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Psalme. LXXIII.

The Argument.

This musing Psalme: by Dauid made: to Asaph put to sing,
Doth shew the endes of good and bad: what vice what vertue bringth.

Quam bonus Israel Deus.


1

O good is God: to Israell,
To them of perfect hart:
Though wycked men: haue here the sweete,
And good men feele the smart.

2

But yet my feete: wel nye were gone: to dout of godly wayes,
My steps of lyfe: almost were slipt: to renne in lyke astrayes.

3

For why I fret: all whote in zeale: to note how sinners were:
In peace wyth blisse: all whole beset: the good men all in feare.

4

For they of death: feele no distresse: nor much it doth them fret,
Theyr strength is fresh: in euery part: well fed and fat they iet.
Yet good is God to Israell,
To them of perfect hart:
Though wycked men: haue here the sweete,
And good men feele the smart.

5

Misfortune none: befalth these men: no labour pressth them hard:
They haue no scourge: as other men: all welth is theyr reward.

6

Of this ariseth: their hawty pride: wherin they vaunt so stout:
All clad they bee: wyth wyckednes: and wrong euen round about.
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7

With fatnes foule: theyr eyes be sweld: their gullets feele no thurst
Their paunches ful: their helth so quart: theyr hartes excede in lust
Yet good is God to Israell,
To them of perfect hart:
Though wycked men: haue here the sweete,
And good men feele the smart.

8

And others they: corrupt with talke: they speake all that is nought
They do blaspheme: euen God aboue: such rage dewraith their thought.

9

For vp to heauen: they cast their mouth: Gods prouidēce to scorne
Their tong in earth: must beare the rule: by them ye poore is lorne.

10

This makth all folke: to fall to them: to sue their wealth vnto:
Their water cups: to drinke in part: to ease theyr want and wo.
Yet good is God: to Israell,
To them of perfect hart:
Though wycked men: haue here the sweete,
And good men feele the smart.

11

The people mad: tush say they all: do God such matters know?
Hath God aboue: respect or care: of thinges so done below?

12

For lo say they: these wycked men: they prosper well in all:
The world is theirs: as ioly men: all goodes to them befall.

13

And some of them: sayd thus agayne: my hart I clensd in vayne:
To purge my lyfe: from suttle art: I count it folish payne.
Yet good is God to Israell,
To them of perfect hart:
Though wycked men: haue here the sweete,
And good men feele the smart.
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14

Thus vext I went: afflict in hart: all day by wycked sect:
In early morne: sore scourged I was: to haue this case detect.

15

I had almost: sayd euen as they: lo then I had bene wood:
For so should I: haue euill reproued: thy flocke of children good.

16

I sought and sought: to search it out: O Lord what this might be:
But thou O God: so secret wart: it was to hard for me.
Yet good is God: to Israell,
To them of perfect hart:
Though wycked men: haue here the sweete,
And good men feele the smart.

17

I doubted still: tyll God I sought: in hys most saintly place:
To note hys wont: in all their endes: at last of all theyr race.

18

I spied thou setst: theyr slipper state: in brittle goodes vnclere:
Thou cast thē down: on hed to nought: yea when most hie they were

19

O how they quayld: most sodenly: cast down and perisht quyte?
For their misdeedes: & wyckednes: to nought brought down in sight.
Then good is God to Israell,
To them of perfect hart:
Though wycked men: haue here the sweete,
And good men feele the smart.

20

As dreames so vayne: do vanyshe quite: from man yt wakth frō slepe
Theyr image Lord: so shalt thou stroy: thy citie not to kepe.

21

Myne inward ghost: sore vext it was: before this case I knew:
It pearst my raynes: and rootes of hart: to note their workes vntrue
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22

So fond I was: and ignorant: in secret workes of thee:
To brute beast lyke: all voyde of wit: so dull thy trade to see.
For good thou art: to Israell,
To them of perfect hart:
Though wycked men: haue here the sweete,
And good men feele the smart.

23

But yet O lord: though thus I thought: I was held vp by thee:
My right hand yet: thou heldst so vp: that far I dyd not flee.

24

As me thou taughtst: so hence thou wylt: teach me thy secret wil,
And after that: with glory bright: my soule with ioy to fill.

25

For whome haue I: in heauen but thee: to loue or trust aright:
Or who in earth: can health impart: but thou my harts delight.
All good thou art to Israell,
To them of perfect hart:
Though wycked men: haue here the sweete,
And good men feele the smart.

26

Though flesh & hart: here fayled me: thou didst not me forsake:
Thou art O God: my strength of hart: my part thou art to take.

27

For lo who far: from thee do stray: they perishe shall no doubt:
A whoryng who: eke renne fro thee: thou driuest them al to nought

28

But good for me: by God to hold: in thee O God to trust:
To tell thyne actes: how good thou art: in Syon gate full iust.
O good is God to Israell,
To them of perfect hart:
Though wycked men: haue here the sweete,
And good men feele the smart.
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