The whole Psalter translated into English Metre :: :: University of Virginia Library

When Dauid long: was kept from raigne,
This Psalme he sang: to ease his payne:
How kinges should rule: here see you playne,
As he would fayne,

Misericordiam & iudicium.

1

Both mercy meeke: & iudgement right,
In Metres song: I wyll endight:
To thee I will: Lord sing in sight,
With hartes delyte.

2

I wyll my lyfe: beare strayt in way,
If thou from me: goest not astray,
In all my house: cleane hart shall lay,
Without denay.

3

To wycked deede: none eye shall stand,
And hate I wyll: all rebels band:
To ioyne wyth me: I wyll wythstand,
wyth hart and hand.

4

A froward hart: and wilfull stout;
From my whole sight: shall flee full out,
To me shall clout: no wycked rout,
Wythout all dout.

5

Hys neyghbour who: styngth priuily,
Hym will I stroy all vtterly,
I will not beare: proud hart [illeg.]ye,
Wyth pleasure hye.

282

6

True men in earth: I wyll me get,
Most nye to eye: wyth me to set:
Who walketh more strayt: shall serue me bet
Wythout all let.

7

From far my house: they shal be sent,
Who guiles can forge: or lyes inuent,
None eye on them: shall firme be bent,
Wyth myne assent.

8

Yea soone by day: I will deface,
Proud men in earth: of wycked trace,
To dryue all shrewes from Gods good place,
Wythout all grace.

Psalme. CII.

The Argument.

Here man in eare: most pituously,
Wishth Syon built: defast in shame,
He moueth hys long: captiuitie,
Christes heauenly church: wishe we the same.

Domine exaudj.

1

O Lord to thee: I cry and call.
My prayer heare: O louinglye:
Thou art my Lord: most liberall,
Receyue my sute: admyt my cry.

283

2

While thus I mourne: hide not thy face,
From my distresse: so wrathfully:
Enclyne thyne eares: and heare my case,
But soone in hast: O aunswer make.

3

My dayes lyke smoke: slyde fast apace,
Consume they do: no rest they take:
As fier brandes: my bones are brent,
Theyr liuely powers: my sprites forsake.

4

My wounded hart: lyeth impotent,
As witherd hay: cut downe by sithe,
To eate my bread: from me it went,
On me so sore: this trouble lyeth.

5

For gronyng lowde: in thys distresse,
My wofull hart: oh panth and sith,
That scant to skin: cleaneth any flesh,
My bones be sene: thus wast I lay.

6

Lyke Pellicane: in wildernesse,
I am, which sing: but wele away,
As Owle that fleeth: all birdes in sight,
In desert darke: which loueth to stray.

7

Full watch I kepe: both day and night,
Myne eyes no slepe: can take for mone,
To Sparow like: that leaueth her flight,
In houses eues: which lowerth alone.

8

All day my foes: do me reuyle,
Wyth tauntes they sport: when I do grone,
These boasters mad: at me so vyle,
Agaynst my soule all sworne they bee.

284

9

My bread that I: eate all this whyle
Was ashes lyke: in taste to see,
My drinke with teares: with weping menkct.
So many griefes: afflicted mee.

10

My soule with cares: was full besprenct,
To note thy wrath: and heauy frowne,
Thou liftst me vp: as I were strengthd,
But sone most weake: thou threwst me down

11

My dayes draw low: as shadow falth,
When darke comth in: in field and towne,
I wyther like: as blosome palth,
My colour wanneth my moysture dryeth.

12

But thou yet Lord: as thee befalth,
Art permanent: no man denieth,
Thy memory: shall aye remayne,
Where fast to dust: my nature hyeth.

13

I know thou wylt: once ryse agayne,
To pitie (Lord) swete Syon mount,
To shew hys grace: the tyme constraynth,
The tyme is come: by iust account,

14

Thy seruants lo: desire in hart,
To see her stones: to building mount,
They pitie her: to spie her smart,
To marke her thus: in dust opprest

15

The Gentils straunge: wyl ioyne their part
To feare Gods name: of all the best,
Ye kings of power: in earth all whole
Shall prayse thy name for worthiest.

285

16

When this the Lord: shall hye extoll,
In buildinges fresh: this Zyon place,
And her in booke of fame enroll,
When glory bryght: shall her embrace.

