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

The whole Psalter translated into English Metre

which contayneth an hundreth and fifty Psalmes

Parker, Matthew (1504-1575)

[section]

The first Quinquagene.

To the Reader.

Of the vertue of Psalmes.

Henrie Haward Earle of Surrie in his Ecclesiastes.

Here beginneth the second booke of Psalmes.

The Seconde Quinquagene of Dauids Psalter, translated into Englishe Metre.

Here beginneth the thirde Booke of Psalmes.

Here beginneth the fourth Booke of Psalmes.

The third and last Quinquagene of Dauids Psalter, translated into Englishe Metre.

Psalme. CVI.

Here beginneth the fifth Booke of Psalmes.

Psalme. CVII.

[section]

Certayne verses of the sayd Psalme otherwise translated.

Gloria Patri for diuers Metres.

Te Deum.

The song of the three Children.

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

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.