Why Should I Vex My Soul?

Why should I vex my soul

and fret

To see the wick­ed rise?

Or en­vy sin­ners wax­ing great

By vio­lence and lies?

As flow­ery grass cut down at noon

Before the ev­en­ing fades

So shall their glo­ries van­ish soon

In ev­er­last­ing shades.

Then let me make the Lord my trust

And prac­tice all that’s good;

So shall I dwell among the just

And He’ll pro­vide me food.

I to my God my ways com­mit

And cheer­ful wait His will;

Thy hand

which guides my doubt­ful feet

Shall my de­sires ful­fill.

Mine in­no­cence shalt Thou dis­play

And make Thy judg­ments known

Fair as the light of dawn­ing day

And glo­ri­ous as the noon.

The meek at last the earth pos­sess

And are the heirs of Heav’n;

True rich­es

with abun­dant peace

To hum­ble souls are giv’n.

Rest in the Lord

and keep His way

Nor let your an­ger rise

Though Pro­vi­dence should long de­lay

To pun­ish haugh­ty vice.

Let sin­ners join to break your peace

And plot

and rage

and foam;

The Lord de­rides them

for He sees

Their day of ven­geance come.

They have drawn out the threat­en­ing sword

Have bent the mur­der­ous bow

To slay the men that fear the Lord

And bring the right­eous low.

My God shall break their bows

and burn

Their per­se­cut­ing darts

Shall their own swords against them turn

And pain sur­prise their hearts.