O God, whose former mercies make

1 O God, whose former mercies make
My constant praise thy due,
Hold not thy peace, but my sad state
with wonted favours view.

2 For sinful men, with lying lips,
Deceitful speeches frame,
And with their study'd slanders seek
To wound my spotless fame.

3 Their restless hatred prompts them still
Malicious lies to spread:
And all against my life combine,
By causeless fury led.

4 Those whom with tend'rest love I us'd,
My chief opposers are;
Whilst I, of other friends bereft,
resort to thee by pray'r.

5 Since mischief for the good I did,
Their strange reward does prove;
And hatred's the return they make
for undissembled love:

6 Their guilty leader shall be made
To some ill man a slave;
And when he's try'd, his mortal foe
for his accuser have.

7 His guilt, when sentence is pronounc'd,
Shall meet a dreadful fate;
Whilst his rejected pray'r but serves
His crimes to aggravate.

8 He, stung with deep remorse, an end
Of his own life shall make;
Another, by divine decree,
Shall his high office take.

9 His seed shall orphans be, his wife
! Widow plung'd in grief;
His vagrant children beg their bread,
Where none can give relief.

10 His ill-got riches shall be made,
To usurers a prey;
The fruit of all his toil shall be
By strangers born away.

11 None shall be found that to his wants
Their mercy will extend,
Or to his helpless orphan-seed
The least assistance lend.

12 A swift destruction soon shall seize
On his unhappy race;
And the next age his hated name
Shall utterly deface.

Part II.

13 God of my mercy and my praise,
Thy glory is my song;
Tho' sinners speak against thy grace
With a blaspheming tongue.

14 When in the form of mortal man
Thy Son on earth was found;
With cruel slanders false and vain,
They compass'd him around.

15 Their mis'ries his compassion move,
Their peace he still pursu'd;
They render hatred for his love,
And evil for his good.

16 Their malice rag'd without a cause,
Yet with his dying breath
He pray'd for murd'rers on his cross,
And blest his foes in death.

17 Lord shall thy bright example shine
In vain before my eyes;
Give me a soul a-kin to thine,
To love mine enemies.

18 The Lord shall on my side engage,
And in my Saviour's name
I shall defeat their pride and rage,
Who slander and condemn.

Source: The Psalms of David: with hymns and spiritual songs: also, the catechism, confession of faith, and liturgy of the Reformed Church in the Netherlands #109