Chapter I: O Lord my God, since I repose (7) By chance

My trust in Thee alone, (7)

Save and defend me from my foes,
That furiously come on: (8) (8) Advance.

2 Lest, like a ravenous lion, they What sort of lions are
My captive soul devour, they that devour souls?

4 If I've not spared him though he's grown(9) (9) Gro_u_n.
My causeless (1) enemy,
(1) If he be grown his
_causeless_ enemy I presume
he is no longer _guiltless_.

5 Then let my life, and future (2) crown (2) He gives a thing
Become to him a prey: before he has it, and
gives it to him that has
it already; for Saul is
the person meant.

6 But, Lord, thy kind assistance (1) lend, (1) But why _lend?_
Arise in my defence; Does he design to return
According to Thy laws, (2) contend it back when he has done
For injured innocence: with it?

(2) Profane rascal! he
makes it a struggle and
contention between God
and the wicked.

7 That all the nations, that oppose, (3) (3) Opp_a_use.
May then confess Thy power:
Therefore assert my righteous cause,
That they may Thee adore: (4) (4) Ado_u_re.

8 For equal judgment, Lord, to Thee (5) Yet in the very
The nations (5) all submit; verse before he tells of
Be therefore (6) merciful to me. nations that _oppose_.
And my just soul acquit: (7)
(6) Because all nations
submit to God, therefore
God must be merciful to
Dr. Gibbs.

(7) Of what?

9 Destroy the wicked in their plots: Poor David never could
The just with blessings crown: acquit
For all the ways and secret thoughts (8) A criminal like thee,
Of both to Thee are known. Against his Psalms who
couldst commit
Such wicked poetry.

(8) Thots.

10 Thus by God's gracious providence (9) (9) Observe the
I'm still preserved secure, (1) connection.
Who all the good and just defends (1) Sec_ou_re.
With a resistless (2) power.
(2) That's right, doctor;
but then there will
be no _contending_, as
you desired a while ago.

'Tis wonderful that
Providence
Should save thee from the
halter,
Who hast in numbers
without sense
Burlesqued the holy
Psalter.

11 All men He does with justice view, (1) That's no great
And their iniquity mark of viewing them
With direful vengeance can pursue, with justice. God has
Or patiently (1) pass by: wiser ends for passing by
His vengeance on the
wicked, you profane
dunce!

13 For He the artillery directs, What's that charge? it
The sudden charge ordains, must allude to a charge
of gunpowder, or it is
nonsense.

15 Lo! now th'inflictions (2) they design'd (2) Ay, but what sort of
By others to be borne, things are these
Even all the mischiefs (3) in their mind inflictions?
Do on themselves return: (4)
(3) If the mischiefs be
in their mind, what need
they return on
themselves? are they not
there already?

(4) Ret_o_rn.

16 By their own treachery betray'd (5) Pills
To the same ills, (5) that they
Invented, and with those essay'd (6) Rich.
To make the poor (6) their prey:
Does this verse end
according to the more
modern art of poetry, as
the author speaks in his
preface?

17 O Lord, how glorious are the ways Do not these verses end
Of Thy good Providence! very sublimely?
Thou, Lord, Whose blessed Name I
praise,
True justice dost dispense