Divine Sony's. 
 
THE HARP OF DAVID. 
 
DIVINE 
 
 AND 
 
 MORAL SONGS 
 
 CHILDREN. 
 
 BY REV. ISAAC WATTS, D. D. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE 
 
 AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY 
 
 150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2014 
 
 https://archive.org/details/divinemoralsongsOOwatt_0 
 
 r 
 
DIVINE SONGS. 
 
 A SONG OF PRAISE TO GOD. (^w?^^ 
 How glorious is our heavenly King'^i^^ 
 Who reigns above the sky ! " 
 How shall a child presume to smgQj.Sr^; 
 His dreadful majesty ! ^^^g^,^ 
 
 How great his power is, none can tell,€/ 
 Nor think how large his grace ; ( 
 
 Nor men below, nor saints that dwell 
 On high before his face. 
 
6 
 
 DIVINE SONGS. 
 
 Not angels that stand round the Lord 
 Can search his secret will ; 
 
 But they perform his heavenly word, 
 And sing his praises still. 
 
 Then let me join this holy train, 
 And my first offerings bring ; 
 
 The eternal God will not disdain 
 To hear an infant sing. 
 
 My heart resolves, my tongue obeys, 
 
 And angels shall rejoice. 
 To hear their mighty Maker's praise 
 
 Sound from a feeble voice. 
 
 SONG II. 
 
 PRAISE FOR CREATION AND PROVI- 
 DENCE. 
 
 I SING the almighty power of God, 
 That made the mountains rise ; 
 
 That spread the flowing seas abroad, 
 And built the lofty skies. 
 
DIVINE SONGS. 
 
 7 
 
 I sing the wisdom, that ordain'd 
 
 The sun to rule the day : 
 The moon shines full at his command, 
 
 And all the stars obey. 
 
 I sing the goodness of the Lord, 
 That fiird the earth with food ; 
 
 He form'd the creatures with his word, 
 And then pronounc'd them good. 
 
 Lord, how thy wonders are displayed, 
 Where'er I turn mine eye ; 
 
 If I survey the ground I tread, 
 Or gaze upon the sky ! 
 
 There's not a plant or flower below, 
 
 But makes thy glories known ; 
 And clouds arise and tempests blow, 
 . By order from tliy throne. 
 
 Creatures (as numerous as they be) 
 
 Are subject to thy care ; 
 There's not a place where we can flee. 
 
 But God is present there. 
 
8 
 
 DIVINE SONGS. 
 
 In heaven he shines with beams of love. 
 With wrath in hell beneath: 
 
 'Tis on his earth I stand or move, 
 And 'tis his air I breathe. 
 
 His hand is my perpetual guard, 
 
 He keeps me with his eye : 
 Why should I then forget the Lord, 
 
 Who is forever nigh ? 
 
 SONG III. 
 
 PRAISE TO GOD FOR OUR REDEMP- 
 TION. 
 
 Blest be the wisdom and the power. 
 
 The justice and the grace. 
 That join'd in council to restore 
 
 And save our ruin'd race. 
 
 Our father ate forbidden fruit, 
 
 And from his glory fell ; 
 And we, his children, thus were brought 
 
 To death, and near to helL 
 
DIVINE SONGS. 
 
 9 
 
 Blest be the Lord, that sent his Son 
 To take our flesh and blood ; 
 
 He for our lives gave up his own 
 To make our peace with God. 
 
 He honor'd all his Father's laws, . 
 
 Which we have disobey'd ; 
 ..He bore our sins upon the cross, 
 
 And our full ransom paid. 
 
 Behold him rising from the grave. 
 
 Behold him rais'd on high : 
 He pleads his merits there to save 
 
 Transgressors doom'd to die. 
 
 Tliere on a glorious throne he reigns, 
 
 And, by his power divine, 
 Redeems us from the slavish chains 
 
 Of Satan and of sin. 
 
