Thrice Happy He Who Shuns the Way

Thrice hap­py he

who shuns the way

That leads un­god­ly men as­tray;

Who fears to stand where sin­ners meet.

Nor with the scorn­er takes his seat.

The law of God is his de­light;

That cloud by day

that fire by night.

Shall be his com­fort in dis­tress

And guide him through the wil­de­rness.

His works shall pros­per—he shall be

A fruit­ful

fair

un­wi­ther­ing tree

That

plant­ed where the riv­er flows

Nor drought

nor frost

nor mil­dew knows.

Not so the wick­ed—they are cast

Like chaff up­on the ed­dy­ing blast;

In judg­ment they shall quake for dread

Nor with the right­eous lift their head.

For God hath spied their sec­ret path.

And they shall per­ish in His wrath;

He too hath marked His peo­ple’s road

And brings them to His own ab­ode.