17

And when they see: how he is bent,
To poore mans sute: in tender grace
And will not be: ought discontent,
To scorne theyr cryes: both all and some.

18

This thyng thus done: as monument,
Shall written be: for folke to come,
That countries whole: which shall arise,
May laud thys Lord: wyth hye renome.

19

For God from hye: hath cast his eyes,
When holy is: his sacrary,
Thys Lord from heauen: in gentle wise,
Hath lookt to earth: to heare the cry.

20

To heare I say: the wofull playntes,
Of men fast bound: in misery,
To losen them: from theyr constrayntes,
Which were at deathes dore very neare.

21

That they might shew: to all hys saintes,
In Zyon place: Gods name so deare,
To tell all out: Ierusalem,
His worthy laudes: in open quere.

22

When people whole: shall mete in realme,
Of all estates: which this shall know,
To serue this God: so good to them,
All reignes to hym: shall them bestow.

286

23

Though God as yet: my strength hath beate
From captine state: to iourney slow
Though he my dayes: hath short extreat,
I Zyon trust: yet built to spy.

24

I wyll hym thus: wyth wordes intreat,
Ah God my God: to wastefully,
Cut not my dayes: by halfe away,
Where thy yeares last: eternally.

25

Thou laydst the earth: in stable stay
At first full strong: by power deuine,
The heauens euen so: none will denay,
Be wrought by thee: wyth all their shyne.

26

They all shall quayle: thou yet shalt holde,
As garmentes worne: waxe thinne and fine,
Thou shalt them change: as vestures olde
They shall be changd: thus temporall.

27

But thou art still: as we behold,
And art that art: perpetuall,
Thy yeares in length: shal stand in deede,
For feele defect: they neuer shall.

28

We trust the more: thy seruants seede,
Olde Abrahams stocke: shal not decay,
Their issue Lord: by thee shal spede,
Before thy face: to dwell for aye.

287

Psalme. CIII.

The Argument.

The righteous man: whom God doth feede,
Enioyneh his soule: due laudes to sing,
For his great loue: who knowth his nede,
From griefe and payne: his hart to bring,
Who steyth his state: all voyde of dread,
His dayes in peace: with ioy to lead.
Thus playth his string.

Benedic anima mea.

1

Arise my soule: blisse thou the Lord,
Addresse thy selfe: his name to spread,
My senses all: wyth iust accord,
Within without: do it in dede,
Hys holy name: due prayse record,
Thus byd ye be: in his true word.
So oft to reade.

2

Reuolue the same: in gratefull mynde,
My soule I say: to thee agayne,
His benefites to tell full kynde
To thee it is: most certaine gayne,
To God who will: him faster bynde,
Of his good grace: the more shall fynde
I tell thee playne.

3

Of all thy sinnes: the giltines,
He pardon giueth: full louingly,
In all thy sores: of heuines,
Thou mayst in hym: haue remedy,
If thou to hym: makst thine accesse
In stable hart: with faithfulnes,
Thine ease to spy.

288

4

His sauing helth: comth prestly on,
To ryd thy life: from peryls all,
To make thee scape: confusion,
He geueth good eare: whan thou doost call,
With mercy kinde: euen he alone,
With round defence: he crowneth thy mone,
No tyme to fall.

5

With all goov thinges: in plesantnes,
He feedeth thy mouth: he filleth thy will,
As Egle vseth: her new to dresse,
In age for strength: to cast her bill,
So he thy yeares: reuiueth afreshe:
Such youth in age: can God expresse.
O prayse hym still.

6

The Lord can trye: all wicked wayes,
All wrong to right: whan he seeth best
And though he sendth: some bitter dayes,
He can them sweete: with ioyfull rest,
True iudge he is: the iust to rayse,
Whan force he beares: his truth to prayse,
Than stay thy brest.

7

To Moses once: God did declare,
His wayes his will: and all his trade,
His prouidence: and daily care,
To kepe his flocke: with gentle ayde,
To Israell: what will he bare,
Theyr practise shewth: how they dyd fare,
So safe to wade.

298

8

They proued the Lord: most pitifull,
Whole bent to grace: in tyme of neede,
They felt hys helpe: most mercifull,
To anger slow: but prest to meede,
He pardon shewd: most plentifull,
To hartes contrite: and sorrowfuil.
For they must speede.