 Thence shall the Lord to judgment come, 
 
 And, with a sovereign voice, 
 
 Shall call, and break up every tomb, 
 
 While waking saints rejoice. 
 2* 
 
10 
 
 DIVINE SOISGS. 
 
 O may 1 then with joy appear 
 
 Before the Judge's face ; 
 And, with the bless'd assembly there, 
 
 Sing his j-edeeming grace ! 
 
 SONG IV. 
 
 PRAISE FOR MERCIES SPIRITUAL ANE^ 
 TEMPORAL. 
 
 Whene'er I take my walks abroad, 
 
 How many poor I see ! 
 What shall I render to my God 
 
 For all his gifts to me ? 
 
 Not more than others I deserve, 
 Yet God hath given me more : 
 
 For I have food while others starve. 
 Or beg from door to door. 
 
 How many children in the street 
 
 Half naked I behold ; 
 While I am cloth'd from head to feoi, 
 
 And cover'd from the cold. 
 
DIVINE SONGS. 
 
 11 
 
 While some poor wretches scarce can tell 
 Where they may lay their head, 
 
 1 liave a home wherein to dwell, 
 And rest upon my bed. 
 
 While others early learn to swear. 
 And curse, and lie, and steal ; 
 
 Lord, I am taught thy name to fear, 
 And do thy holy will. 
 
 Are these thy favors, day by day. 
 
 To me above the rest ? 
 Then let me love thee more than tliey. 
 
 And try to serve thee best. 
 
 SONG V. 
 
 PRAISE FOR BIRTH AND EDUCATION 
 IN A CHRISTIAN LAND. 
 
 Great God, to thee my voice I raise j 
 To thee my youngest hours belong ; 
 1 would begin my life with praise, 
 Till growing years improve the song. 
 
12 
 
 DIVINE SONGS. 
 
 'Tis to thy sovereign grace I owe, 
 That I v/as born on Christian ground, 
 Where streams of heavenly mercy flow, 
 And words of sweet salvation sound. 
 
 I v^^ould not change my native land 
 For rich Peru, with all her gold ; 
 A nobler prize lies in my hand, 
 Than east or western Indies hold. 
 
 flow do I pity those that dwell 
 Where ignorance and darkness reigns ; 
 They know no heaven, they fear no hell. 
 Those endless joys, those endless pains. 
 
 Thy glorious promises, O Lord, 
 Kindle my hopes and my desire ; 
 While all the preachers of thy word 
 Warn me to escape eternal fire. 
 
 Thy praise shall still employ my breath, 
 Since thou hast mark'd my way to heaven : 
 Nor will I run the road to death, 
 Nor waste the blessings thou hast given. 
 
MORAL SONGS. 53 
 SONG III. 
 THE ROSE. 
 
 How -fair is the rose ! What a beautiful 
 flower, 
 
 The glory of April and May ; 
 But the leaves are beginning to fade in ais 
 liour, 
 
 And they wither and die in a day. 
 
 Yet the rose has one powerful virtue to 
 boast, 
 
 Above all the flowers of the field : 
 When its leaves are all dead, and fine 
 colors are lost, 
 Still how sweet a perfume it will yield ! 
 
 So, frail is the youth, and the beauty of 
 man, 
 
 Tho' they bloom, and look gay, like a 
 rose ; 
 
 But all our fond care to preserve them is 
 vain, 
 
 Time kills them as fast as he goes. 
 
54 
 
 MORAL SONGS. 
 
 Then I'll not be proud of my youth or my 
 beauty 
 
 Since both of them wither and fade, 
 But gain a good name by well doing my 
 duty : 
 
 This will scent like a rose Avhen I'm dead. 
 
 SONG IV. 
 THE THIEF. 
 
 Why should I deprive my neiglibor, 
 Of his goods against his will ? 
 
 Hands were made for honest labor, 
 Not to plunder, or to steal. 
 
