University of Virginia Library

previous section The whole Psalter translated into English Metre
next section
236

Psalme. LXXXVI.

The Argument.

Here Dauid prayth: this Psalme I say,
That Saule hym fraith: with great distresse,
But Christ more true: yea Christ doth pray.
Who once did sue: as man in flesh,
To scape all spite: but most for vs,
He this endight: and sayth euen thus.
and sayth euen thus.

Inclina Domine. These ceasures haue perfect sence red, seuerally or ioyntly.


1

Bow downe thyne eare:
For thee I feare:
Whose fauour kynd:
I fayne would finde:
For poore I lye:
My wante I spye:
O Lord heare me,
as God most hye,
my hart would see,
thy grace at eye,
all wrapt in thrall,
to thee I call.
To thee I call.

2

My soule preserue:
Aye thee to serue:
So wholy bought:
Keepe then in thought:
Thy seruant poore:
To thee the more:
for thyne it is,
vnfainedly,
it may not misse,
my Lord sayd I,
to thee I call,
wythstand my fall.
Wythstand my fall.
237

3

Extend thy grace:
And shew thy face:
In mercy so:
I stand therto:
Wherto I hyed:
And dayly cryed:
saue me O Lord,
all louingly,
thy grace aforde,
assuredly,
to seke for ease,
I wyll not cease.
I wyll not cease.

4

O Lord make glad:
My state full sad:
To thee I go:
From all my wo:
I mourne to thee:
Though hie thou bee:
thy seruantes hart,
and soule is fret,
from thee to start,
I wyll not yet,
in soules disease,
I trust to please.
I trust to please.

5

For kynde thou art:
Of gentle hart:
To all a lyke:
Who wyll thee seke:
In stable fayth:
In thee who stayth:
O Lord of grace,
and mercifull,
in euery place,
most bountefull,
thou art to spie,
who mournth in thee,
Who mournth in thee.

6

Agayne I say:
To thee I praye:
Thou knowst my paine:
My foes restraine:
Expende my crie:
Thou seest I ligh:
my Lord geue eare,
in thys my mone,
which now I beare,
I weepe alone,
full bitterlie,
all heauilie.
All heauilie.
238

7

When troubles rise:
In sundrie wise:
I drawe thee neare:
For thou wilt heare:
Then helpe me send:
As trustie frend:
in dreadfull dayes,
on thee I call,
in all my frayes,
when I am thrall,
from heauen so bright,
my hart to light.
My hart to light.

8

None like to thee:
Of Gods that be:
For wit, for might:
Thy workes be right:
Who wyll contend:
As them to mend:
O God most hie,
all day so sought,
for maiestie,
thy dedes be wrought,
wyth thee in sight,
O most of myght,
O most of myght.

9

All people iust:
Now come they must:
O Lord full low:
And them bestow:
Thy grace to prayse:
So good alwayes:
whom thou hast fourmd,
to worship thee,
wyth mynd refourmd,
in hart most free,
thy name to sprede,
theyr doynges lead.
Theyr doynges lead.

10

For God art thou:
As once so now:
Thou madest all thyng:
The heauens do sing:
No God but thee:
As eye may see:
thou wonders doost,
thou shewest thy myght,
on earth and dust,
thy power in sight,
shall Paynyms neede,
by Gospels reede.
By Gospels reede.
239

11

Teach me thy way:
That sue I may:
All walke to it:
My hart O knit:
Wyth reuerence:
In confidence:
O Lord agayne,
thy truth so free,
make me to strayne,
in thee to lygh,
to loue thy name,
to feare the same.
To feare the same.

12

I thee wyll thanke:
Wyth hart most franke:
Thy louyng grace:
I wyll embrace:
Thyne excellence:
Wyth diligence:
O Lord my God,
to sing thy prayse,
so wyde and brode,
fall out my dayes,
I wyll proclayme,
to shew thy name,
To shew thy name.

13

Thyne actes to me:
Full great they be:
Thou rydst full quyte:
By thy great myght:
My soule of late:
From hell the state:
I must confesse,
myne eyes doth see,
my depe distresse,
thou madest me free,
nye gone and lost,
all nethermost.
All nethermost.

14

O God so great:
At me they fret:
The worst of all:
They wyshe my fall:
They feare not thee:
Thy face they flee:
the proud aryse,
in numbers ryfe,
in cruell wyse,
they seke my lyfe,
they much do boast,
in euery coast.
In euery coast.
140

15

But thou O Lord:
As truth recordth:
Art pitifull:
To wrath but dull:
In grace and truth:
To mone in ruth:
yet God most meeke,
of louyng brest,
thee poore to seeke,
to mercy prest,
looke thou on vs,
all gratious.
All gratious.

16

O turne to me:
My rocke to be:
Thy seruant strength:
That I at length:
Wyth thee may wonne:
Thy handmai:s sonne:
and turne anone,
thy grace I craue,
for which I grone,
my soule to saue,
in thy cleare house,
all glorious.
All glorious.

17

O shew to me:
Some amitie:
Agaynst my foes:
Thou healtst my woes:
That they may see:
I stayde by thee:
for good, some signe,
shew thou in sight,
though foes repyne,
to shame theyr spite,
and so agree,
in comfort free.
In comfort free.
previous section The whole Psalter translated into English Metre
next section