9

As do sterne Lordes: in cruelnes,
Alway he is: not chidyng sore:
He keepth not ire: the poore to presse
He mercy hath: in louyng store,
And when he fumeth: for giltines,
Yet mercy staith: hys gentlenes,
Prayse hym the more.

10

A proofe hereof: in vs all spy,
He serueth not vs: as we deserue
As our foule sinnes: for vengeance cry,
But feedth our want: our neede to serue,
Though hym we greue: as wretches thrall,
He guideth our life: and stayth our fall.
Not far to swerue.

11

How hye the heauens: this earth surmount
So far doth grace: our gylt excell,
Hys mercies great: most hily mount,
Upon those men: in feare who dwel,
Which low in hartes: theyr fautes recount,
To worship hym: as feare is wont.
O loue hym well.

290

12

How far the East: is wyde from Weast,
Whose coastes and termes: shal neuer meete,
So farre our sinnes: be set at rest,
By hys good gift: and pardon sweete
Though vs he beateth: as he knowth best
No wrath it is: but loue of breast.
No irefull heat.

13

For lyke hys chylde: the father vseth,
To nurture hym: by chastisement,
Hym farre to draw: from vayne abuse,
And yet but loue: and pity ment,
So God to man: doth mercy vse,
Who hym to feare: doth not refuse.
And will repent.

14

For he doth know: our nature frayle,
Wherof and whence: we all be made,
But dust and clay: who soone may fayle,
Wyth weyght of earth: all heauy lade
Hys grace seeth this: to our aduayle,
Els should we all: both wepe and wayle.
Full euill apayde.

15

Who markth of man: hys yeres in trade
Shall spy hys lyfe: but misery,
Euen like to herbe: though grene in blade,
That witherth soone: to hay so dry,
For lyke as flowers: in field do fade,
So wafteth man: anone decayd.
In vanitie.

291

16

This freshly flower: if wyndes so sterne
Do hym once shake: he falth away,
That where he grew: no man can learne
For brittle flesh: hath brittle stay,
Hys terme but short: to tyme eterne,
By death once past: none hym discernth
From dust and clay.

17

Though nought made here: can euer last,
Gods mercy yet: holdth stable hand
On hym that feare: to hym hath cast,
From age to age: in euery land,
Hys righteousnes: is set full fast,
To man bestowd: it will not wast
But aye shall stand.

18

These men I meane: of louely feare,
Be such as kepe: hys godly wyll
Which fast in mynd: hys worde do beare
In hart and tong: to kepe it still,
And alway geueth: full ready eare
To God theyr Lord: to them so deare
To learne hys skill.

19

Thys Lord in heauen: hath set hys place
From whence he seeth: all mortall wayes
Who rightly goth: who halth in pace:
As lyfe he ruleth: so death he stayes,
All rule doth stand: in hys good grace,
The good to kepe: the bad to chace.
To short hys dayes.

292

20

O prayse thys Lord: ye sprites of hys,
Ye angels pure: of strength so great,
Ye worke hys wyll: ye neuer misse,
Hys power ye know: hys royall seat,
Ye know what Lord: what God he is,
Ye heare hys voyce: ye see hys blisse.
Hys laudes intreat.

21

O prayse the Lord: all ye hys hostes,
Ye armies cleare: of heauenly starres,
Ye sprites so swift: ye firy ghostes,
In peace ye serue: ye rule hys warres
To do hys wyll: ye renne as postes,
In heauen and earth: in all theyr coastes.
As ministers.

22

O all ye workes: what names ye haue,
In all the world: recount his grace:
To make you all: he dyd withsaue,
Aduaunce thys Lord: in tyme and place,
O thou my soule: of thee I craue,
Extoll this Lord: he wyll thee saue.
From wofull case.

293

Psalme. CIIII.

The Argument.

This Psalme setth out: for prouidence,
Almighty Gods: magnificence:
His wisdome, power: his goodnes eke,
Of night, of day: of yere, of weeke,
His excellence: all thyng doth kepe.

Benedic anima mea.

1

O prayse my soule: the Lord of name,
O Lord my God: of worthy fame:
Thou doost excell in dignitie,
Wyth honour clothd and maiestie.
O hym proclame,
Prayse his degree,

2

For he is clad: most cleare wyth light,
As he were deckt: wyth vesture bryght:
He spreadth the heauens: as vayle most fyne,
Where lyeth hys grace: and power deuyne.
O seeke hys sight,
To hym incline.

