The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney :: :: University of Virginia Library

Thee will I love, O Lord, with all my hartes delight,
My strength, my strongest Rock which my defence hast born:
My God, and helping God, my might, and trustfull might,
My never-pierced shield, my ever-saving horne,
My refuge, refuge then, when moste I am forlorne:
Whom then shall I invoke, but thee most worthy praise,
On whom (against my foes) my only safty staies?

On me the paines of death allready gan to pray:
The fludds of wickednesse on me did horrors throw:
Like in a winding sheete, wretch, I already lay,
All-ready, ready to my snaring grave to goe.
This my distresse to God, with wailefull cries I show:
My cries climb'd up, and he bent down from sacred thron
His eyes unto my case, his eares unto my moane.

And so the earth did fall to tremble and to quake,
The Mountaines proudly high, and their foundations bent
With motion of his rage, did to the bottome shake.
He came, but came with smoake, from out his nostrells sent:
Flames issu'd from his mouth, and burning coales out went;
He bow'd the heav'ns, and from the bow'd heav'ns did descend
With hugy darknes, which aboute his feete did wend.

The Cherubins their backs, the windes did yeeld their wings
To beare his sacred flight; in secrete place then clos'd;
About which he dimme cloudes, like a pavillion brings
Cloudes ev'n of waters dark, and thickest aire compos'd.
But streight his shining eyes this misty masse disclos'd,
Then haile, then firy coales, then thundred heav'nly sire,
Then spake he his lowd voice, then hailstones, coles, and fire.

Then out his Arrowes fly; and streight they scattred been:
Lightning on lightning he did for their wrack augment:
The gulphes of waters then were through their chanells seen:
The Worldes foundations then lay bare; because he shent
With blasting breath ô Lord, that in thy chiding went.
Then sent he from above, and tooke me from below,
Ev'n from the waters depth, my God preserv'd me soe.

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So did he save me, from my mighty furious foe,
So did he save me, from their then prevailing hate:
For they had caught me up, when I was weake in wo:
But he staff of my age: he staid my stumbling state:
This much: yet more, when I by him this freedom gate,
By him because I did find in his ey-sight grace
He lifted me, unto a largely noble place.

My Justice, my just handes thus did the Lord reward,
Because I walk'd his waies, nor gainst him evilly went:
Still to his Judgmentes look't: still for his statutes car'd:
Sound and upright with him, to wickednes not bent.
Therefore I say again, this goodnes he me sent,
As he before his eyes, did see my justice stand:
According as he saw the purenes of my hand.

Meeke to the meeke thou art, the good thy goodnes tast:
Pure, to the pure, thou deal'st with crooked crookedly:
Up then; thou lifts the poore, and downe the proud wilt cast:
Up, thou dost light, my light, and cleare my darkned ey.
I hoastes orecome by thee: by thee ore walles I fly:
Thy way is soundly sure, thy word is purely tride:
To them that trust in thee, a shild thou dost abide.

For who is God besides this greate Jehova oures?
And so besides our God, who is indu'd with might?
This God then girded me in his all-mighty pow'rs,
He made my combrous way, to me most plainly right:
To match with lightfoote Staggs, he made my foote so light,
That I climb'd highest hill; he me warre-pointes did show,
Strength'ning mine armes, that they could breake an Iron bow.

Thou gav'st me saving shield: thy right hand was my stay,
Me in encreasing still, thy kindnesse did maintaine:
Unto my strengthned stepps, thou didst enlardge the way,
My heeles, and plantes, thou didst from stumbling slip sustain:
What foes I did pursue, my force did them attain
That I ere I retorn'd, destroi'd them utterly,
With such brave woundes, as they under my feete did ly.

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For why my fighting strength, by thy strength, strengthned was:
Not I, but thou throwst down those, who gainst me do rise,
Thou gavest me their necks, on them thou mad'st me passe:
Behold they cry, but who to them his helpe applies?
Nay unto thee they cri'd, but thou heardst not their cries:
I bett those folkes as small as dust, which wind doth raise,
I bett them as the clay, is bett, in beaten waies.

Thus freed from mutinn men, thou makest me to raign;
Yea thou dost make me serv'd by folks I never knew:
My name their eares, their eares their harts to me enchain'd:
Ev'n feare makes strangers shew much love, though much untrue.
But they do faile, and in their mazed corners rue:
Then live Jehova still, my Rock still blessed be:
Lett hym be lifted up, that hath preserved me.

He that is my reveng, in whom I Realmes subdue;
Who freed me from my foes, from Rebells garded me:
And ridd me from the wronges which cruell witts did brew.
Among the Gentiles then I (Lord) yeeld thancks to thee,
I to thy name will sing, and this my song shall be:
He nobly saves his king, and kindnes keepes in store,
For David his anoint and his seed evermore.