The Covenant
by John Newton (1725-1807)

he Lord proclaims his grace abroad!
Behold, I change your hearts of stone;
Each shall renounce his idol-god,
And serve henceforth the Lord alone.

My grace, a flowing stream proceeds
To wash your filthiness away;
You shall abhor your former deeds,
And learn my statutes to obey.

My truth the great design ensures,
I give myself away to you;
You shall be mine, I will be yours,
Your God unalterably true.

yet not unsought, or unimplored,
The plenteous grace I shall confer;
No—your whole heart shall seek the Lord,
I’ll put a praying spirit there.

From the first breath of life divine,
Down to the lat expiring hour,
Thy gracious work shall all be mine,
Begun and ended by my pow’r.

salme 55 (Geneva Bible)
To him that excelleth on Neginoth.
A Psalme of David to give instruction.

1 Heare my prayer, O God, and hide not thy selfe from my supplication.
2 Hearken vnto me, and answere me: I mourne in my prayer, and make a noyse,
3 For the voyce of the enemie, and for the vexation of ye wicked, because they haue brought iniquitie vpon me, and furiously hate me.
4 Mine heart trembleth within mee, and the terrours of death are fallen vpon me.
5 Feare and trembling are come vpon mee, and an horrible feare hath couered me.
6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a doue: then would I flie away and rest.
7 Beholde, I woulde take my flight farre off, and lodge in the wildernes. Selah.
8 Hee would make haste for my deliuerance from the stormie winde and tempest.
9 Destroy, O Lord, and deuide their tongues: for I haue seene crueltie and strife in the citie.
10 Day and night they goe about it vpon the walles thereof: both iniquitie and mischiefe are in the middes of it.
11 Wickednes is in the middes thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streetes.
12 Surely mine enemie did not defame mee: for I could haue borne it: neither did mine aduersarie exalt himselfe against mee: for I would haue hid me from him.
13 But it was thou, O man, euen my companion, my guide and my familiar:
14 Which delited in consulting together, and went into the House of God as companions.
15 Let death sense vpon them: let them goe downe quicke into the graue: for wickednes is in their dwellings, euen in the middes of them.
16 But I will call vnto God, and the Lord will saue me.
17 Euening and morning, and at noone will I pray, and make a noyse, and he wil heare my voice.
18 He hath deliuered my soule in peace from the battel, that was against me: for many were with me.
19 God shall heare and afflict them, euen hee that reigneth of olde, Selah. because they haue no changes, therefore they feare not God.
20 Hee layed his hande vpon such, as be at peace with him, and he brake his couenant.
21 The wordes of his mouth were softer then butter, yet warre was in his heart: his words were more gentle then oyle, yet they were swordes.
22 Cast thy burden vpon the Lord, and hee shall nourish thee: he wil not suffer the righteous to fall for euer.
23 And thou, O God, shalt bring them downe into the pitte of corruption: the bloudie, and deceitfull men shall not liue halfe their dayes: but I will trust in thee.

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