University of Virginia Library

Psalm 34.

[The Lord for evĕr with humblest ioy my thankfulst thoughts shal bless]

The Lord for evĕr with humblest ioy my thankfulst thoughts shal bless;
In him my soule triumph; my mouth his glorious praise express.
Let myld & righteŏus mynds, earths Saints, with gladnes hear this praise:
Yea all vnite, harts, spĭrits, and sounds, to heăvens his name to raize.
When chasĕd from home, in strangers land, midst Hethen crue, I moornd,
And sought my God; my sighs he heard, and safely mee returnd.
That mee his Saints example great shal cheerful ay recite;
This poore man cryd, the Lord him heard, and freed from hostile spite.
O THOUGHT-surmounting grace! to earth from heăvenli host descends
Gods Angel great, and servants his as rampire round defends.
Then tast, and see, how good the Lord; how sweet his merci flowes;
How blest the man who trusts in him, on him vow'd love bestowes.
And ye, Gods Saints, his fear maintain: when liŏns through hunger wast;
Yet scarsenes none, of no thing good sour want, his servants tast.
O COM deer children; listen well, while Gods true fear I teach;
How life to win; how length of days in happiĕst state to reach.
Thy tong from venŏmed woords refrain; thy lips let shun deceipt:
Decline from evĭl; doo good: seek peace; this this be thy retreit.
The eys of God with pleazing vieu the rightĕous race behold;
Their suits his gracious ears attend; ful deer their lifes are sold:
But countĕnance stern the mighti Lord gainst proud malfactors bends;
And cursed names, corrupted seed, from earths fair bosom rends.
TRUE servants plaints iust Lord dooth hear; their tears and fears discharge,
Their contrite harts, enanguisht spĭrits, from pressures streit enlarge.
Afflictions great, it's true, ful oft most righteŏus Man endures:
God rids them all: and in their midst his bones from brack assures.
No bone of His shal broken be. But those who hate the iust,
Shal perish all: the wicked harts owne malice grynds to dust.
Their owne desires them plague. But God shal rightĕous souls redeem;
And none shal quail, to him that trust, who him their life esteem.