1 O BLESS the Lord, my soul!
Let all within me join,
And aid my tongue to bless his name
Whose favours are divine.
2 O bless the Lord, my soul,
Nor let his mercies lie
Forgotten in unthankfulness,
And without praises die.
3 'Tis he forgives thy sins,
'Tis he relieves thy pain,
'Tis he that heals thy sicknesses,
And makes thee young again.
4 He fills the poor with good,
He gives the sufferers rest;
The Lord hath judgements for the proud,
And justice for the opprest.
5 His wondrous works and ways
He made by Moses known;
But sent the world his truth and grace
By his beloved Son.
==S.M. SECOND PART
6 MY soul, repeat his praise,
Whose mercies are so great,
Whose anger is so slow to rise,
So ready to abate.
7 God will not always chide;
And when his strokes are felt,
His strokes are fewer than our crimes.
And lighter than our guilt.
8 High as the heavens are raised
Above the ground we tread
So far the riches of his grace
Our highest thoughts exceed.
9 The pity of the Lord
To those that fear his name
Is such as tender parents feel;
He knows our feeble frame.
10 Our days are as the grass,
Or like the morning flower;
If one sharp blast sweep o'er the field
It withers in an hour.
ll But thy compassions, Lord,
To endless years endure;
And children's children ever find
Thy words of promise sure.