 'Tis a foolish self-deceiving, 
 By such tricks to hope for gain : 
 
 All tliat's ever got by thieving, 
 Turns to sorrow, shame, and pain. 
 
 Have not Eve and Adam taught us. 
 Their sad profit to compute ? 
 
 To what dismal state they brought us. 
 When they stole forbidden fruit ! 
 
MORAL SO'GS. 55 
 
 Oft we see the vounof bei^rmner 
 Practise little pilfering ways, 
 
 Till grr wn up a hardeird sinner, 
 Then the o-allows ends his davs. 
 
 Theft will not be always hidden, 
 Tho' we fancy none can spy : 
 
 When we take a thing forbidden, 
 God beholds it Avitli his eye. 
 
 Guard my heart, O God of heaven. 
 Lest I covet what's not mine ; 
 
 Lest I take what is not given, 
 
 Guard my heart and hands from sm. 
 
 SONG- V. 
 THE ANT, OR E^DIET. 
 
 These emmets, how little tliey are in our 
 eyes ; 
 
 W e tread them to dust, and a troop of them 
 dies 
 
 Without our regard or concern : 
 
56 MORAL SONGS. 
 
 I 
 
 Yet as wise as we are, if we went to their* 
 school, 
 
 There's many a sluggard, and many a 
 fool, 
 
 Some lessons of wisdom might learn. 
 
 They wear not tlieir time out in sleeping 
 or play, 
 
 But gather up corn on a sun-shiny day. 
 
 And for winter they lay up their stores : 
 They manage their work in such regular 
 forms, 
 
 One would think they foresaw all the frosts 
 and the storms, 
 And so brought their food within doors. ' 
 
 But I have less sense than a poor creeping 
 
 ant, * 
 If I take not due care for the things I shall 
 
 want, 
 
 Nor provide against dangers in time ; 
 
MORAL SONGS. 57 
 
 When death or old age shall once stare in 
 my face, 
 
 What a wretch shall I be in the end of my 
 days, 
 
 If I trifle away all their prime! 
 
 Now, now while my strength and my youtli 
 
 are in bloom. 
 Let me think what shall serve me when 
 
 sickness shall come. 
 And pray that my sins be forgiven: 
 Let me read in good books, and believe, 
 
 and obey. 
 
 That when death turns me out of this cot- 
 tage of clay, 
 I may dwell in a palace in heaven. 
 
 SONG- VI. 
 GOOD RESOLUTIONS. 
 Though Fm now in younger days, 
 
 Nor can tell what shall befall me, 
 I'll prepare for every place 
 Where my growing age shall call me. 
 
58 
 
 MORAL SONGS. 
 
 Should I e'er be rich or great, 
 
 Others shall partake my goodness : 
 I'll supply the poor with meat, 
 
 Never showing scorn nor rudeness. 
 
 Where I see the blind or lame, 
 Deaf or dumb, I'll kindly treat them ; 
 
 I deserve to feel the same, 
 
 If I mock, or hurt, or cheat them. 
 
 If I meet with railing tongues. 
 Why should I return them railing ? 
 
 Since I best revenge my \vrongs, 
 By my patience never failing. 
 
 When I hear them telling lies, 
 Talking foolish, cursing, swearing, 
 
 First I'll try to make them wise. 
 Or I'll soon go out of hearing. 
 
 What thouofh I be low and mean, 
 I'll engage the rich to love me ; 
 
 While I'm modest, neat, and clean, 
 And submit when they reprove me. 
 
MORAL SONGS. 
 
 59 
 
 If I should be poor and sick, 
 I shall meet, I hope, with pity ; 
 
 Since I love to help the weak, 
 Tho' they're neither fair nor witty. 
 
 I'll not willingly offend. 
 
 Nor be easily offended : 
 What's amiss I'll strive to mend. 
 
 And endm*e what can't be mended. 
 
 May I be so watchful still 
 
 O'er my humors and my passion. 
 
