The blessings of the liberal man. <br /> <br />That man is blest who stands in awe <br />Of God, and loves his sacred law: <br />His seed on earth shall be renowned; <br />His house the seat of wealth shall be, <br />An inexhausted treasury, <br />And with successive honors crowned. <br /> <br />His lib'ral favors he extends, <br />To some he gives, to others lends; <br />A gen'rous pity fills his mind: <br />Yet what his charity impairs, <br />He saves by prudence in affairs <br />And thus he's just to all mankind. <br /> <br />His hands, while they his alms bestowed, <br />His glory's future harvest sowed; <br />The sweet remembrance of the just, <br />Like a green root, revives and bears <br />A train of blessings for his heirs, <br />When dying nature sleeps in dust. <br /> <br />Beset with threat'ning dangers round, <br />Unmoved shall he maintain his ground; <br />His conscience holds his courage up: <br />The soul that's filled with virtue's light, <br />Shines brightest in affliction's night, <br />And sees in darkness beams of hope. <br /> <br />PAUSE. <br /> <br />[Ill tidings never can surprise <br />His heart that fixed on God relies, <br />Though waves and tempests roar around: <br />Safe on the rock he sits, and sees <br />The shipwreck of his enemies, <br />And all their hope and glory drowned. <br /> <br />The wicked shall his triumph see, <br />And gnash their teeth in agony, <br />To find their expectations crossed; <br />They and their envy, pride, and spite, <br />Sink down to everlasting night, <br />And all their names in darkness lost.]<br /><br />Isaac Watts<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/psalm-112/