3

The vpper heauens: be so arayde,
Wyth waters lyke: as beames be layde:
The cloudes he makth: hys charet swift,
On wynde the wynges: hys walke he listh,
O hym esteeme,
Expend hys gyft.

5

And he doth make: hys aungels sprites
In wyndes and blastes: to worke theyr mightes:
The flamyng fier: is minister,
Whose worde to do: they waite full nere.
O loue his lightes
Trust hym intiere.

6

He setteth the earth: on bases sound
The seas they be: O wondrous ground:
The world to ende: it shall not reale,
It can no change: ne ruine feele.
O hym rebound
Hys myght reueale.

7

Wyth waters depe: this earth was shet,
As it wyth coate: all darke beset
For once the seas: as mountaynes stoode,
Most hye aboue: as raging floud.
O prayse hym yet:
Repute hym good.

294

7

Though thus theyr waues: the waters spred
At thy rebuke: they swiftly fled:
At thy rough voyce: in thunder hard,
They fast gaue vp: their hold and warde.
O hym a drede:
His strength regard.

8

The hils then hye: in sight dyd mount
The fieldes fell low: as now they wont:
As them thou stowdst: in most due place,
They stand euen so: they moue no space.
O hym recount:
Extoll hys grace.

9

To all thynges made: thou gauest hys roume
Theyr proper place: not out to come:
Thou doost the seas: in boundes repose,
Not backe to turne: the earth to close.
O hym renome:
His hand disclose.

10

He springes sendth out: to floudes to grow
And they in sea: discharge we know:
Betwene the hyls: they kepe their flote,
To fresh the earth: with new greene coate.
O hym betrow
Hys larges note.

11

All beastes of field: there drynke theyr fill:
They seeke their needes: though fed on hill:
The asses wilde: they slake their thirst
Most dry which be: so made at first.
O marke hys wyll:
His care betrist.

12

Theare fetherd foules: seeke harborow
As nye their drinke: they sit on bough:
Where byrdes do chirme: the trees among,
To God theyr Lord: in cherefull song.
O hym auow:
And praise hym long.

13

He wetith the hyls: and makth them soft,
From heauenly cels: by dewes aloft:
By frutefull cloudes: which wrought his hand
The showers fall down: to moyst the land.
O laud him oft:
Him vnderstand.

295

14

He makth for beast: the grasse to spring,
And herbage els: for man to bryng:
To serue hys neede: his bread to get,
In earth such vse: in beast he set.
O serue this king:
His actes intreat.

15

Whence wyne is geuen: mans hart to cheare,
And oyle his face: so bryght to cleare:
And bread fro thence: he doth addres,
Mans hart to strength: in stablenes.
O count him deare:
Hys laudes expresse.

16

The Lordes own trees: by man vntyld,
Wyth Sap by showers: be fully fild:
As Ceders hye: of Libanus,
Which he hath plant: right plentuous.
O praise him milde:
His care discusse.

17

In these hye trees: the birdes do nest,
God geueth them wit: to seeke theyr rest:
The Storkes there build: and houses haue,
In trees of fyrre: themselfe to saue.
O loue him best:
His loue ingraue.

18

The mountayns hye: a refuge bee,
For buckes and beastes: of Uenerie:
And so the rockes: all inaccesse,
To Conies bee: theyr sikernesse.
O praisd be hee:
Hys workes confesse.

19

The moone he made: for ceasons due,
The nyght to cleare: wyth chaunges new:
The sunne so hye: a creature,
Hys down fall knowth: and keepth it sure.
O good ensue:
Hym worship pure

10

And after day: thou bringst in darke,
So nyght comth on: and blyndnes starke:
The Sauage beasts: yet gayne therby,
So creepe they forth: to feede full slye.
O note hys warke:
Hys reed espy.

296

21

The Lyons whelpes: most fierce they rore,
In rangyng long: of pray the store:
They seeke by darke: their sustenance,
Prepard by Gods: good ordinance.
O hym adore:
Hys worke enhance.

22

When sunne returnth: and shewth hys rise,
Expellyng darke: hys light surpristh:
These beastes by heapes: then soone remoue
They kepe theyr dens: for lyght aboue.
O thys aduise:
Hys prudence loue.

