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Psalme. CVII.
The Argument.
This hath fiue partes distinct: where diuers men be bid:The Lord to prayse: to preach hys power: who them from perils rid.
The rearefreyt of the Psalme.
God graunt that we would: prayse euer agayne,
The Lord for hys grace: so to sing in our quiere
The wonders he doth: for the children of men,
Whose mercy so nere: to all doth appeare.
To all doth appeare.
The Meane.
1
O prayse the Lord all ye,Due thankes to hym extende:
For good he is: whose gentlenes,
Shall last till world doth ende.
2
Let them say thus in thankes: who were by God made free:Whom he redeemd: from cruell hand: of troublous enmitie.
3
And whom he gatherd nye: from countries strange and wyde:From East and West: from North and South: in citie safe to byde.
4
Who wandred out of way: in desertes wildernes:And found no way: to dwelling towne: to stay in restfulnes.
5
When hunger felt and thirst: nye pynde by famishment:Whose hartes within: dyd melt away: for needefull nourishment.
311
6
Who thus afflict: when they did cry,To God in meeke complaintes:
He them dyd saue: most louingly,
From all theyr hard constrayntes.
7
For he led them: the way full kynde,Both ryght and prosperous:
Wherby they dyd: a citie fynde,
To dwell commodious.
The Quiere.
8
God graunt that they would: prayse hartely then:The Lord for hys grace: so to sing in theyr quiere:
The wonders he doth: for the children of men,
Whose mercy so neare: to them dyd appeare,
9
For that he refresht: theyr bodely neede,Where thirsty they strayd: as wyth anguishe opprest:
Theyr soule dyd he ease: of theyr hunger in speede,
To set them in rest: wyth foode of the best.
The Meane.
10
And they that sate in darke: in deadly shadowes blacke:Afflict in bondes: and iron chaynes: and felt all comfortes lacke.
11
They thus deserud for why: gods wordes they did detest,The counsayles eke: they did despise: of all the worthiest.
12
He then brought downe their hartes: wyth griefes most tedious:They fell full faynt: none helpyng them: so far rebellious.
312
13
Who thus afflict: when they dyd cry,To God in meeke complayntes:
He them dyd saue: most louingly,
From all theyr hard constrayntes.
14
For he them brought: from sorrowes long,From darke and deadly shade:
He brake their bondes: and fetters strong,
To freedome they to wade.
The Quiere.
15
God graunt that they would: prayse hartely then,The Lord for hys grace: so to sing in theyr quiere:
The wonders he doth: for the children of men,
Whose mercy so neare; to them dyd appeare.
16
For that he releast: their burdenouse holde,The gates that in brasse: were inuincible fast,
As also the barres: that in yron were folde,
By hym were they brast: set ope at the last.
The Meane.
17
And fooles that lewdly did: by surfet foule transgres,And were for al theyr sinnes afflict: by sicknes fell excesse.
18
Who meat in tast abhord: though sweete and wholesome dyght,And then came nigh: to death hys gates: to stop theyr breth and sight
The Rectors.
19
Who thus afflict: whan they do crye,To God in meke complayntes:
He them did saue: most louinglye,
From all their hard constrayntes.
313
20
For he then sent: his worde anone,He them restord by myght:
Wherby they scapte: destruction,
From perill saued quite.
The Quiere.
21
God graunt that they would: prayse hartely then,The Lorde for hys grace: so to sing in their quiere:
The wonders he doth: for the childer of men,
Whose mercy so neare: to them did appeare.
22
That offer they may: the sacrifice pure,Iust thankes of their lippes: out of hart so to rayse:
Hys workes to renome: so the world to allure.
His walkes and his wayes: most gladly to prayse.
The Meane.
23
And they that enter do: the sea wyth shyp and sayle,To worke theyr feates: in waters depe: for lyfelodes great auayle.
24
They see Gods dreadfull workes: in tempestes them they note,His meruels eke: of thynges so houge: in depe also in flote.
25
God speakth and strait ryse vp: the wyndes of blustring stormesWhich vp do hoyse: the bellowes rage: in gastly grisly formes.
26
Theare ships rise vp to heauen: agayne to deepe they fall:Thus tosse in waues: the mariners: great feares their hartes apall.
27
They to and fro be tost: they reele as man full dronke:Theyr arte thē faylth: theyr wits be gone: they fare as men but sonke
314
28
Who thus afflict: when they do cry,To God in meke complayntes:
He them doth saue: most louingly,
From all their harde constrayntes.
29
For he the stormes: doth calme in sea,the waues he stilleth their dinne:
30
Then glad are they: that still they be,Safe hauen he driueth them in.
The Quiere.
31
God graunt that they would: prayse hartely then,The Lord for hys grace: so to syng in their quiere:
The wonders he doth: for the childern of men,
Whose mercy so neare: to them dyd appeare.
32
Hys fame to aduaunce: as duely they ought,Downe set as they be: with the people in place:
To prayse hym aright: for indempnitie wrought,
Where elders in space: their courtes do embrace.
The Meane.
33
So let men note Gods myght: in dread of hym to stand:Which turnth moist soyle: to wildernes: & dryeth vp springs to land
34
A fruitefull earth he makth: as salt and barren ground:The dwellers sinnes: be cause therof: where in their liues be found
35
So he the desert makth: to flow wyth water springes:And soyle most dry: from barennes: by runnyng brookes he bringes.
