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

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.