23

Thus man goth forth: hys worke to do,
More bold that they: be thus ago:
To tillage true: he maketh hys gate,
And spendth hys day: till it be late.
O stand hym to:
Recount thy state.

24

O mighty Lord: my fort and holde,
How be thy workes: tride manifold:
Thou madest them all: in wisdome hye,
Of thy great goods: full therth do lygh.
O hym behold:
Hym magnify.

25

The sea so houge: the Ocean,
So large in armes: and space for man:
Theare liuing things: saunce number creepe
Great beasts and small: therin do keepe.
O search it than:
This meruel seke

26

Theare ships by sayles: the bilowes passe
Where men transport: theyr wardly trasse:
There playth his vages: Leuiathan,
Whom thou dydst forme: to sport theran.
O marke this case:
Reuolue it man.

27

All creatures: of thee expect,
Their foode most apt: for euery sect:
That thou shouldst geue: theyr nourishment,
In tyme of neede: most competent.
O hym respect:
To hym assent.

297

28

When deale thou doost: they gather strayt,
In hungers stresse: themselues to bayt:
If thou splayst hand: wyth blessyng meete,
With good, full good: they be replete.
O hym awayte:
Esteme hym sweete.

29

When face thou hidest: and nought doost send,
O then they wayle: to death they bend:
If breath thou stopst: decay they must,
They must returne: into theyr dust.
O then amend:
Regard hym iust.

30

When thou returnst: thy sprite agayne,
New thynges by thee: new breath optayne:
Then yerely thus: thou deckst a fresh,
The face of earth: wyth new increase.
O holde him fayne:
Hys loue possesse.

31

Gods maiestie: be it for aye,
In glory blest: in all hys way:
The Lord shall hye: reioyce in thought,
In all hys workes: so godly wrought.
O soule thus pray:
As thou art taught.

32

This God when he: mans sinnes to fynde,
But lookth on earth: it quakth and twynd:
When he the hyls: wyth hand but touch,
They smoke for feare: and low they couche.
O soule hym mynde:
Thy Lord auouch.

33

For I will sing: to thys my Lord,
Whyle I am here: and hym record:
In Psaltries sweete: I wyll my song,
To my Lord God: in lyfe prolong.
O soule accord:
Performe it strong.

34

My talke of hym: most pleasant is,
No day I will: be found remisse,
To ioy in God: I will not cease,
He is my health, my rest, myne ease.
O soule him blisse:
Hym seeke to please

298

35

Where sinfull men: from earth shall fayle,
All wycked freakes: God let them quayle:
But thou my soule: thy Lord aduaunce,
Prayse all the Lord: hys heritaunce.
For thyne aduayle:
Syng still all hayle.

Psalme. CV.

The Argument.

Gods actes here lauded be: by stories order tolde:
His pact alledge: no thanke to man: but God most due extolde.

O prayse in voyce the Lord,
Syng out wyth iust accord:
Exalt hys name: search out hys fame,
Hys worthy dedes record.

Confitemi ni domino

1

O prayse in voyce the Lord: vpon hys name to call
Denounce and tell the people cleare: his doynges liberall.

2

Syng out, wyth iust accorde: and play in instrumentes:
Tell all hys factes most meruelous: sprede out hys ornamentes.

3

Exalt hys name wyth ioy: most hye, and most deuyne:
And let theyr hart that seke the Lord: to mirth all glad inclyne.

299

4

Search out hys fame and power: the Lordes right famous arke:
Seeke here hys face still euermore: draw nye to note hys warke.

5

Hys worthy deedes recorde: which he hath wrought as God,
His strange foreshewes: hys godly domes: so past his mouth abrode

O prayse in voyce the Lord,
Syng out wyth iust accorde:
Exalt hys name: search out hys fame,
Hys worthy dedes recorde.

6

Ye seede of Abraham: hys seruaunt thys respect:
I you appeale, praise ye the Lord: ye Iacobs stocke elect.

7

He is the Lord our God: yea none I say but hee:
His iudgementes be in all the world: but most wyth vs to see.

8

For he hys couenant myndth: for euer it to do:
In thousand worldes, still fast to stand, hys word commaunded so.

9

Hys pact to Abraham: fast made, with fayth endude:
Hys othe also to Isaac: agayne the same renude.

