Untitled article by J. M. A.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · December 17, 1867

PARAPHRASE OF PS. VII.

By J. M. A.

O Lord, my God, I put my trust in thee, From all my persecutors save thou me; And from my cruel foe thy servant save, Nor let him in his wrath against me rave, Lest while there's none to help, nor pity lend, My soul in pieces he shall fiercely rend.

O Lord, my God, if I in guilt abound, If in my hands iniquity be found, If I have dealt untrue, or malice showed, Or evil paid, where good should be bestowed, (Yea, him,—mine enemy without a cause,— I saved, unhurt, from death's relentless jaws.) Let thou the enemy my soul annoy And persecute, or capture and destroy; Yea, let him tread my very life away; And in the dust my name and honor lay.

O Lord, lift up thyself,—in anger rise,— For, lo! my foes, enraged, all good despise. Awake for me, and vindicate my cause,— In judgment act, for righteous are thy laws; So shall the people compass thee with praise, Therefore, on high for them thy standard raise.

According to my righteousness, O Lord,— And as thou wouldst integrity reward,— So judge thou me,—scan all my ways and bless, For thou shalt judge all men in righteousness.

O let the doings of the wicked cease, But stablish thou the just in paths of peace; For God—the righteous God—doth try the hearts, The passions try, and all the inward parts.

The Lord is my defense,—in him I trust; He saveth all the good, upright, and just. The righteous he doth judge, and guide their way, But with the wicked he is wroth each day; The Lord hath bent his bow in anger hot, And quick his sword will whet if he turn not.

For him he also hath prepared and made His instruments of death of every grade; His arrows he ordaineth at his will, 'Gainst those who persecute, to wound and kill; He travaileth with iniquity and sin, And only mischief hath conceived within; And lo! he bringeth forth, the eyes to greet, A sickening brood of falsehoods and deceit, To catch the just he sets a treacherous gin, A pit he digs, and falls himself therein.

Thus on his head return his dealings all, His mischief thus on his own pate shall fall.

But I will praise the Lord,—his name will bless, This do according to his righteousness; And praises will I sing unto the Lord,— His name most high in grateful notes accord.

J. M. A.