PSALM 112
8,8,8,8,8,8
The blessings of the liberal man.
201PAUSE.
That man is blest who stands in awe Of God, and loves his sacred law: His seed on earth shall be renowned; His house the seat of wealth shall be, An inexhausted treasury, And with successive honors crowned. | His lib'ral favors he extends, To some he gives, to others lends; A gen'rous pity fills his mind: Yet what his charity impairs, He saves by prudence in affairs And thus he's just to all mankind. | His hands, while they his alms bestowed, His glory's future harvest sowed; The sweet remembrance of the just, Like a green root, revives and bears A train of blessings for his heirs, When dying nature sleeps in dust. | Beset with threat'ning dangers round, Unmoved shall he maintain his ground; His conscience holds his courage up: The soul that's filled with virtue's light, Shines brightest in affliction's night, And sees in darkness beams of hope. | [Ill tidings never can surprise His heart that fixed on God relies, Though waves and tempests roar around: Safe on the rock he sits, and sees The shipwreck of his enemies, And all their hope and glory drowned. | The wicked shall his triumph see, And gnash their teeth in agony, To find their expectations crossed; They and their envy, pride, and spite, Sink down to everlasting night, And all their names in darkness lost.] | |