10

And he this league as law: to Iacob sure decreed:
To Israell as testament: for euer well to speede.

11

Thus saying, geue I will: to the land Canaan:
For plot of your inheritaunce: as met with lyne by man.

12

But thus when few they were: to them in lyke respect:
And there in land as straungers set: as Pilgrimes whole reiect.

13

And strayed from land to land: of nations wandringly:
From countries wyde to other realmes: of people diuersly.

300

14

He suffred yet no man: to do them any wrong:
For all theyr sake: yea kinges be chect: and plaged them among.

15

He sayd, touch not my Christes: that sacred flocke to mee:
My Prophetes true: afflict not ye: which preach my maiestie.

O prayse in voyce the Lord,
Syng out wyth iust accorde:
Exalt hys name: search out hys fame,
Hys worthy dedes recorde.

16

When he sent dearth on earth: to stop theyr foodes reliefe:
And stroyed of bread: the sustenance: which stayd their strength most chiefe

17

A man before he sent: to them as herbeger,
Lo Ioseph sold to seruitude: to serue in Egipt theare.

18

Whose feete they wrung in stockes: by Putiphars complaynt:
In iron cast wyth chaynes I bound: hys lyfe felt hard constraynt.

19

Untill the tyme was come: that iust hys cause was seene:
Whom God approued: and throughly tryed: by Oracle deuine.

20

The kyng then sent and hym: dyd lose by men of hys:
The Prince that there: the people ruld: did him frō bondes dismisse.

21

He made hym Lord in chiefe: of all hys court about:
And ruler sole: of all hys goods: in hys Empyre full out.

22

That he might bynde and lose: his Dukes and lordes at wyll:
And wit to teache: hys sages all: by hys approued skill.

301

O prayse in voyce the Lord,
Syng out wyth iust accorde:
Exalt hys name: searche out hys fame,
Hys worthy dedes recorde.

23

So Israell in went: to Egypt glad and sad:
This Iacob olde: a straunger liued: in land of Cham the bad.

24

And there God multiplied: hys people notably,
And made hym far: more strong and big: then were hys foes at eye.

25

The Moores then changd theyr hartes: as God dyd them detect:
That they dyd hate: his people sore: wt guiles hys seruantes checkt.

26

Then God sent Moses out: hys seruant good and true:
Yea Aaron eke: whom he dyd chose: his hart on them dyd rue.

27

Which there to them dyd splay: his workes and wordes by signes
Hys meruels rare: in land of Cham: such power thē God resignes.

28

And he depe darkenes sent: all thinges then darke was so:
The signes themselfe: ne Moses yet: rebeld Gods wyll to do.

29

He turnd theyr waters all: to bloud, not them they dranke:
He slue theyr fish: theyr nourishment: for all theyr waters stanke.

30

The Lord euen so brought frogs: in numbers wonderfull:
Which crept vpon: the beds of kynges: theyr priuy chambers full.

31

He spake the worde then came: on heapes all kynde of flies:
So lyse of dust: as myngyns small: in all theyr costes dyd ryse.

302

32

For all theyr raynes and dewes: he gaue them hayle to change,
And flames of fyer: so mixt wyth thē: in all their landes most strange.

33

Wherwyth he smote their vines: their fig trees flat to ground:
He brake euen down: their fruitful trees: in all their quarters round

34

And when hys worde came forth: of grashoppers on heape:
In numbers theare: nigh infinite: dyd Caterpillers leape.

35

Which dyd all whole deuoure: theyr grasse about the land:
Yea frute and all: that grew in soyle: thus heauy lay hys hand.

36

Theyr fruites first borne he slue: in all theyr realme in length:
Their pryme ofspring: most principal: of all their natures strength.

O prayse in voyce the Lord,
Syng out wyth iust accorde:
Exalt hys name: searche out hys fame,
Hys worthy deedes recorde,

37

He then dyd lead them out: wyth gold and siluer stuft:
And none there was: in all theyr tribes: that fell or febly puft.

38

So Egypt ioyd full glad: when they went out of realme:
For they the Iewes: drad fearefully: theyr feare so fell on them.

39

He spred on them a cloud: to couer them by day:
Wyth piller bryght: to cleare the nyght: he dyd dyrect their way.

