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)

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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.