of chusing or finding the Psalm.
By consulting the Index at the end, any one may find hymns very proper for many occasions of the Christian life and worship; though no copy of David’s Psalter can provide for all, as I have shewn in the Preface to the large edition.
Or, if he remembers the first line of any Psalm, the Table of the first lines will direct where to find it.
Of singing in course.
If any shall think it best to sing the Psalms in order in churches or families, it may be done with profit, provided those Psalms be omitted that refer to special occurrences of nations, churches, or single Christians.
Of dividing the Psalms.
If the Psalm be too long for the time or custom of singing, there are pauses in many of them at which you may properly rest; or you may leave out those verses which are inclued with crotchets [ ], without disturbing the sense: or, in some places you may begin to sing at the pause.
THE Psalms of David,
In Metre.
Psalm 1:1. Common Metre, The way and end of the righteous and the wicked.
1 Blest is the man who shuns the place
Where sinners love to meet;
Who fears to tread their wicked ways,
And hates the scoffer’s seat:
2 But in the statutes of the Lord
Has plac’d his chief delight;
By day he reads or hears the word,
And meditates by night.
3 [He like a plant of generous kind,
By living waters set,
Safe from the storms and blasting wind,
Enjoys a peaceful state.]
4 Green as the leaf and ever fair
Shall his profession shine,
While fruits of holiness appear
Like clusters on the vine.
5 Not so the impious and unjust;
What vain designs they form!
Their hopes are blown away like dust,
Or chaff before the storm.
6 Sinners in judgment shall not stand
Amongst the sons of grace,
When Christ the Judge, at his right hand,
Appoints his saints a place.
7 His eye beholds the path they tread,
His heart approves it well;
But crooked ways of sinners lead
Down to the gates of hell.
Psalm 1:2. S. M.
The saint happy, the sinner miserable.
1 The man is ever blest
Who shuns the sinner’s ways,
Among their counsels never stands,
Nor takes the scorner’s place;
2 But makes the Law of God
His study and delight,
Amidst the labours of the day,
And watches of the night.
3 He like a tree shall thrive,
With waters near the root:
Fresh as the leaf his name shall live,
His works are heavenly fruit.
4 Not so th’ ungodly race,
They no such blessings find;
Their hopes shall flee like empty chaff
Before the driving wind.
5 How will they bear to stand
Before that judgment-seat,
Where all the saints at Christ’s right hand
In full assembly meet?
6 He knows, and he approves
The way the righteous go;
But sinners and their works shall meet
A dreadful overthrow.
Psalm 1:3. L. M.
The difference between the righteous and the wicked.
1 Happy the man whose cautious feet
Shun the broad way that sinners go,
Who hates the place where atheists meet,
And fears to talk as scoffers do.
2 He loves t’ employ his morning light
Amongst the statutes of the Lord:
And spends the wakeful hours at night,
With pleasure pondering o’er the word.
3 He like a plant by gentle streams,
Shall flourish in immortal green;
And heaven will shine with kindest beams
On every work his hands begin.
4 But sinners find their counsels crost;
As chaff before the tempest flies,
So shall their hopes be blown and lost,
When the last trumpet shakes the skies.
5 In vain the rebel seeks to stand
In judgment with the pious race;
The dreadful Judge with stern command
Divides him to a different place.
6 “Straight is the way my saints have trod,
“I blest the path and drew it plain;
“But you would choose the crooked road,
“And down it leads to endless pain.
Psalm 2:1. S. M.
Translated according to the divine pattern,
Acts iv. 24 &c.
Christ dying, rising, interceding, and reigning.
1 [Maker and sovereign Lord
Of heaven, and earth, and seas,
Thy providence confirms thy word,
And answers thy decrees.
2 The things so long foretold
By David are fulfill’d,
When Jews and Gentiles join to slay
Jesus, thine holy child.]
3 Why did the Gentiles rage,
And Jews with one accord
Bend all their counsels to destroy
Th’ anointed of the Lord?
4 Rulers and kings agree
To form a vain design;
Against the Lord their powers unite,
Against his Christ they join.
5 The Lord derides their rage,
And will support his throne;
He that hath rais’d him from the dead
Hath own’d him for his Son.