40

At theyr request and sute: he brought them quayles for meate:
He filled them: with bread of heauen: sweete aungels foode to eate.

41

He claue and opte the rock: whence water flowed full prest:
They ran lyke streames: in wildernes: to comfort man and beast.

303

42

For why he bare in mynde: hys holy promise thus:
Hys loue also: to Abraham: hys seruaunt vertuous.

43

And full wyth ioy and myrth: he led hys people forth:
Hys deare electes: wyth iubilies: so taken well in worth.

O prayse in voyce the Lorde,
Syng out wyth iust accorde:
Exalt hys name: searche out hys fame,
Hys worthy deedes recorde.

44

And last he gaue them whole: the gentils landes by met:
They all possest: for heritage: for which the people swet.

45

To thend that they should kepe: hys statutes true and ryght:
That they should aye: obserue his lawes: prayse ye this lord of might

O prayse in voyce the Lorde,
Syng out wyth iust accorde:
Exalt hys name: searche out hys fame,
Hys worthy deedes recorde.

304

Psalme. CVI.

The Argument.

The Iewes (which dwelt) in Babilon: thus sang their thankes in harte:
They do confesse: gods onely grace: they blame their owne desarte.

The Lorde (so good) with thankes confesse:
Who can hys power expresse:
Well true men bee: then Lord teache mee,
Thy seruauntes state to see.

Confitemi ni domino

1

The Lord (so good) with thanks confesse: sing prayse & laud him hie
All good he is: for why hys grace: for euer standth full nie.

2

Who (fully) can his power expresse: wyth tong he Lord so great:
Or cause be harde: hys prayses all: who can hys grace extreat.

3

Wel true men be (in hart) most blest: who iudgemēt true performe,
Which worke alway: that righteous is: in iust and lawfull forme.

4

Thē lord (I craue) teach me ful kind: haue mind to work my welth
As friendly thou thy people mindst: to me resort wyth helth.

5

Thy seruauntes state (O Lord) to see: shew me their blisse at eye,
That I reioyce wyth thy good folke: and thanke thee ioyfully.

The Lord (so good) wyth thankes confesse,
Who can hys power expresse:
Well, true men be: then Lorde teach mee,
Thy seruauntes state to see.

6

We all (to thee) haue sinned sore: as oft our fathers dyd:
We haue gone wrong: and done amisse: most wickedly in deede.

305

7

Thy (noble) faytes in Egipt done: our fathers noted seald:
Of thy great loues no mynd they had: at red sea they rebeld.

8

Yet he (full kynd) dyd them preserue: for loue of his great name,
To make hys power: so notable: the world to feare the same.

9

The sea so red: he dyd rebuke: then soone vp dryed it was:
And through great deepes he led them dry: as desert men do passe.

10

And he (by strength) defended them: from aduersaries power:
He ryd them sure: from enemies hand: they could not them deuour

11

The waters (depe so) whelmed such: as them dyd vexe and greue:
That none remaynd: not one of them: he them dyd quite remeue.

12

Hys (stable) word: they then beleued: to spy theyr foes distresse:
And then they sung: an hymne of thankes: to prayse hys worthines

The Lord (so good) with thankes confesse,
Who can hys power expresse?
Well, true men be: then Lorde teach mee,
Thy seruauntes state to see.

13

In (their great) heat though hast they made: his works they soone forgot:
No tyme they would: his counsailes byde: no, tary would they not.

14

They (fondly) longd in wycked lust: for meat in wyldernes.
They tempted God: in desert hye: wyth shamefull sturdines.

15

And there (euen there) he gaue them full: their asking redily:
But yet theyr bane: they tooke therin: theyr lyues destroyd therby.

16

And Moses (guide) yet they prouokt: wt wrath in their own tentes
Yea Aaron eke: Gods holy priest: wyth foolish brablementes.

306

17

Wherfore (in hast) the earth dyd ryue: & swalowd Dathon quyte:
It couerd whole: the route and band: of Abyram in sight.

18

The fyre (frō heauen:) fell whote and fierce: amids their company
The flame dyd burne: those wycked men: wyth all theyr familie.

19

Eftsoones (as God) a calfe they made: at Horeb mount most fond:
They worshipped: this moltē worke: which made theyr proper hand

20

And thus they turnd Gods (onely) glore: who was their worship whole
To shap of calfe: but eatyng hay: which they did hye extoll.