 As to speak and do no ill. 
 Though it should be all the fashion. 
 
 r 
 
 Wicked fashions lead to hell. 
 
 Ne'er may I be found complying ; 
 
 But in life behave so well. 
 Not to be afraid of dying. 
 
60 MORAL SO>'Gb. 
 
 SONG- VII. 
 SUMMER EVENING. 
 
 How fine has the day been! How bright 
 
 was tlie sun, 
 How lovely and joyful tlie course that he 
 
 run! 
 
 Tho' he rose in a mist, when his race he 
 begun, 
 
 And there followed some droppings of 
 rain; 
 
 But now the fair traveller comes to the 
 west, 
 
 His rays are all gold, and his beauties are 
 best; 
 
 He paints the sky gay as he sinks to his 
 rest, 
 
 And foretells a bright rising again. 
 
 Just such is the Christian ; his course he 
 begins. 
 
 Like the sun in a mist, while he mourns foy 
 his sins, 
 
MORAL SONGS. 
 
 .61 
 
 And melts into tears ; then he breaks out 
 
 and shines, 
 And travels his heavenly way : 
 But when he comes nearer to finish his 
 
 race, 
 
 Like a fine setting sun, he looks richer in 
 grace, 
 
 And gives a sure hope, at the end of his 
 days, 
 
 Of rising in brighter array. 
 
 SONG VIII. 
 CRADLE HYMN. 
 
 flusH, my dear, lie still and slumber; 
 
 Holy angels guard thy bed ; 
 Heavenly blessings without number, 
 
 Gently falling on thy head. 
 
 Sleep, my babe, thy food and raiment, 
 House and home, thy friends provide ; 
 
 And without thy care, or payment, 
 All thy wants are well supplied. 
 
62 
 
 MORAL SONGS. 
 
 How much better thou'rt attended, 
 
 Than the Son of God could be, 
 When from heaven he descended, 
 
 And became a child like tliee. 
 Soft and easy is thy cradle ; 
 
 Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay, 
 When his birthplace was a stable. 
 
 And his softest bed was hay. 
 
 Blessed babe ! what glorious features, 
 
 Spotless, fair, divinely bright ! 
 Must he dwell with brutal creatures ? 
 
 How could angels bear the sight ? 
 Was there nothing but a manger. 
 
 Cursed sinners could afford. 
 To receive the heavenly stranger ? 
 
 Did they thus affront the Lord ? 
 
 Soft, my child, I did not chide thee. 
 
 Though my song might sound too hard ; 
 
 'Tis thy mother* sits beside thee. 
 And her arms shall be thy guard. 
 
 * Here you may use the word, Brother, Sister, Neigh 
 bor, &c. 
 
MORAL SONGS. 
 
 63 
 
 Vet to read the shameful story, 
 How the Jews abus'd their King ; 
 
 How they serv'd the Lord of Glory ; 
 Makes me angry while I sing. 
 
 See the kinder shepherds round him, 
 Telling wonders from the sky ; 
 
 Where they sought him, there they found 
 With his Virgin Mother by. [him, 
 
 See the lovely babe a-dressing. 
 
 Lovely infant, how he smil'd. 
 When he wept, the mother's blessing 
 
 Sooth'd and hush'd the holy Child. 
 
 Lo ! he slumbers in the manger, 
 
 Where the horned oxen fed ! 
 Peace my darling, here's no danger. 
 
 There's no oxen near thy bed. 
 
 'Twas to save thee, child, from dying, 
 Save my dear from burning flame. 
 
 Bitter groans and endless crying. 
 That thy blest Redeemer came. 
 
64 
 
 MORAL SONGS. 
 
 May'st thou live to know and fear him. 
 Trust and love him all thy days ; 
 
 Then go dwell for ever near him, 
 See his face and sing his praise. 
 
 I could give thee thousand kisses, 
 Hoping whut I most desire ; 
 
 Not a mother's fondest wishes 
 Can to greater joys aspire.* 
 
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