315
36
And there he setth to dwell: all hungry nedefull men:To build themselfe: a city strong: as Forte therto to renne.
37
And there the fieldes they sowe: and vineyardes large they plantSweete frutes to beare: of yeres increase: to feede their neede & want
38
All them he blessth wyth store: they then increase most hye:And suffreth not theyr cattell once: to droupe or yet to dye.
39
But when they fall to sinne: he them decayth agayne:By cruell powers: he bringth them low: with cares opprest & payne
The Rectors.
40
When thus afflict: they feele decay,By Princes great abuse:
Though out of way: a tyme they stray,
At last he them reduce.
41
For he the poore: returnd by smart,Doth rayse from misery:
His householdes yet: he makth in part,
As flockes of sheepe to ligh.
The Quiere.
God graunt that they would: prayse hartely then,
The Lorde for hys grace: so to sing in their quiere:
The wonders he doth: for the chylder of men,
Whose mercy so neare: to them did appeare.
The Lorde for hys grace: so to sing in their quiere:
The wonders he doth: for the chylder of men,
Whose mercy so neare: to them did appeare.
42
That tymely they may: this ponder aryght,As righteous man: in his duety so glad:
Is prest to reioyce: wyth a godly delyte,
Where mouth of the bad: shall dumly be sad.
316
The conclusion.
Mans hart that is wise: these things wil aduise,Pure thankes to procure: to hys God for his cure,
And thus hys deuise: may he iustly comprise,
Ryght oft is hys vre: by loue to allure,
Kynde mercy so sure: in hym doth endure,
Extoll hym I say: both by night and by day,
Ren neuer astray: from his mercifull way.
Certayne verses of the sayd Psalme otherwise translated.
When thus they cryed to God: thus set in woes excesse:
Ryght soone he dyd: deliuer them: from all theyr hard distresse.
Ryght soone he dyd: deliuer them: from all theyr hard distresse.
For he led them the way: both ryght and prosperous:
Wherby they did: a citie fynde: to dwell commodious.
Wherby they did: a citie fynde: to dwell commodious.
O that men would then prayse: the Lordes benignitie:
To tell what actes: ful strange he doth: to mans posteritie.
To tell what actes: ful strange he doth: to mans posteritie.
For that he doth refresh: the soule in thyrst so dry:
And filleth the soule: that hungry is: wyth goodnes largely.
And filleth the soule: that hungry is: wyth goodnes largely.
317
When thus they cryed to God thus set in woes excesse:
Ryght soone he dyd: deliuer them: from all theyr hard distresse.
Ryght soone he dyd: deliuer them: from all theyr hard distresse.
For he then brought them forth: from darke and dedly shade:
He brake theyr bondes: and fetters strong: to freedom sure to wade.
He brake theyr bondes: and fetters strong: to freedom sure to wade.
O that men would then prayse: the Lordes benignitie:
To tell what actes: ful strange he doth: to mans posteritie.
To tell what actes: ful strange he doth: to mans posteritie.
For he the gates of brasse: hath all to shiuers broke:
And burst the barres: a sunder quite: in yron forgd by stroke.
And burst the barres: a sunder quite: in yron forgd by stroke.
When thus they cryed to God: thus set in woes excesse:
Ryght soone he dyd deliuer them: from all theyr hard distresse.
Ryght soone he dyd deliuer them: from all theyr hard distresse.
For he then sent hys worde: he them restord by might:
Wherby they scapte: destruction: from peryll saued quite.
Wherby they scapte: destruction: from peryll saued quite.
O that men would then prayse: the Lordes benignitie:
To tell what actes: ful strange he doth: to mans posteritie.
To tell what actes: ful strange he doth: to mans posteritie.
That they would offer hym: of thankes the sacrifice:
And full tell out: hys workes so great: in glad and thankfull wyfe.
And full tell out: hys workes so great: in glad and thankfull wyfe.
When thus they cryed to God: thus set in woes excesse:
Ryght soone he dyd: deliuer them: from all theyr hard distresse.
Ryght soone he dyd: deliuer them: from all theyr hard distresse.
For he dryueth down the stormes: and makth them soone to cease
So that the waues: be still agayne: wherby they winne release.
So that the waues: be still agayne: wherby they winne release.
Then are they glad at hart: because at rest they bee:
He bringth them thus: to that theyr hauen: which they so glad wold see.
He bringth them thus: to that theyr hauen: which they so glad wold see.
318
O that men would then prayse: the Lordes benignitie:
To tell what actes: ful strange he doth: to mans posteritie.
To tell what actes: ful strange he doth: to mans posteritie.
That they would hym exalt: when people most be met:
And prayse hym due: where Elders bee: together ioyntly set.
And prayse hym due: where Elders bee: together ioyntly set.
Though he doth beare a whyle: that tyrantes them oppresse,
And suffer them: to go astray: in wandryng wyldernesse.
And suffer them: to go astray: in wandryng wyldernesse.
Yet he doth helpe the poore: from hys great misery:
Hys householdes yet: he makth in part: as flockes of shepe to lye.
Hys householdes yet: he makth in part: as flockes of shepe to lye.
The righteous man wyll this: expend and eke reioyce:
Where that the mouth: of wickednes: shall whole be stopt in voyce
Where that the mouth: of wickednes: shall whole be stopt in voyce
| The whole Psalter translated into English Metre | |