21

They God forgot (and left) full soone: who them to grace dyd take:
Who wrought as god: in Egipt land: strange dedes for al their sake

22

Great thyngs (to see) O wonderfull: in land of Cham I say:
And thynges of power: most terrible: at red sea there in way.

23

To stroy them he (then full) decreed: if Moses his elect,
Had not in sight: vp start to treate: his wrath to stay vnwreckt.

24

And they despisde: and (lightly) scornd: that land delicious:
No fayth they gaue: vnto hys word: but went contrarious.

25

They did (in hart) eke grutch and moyne: in all theyr tents vnkynd
They heard no tyme: gods holy word: it was to them but wynd.

26

By liftyng vp: his (irefull) hand: God sware vnto them all:
That he would them: in wildernes: destroy wyth shamefull fall.

27

And that he would: cast (shortly) out: their seede where gentils hyde
And sparple them: as runnegates: in countries farly wyde.

307

28

Yea yokt they were: and knit (in hart) to Baal Peor fast:
They glad dyd eat: the sacrifice: to dead men which was cast.

29

Thus they (all out) dyd him prouoke: to wrath by filthy vyce:
So hie, that needes: Gods heauy plage: on them did sharply ryse.

30

Then Phinees: stoode vp (in zeale) as iudge he vengeaunce tooke:
And strait the plage: did stay & cease: gods wrath so them forsooke.

31

Which (godly) zeale: reputed was: to hym for righteousnes:
From age to age: Gods prest to be: wyth all hys seede no lesse.

32

They also (greued and) angred God: at waters namde of stryfe:
That Moses meke: gate harme for them: for God abridgd hys lyfe.

33

For they prouokt: hys gentle sprite: wordes doubtfull out to lashe:
Wherby he spake: without aduise: with lips to swift and rashe.

The Lorde (so good) wyth thankes confesse,
Who can hys power expresse?
Well, true men be: then Lorde teach mee,
Thy seruauntes state to see.

34

They did not eke (in warre) destroy: the Heathen peoples sect:
As God them bad: most earnestly: that they should them reiect.

35

But myxt (and ioynd) they were full nye: among the gentils sort:
And learnd their workes: outragious: wherof they made but sport.

36

Wherby (full soone) they honoured: and serued theyr idols gay:
Which were a snare: so sought by them: so brede their own decay.

37

So far (as blynd) they doted than: vnnaturall, and mad:
That they to diuels: did sacrifice: their sonnes & daughters glad.

308

38

Much giltles bloud: they (spild &) shed of their own childers brood
To Idols slayne: of Canaan: the land foule staynd wyth bloud.

39

Thus foule (to foule) wt their self workes: they were defild & staind
A whoryng far: their fancies straid: no fayth to God remaind.

40

Thē (iustly) gods: most dreadful wrath: his own good people brent
That he abhord: his heritage: where stoode hys regiment.

41

So that he gaue: them (wholy) vp: to Gentils cruell handes:
That they them ruld: which hated them: before in other landes.

42

And then (full soone) theyr enemies: full sore dyd them oppresse:
As subiectes vyle: subdude they were: to all their cruelnes.

43

He oft (in loue) deliuerd them: but they more oft rebeld:
With theyr inuentes: and so for sinne: they were but iustly feld.

44

He yet (at length) hys eyes dyd cast: when they in trouble grond:
And when he heard: how painfully: in wo they daily mond.

45

He them agayne: to mind did call: his pact to them betrought:
He dyd repent: and pitied them: hys heaped grace so wrought.

46

Yea more (then this) he made euen such: to shew them pitie all:
Which earst full hard: thē captiue held: as slaues most bond & thrall

The Lord (so good) wyth thankes confesse,
Who can hys power expresse?
Well, true men bee: then Lord teache mee,
Thy seruauntes state to see.

47

O saue vs Lord: our (louyng) God: from Gentils vs collect:
Thy holy name: that we may sound: thy laudes wyth ioy erect.

308

48

The (gentle) Lord of Israel: and God wyth prayse be raysde:
From world to world: let all men say: Amen the Lord be praysde.

The Lord (so good) wyth thankes confesse,
Who can hys power expresse?
Well, true men be: then Lorde teache mee,
Thy seruauntes state to see.

The ende of the fourth booke.