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

Here taught we be
That we deny
our selfe (in hart) to hang of God,
How good shall well
And euill shall euill
at last (in state) haue their abode

Noli emulari.

1

Ensue thou not: men obstinate,
Ne fret (in hart) ne stryue wyth them:
Enuy thou nat: theyr wycked state,
A tyme (but short) to row the streme.

2

For soone as hay: they shall away,
as (witherd) grasse cut downe I say:
So swiftly fade: as herbe the blade,
how greene (and fresh) so euer it lay.

3

Trust thou the Lord: hold fast hys worde,
be doyng still good (righteous) deede:
Dwell thou in land: hold still thy hand,
in truth (and rest) thy fayth to feede.

4

Thus thy delyte: shall God be ryght,
to hym than set thyne (eare and) hart:
What mynde can craue: or wyshe to haue,
God wyll it iust (ryght soone) impart.

5

Commit thy way: thy state and stay,
to Gods (most strong) all louyng grace:
Trust hym in fayth: for what he sayth,
he bringth it well to (redy) passe.

102

6

He will expresse: thy ryghteousnes,
at length (of tyme) as sunne so bryght:
And will endue: thy iudgement true,
wyth lyght as noone (doth shyne) in sight.

7

Be still in God: abyde hys rod,
let hym (alway) do what he wyll:
Fret not I reede: though wycked speede,
who sueth (so fast) all counsayles euill.

8

Recede from ire: no tyme conspire,
wyth them (to go) thy heate refrayne:
Els shall thy will: be moued still,
to counterfet theyr (wycked) brayne.

9

Maligners all: shall haue a fall,
They shall be (all deepe) rooted out:
Where who abyde: the Lord theyr guide,
shall vse (at wyll) the lande no dout.

10

Wythin a whyle: all wycked wyle,
shall passe (away) and melt to nought:
Hys place wheras: late greene he was,
shall not be found though (Nylo) sought.

11

But yet the meeke: shall as they lyke,
enherite sure: the (stable) earth:
God wyll theyr stresse: In heauen refreshe,
wyth store (and choyce) of peaceful myrth.

12

Th'ungodly seeke: agaynst the meeke,
his counsayles mad to (weaue and) warpe:
He gnasht hys teeth: yf nought he seeth,
in lyfe of them (in shame) to carpe.

103

13

The Lord shall let: hys wrath and threat,
and laugh at hym (full dry) in scorne:
For he doth see: hys day to bee,
at hand to wayle (full sore) forlorne.

14

Theyr sword drawne out: bow bent so stout,
the wycked (sort all) redy hath:
To bryng the poore: to death hys dore,
to kill the iust in (hatefull) wrath.

15

Theyr sword so fierce: theyr hartes shal pierce
themselfe agayne (so iust) to quyte:
Theyr bow so bent: shall be but rent,
and voyde shall be theyr (irefull) myght.

16

A little store: got iust before,
to ryghteous man is (alway) more:
Than is the food: and all the good,
of (suttle) man that crafth therfore.

17

The armes and sleyghtes: wyth all the baytes
of wycked man shall (shortly) quayle:
Yet wyll the Lord: the iust aforde,
theyr holde (and trust) shall neuer fayle.

18

God knowth the dayes: and loueth the wayes
of godly men (theyr lyues) to ayde:
From tycle chaunce: theyr heritaunce,
shall last (in tyme) for euer stayde.

19

In perilous dayes: of dreadfull frayes,
they shall not stand (in feare) amasde:
In tyme of dearth: of barren earth,
theyr (store and) plenty shall be blasde.

104

20

But wycked men: shall peryshe then,
gods foes though (they be) hye aloft,
Yet lyke the sunne: shall they consume,
as (meltyng) fat of lambes so soft.

21

The wycked man: he borow can,
but wyll not pay (hys det) agayne:
The ryghteous man: to lend he can,
and feelth therin no (bitter) payne.

22

Gods blessed men: deepe rooted then,
shall raygne (at will) and haue their fyll:
Gods cursed men: vp rooted then,
shall sterue (for lacke) and want theyr wyll.

23

The Lord is guyde: at good mans syde,
hys kynde of lyfe (he so) alowth:
Hys steps and gate: hys lyfe hys state,
God guideth (full sure) and it auowth.

24

If chaunce he slippe: by humayne tryp,
yet (fully) flat he falth not down:
Gods hand hym stayth: and vnder layth,
to keepe hym (iust both) safe and sound.

25

I yong haue bene: now olde am sene,
the iust (as yet) I neuer knew:
Once destitute: or yet hys fruite,
to seke theyr bread (in nede) vndue.

26

The iust man wull: be mercifull,
still lendth (hys good) he hourdth not than:
And yet hys seede: in grace shall speede,
both blest (and praysd) of God and man.

105

27

Flee thou all euill: wyth hart and wyll,
do good that God (of thee) requyrth:
Than trust thou sure: long tyme t'endure,
to haue (all thyng) what hart desierth.

28

For God loueth ryght: and wyll not quyte,
geue vp hys sayntes (for aye) to wayle:
Hys deare elect: be euer kept,
where wycked seede shall (fowly) quayle.

29

The ryghteous man: most stable than,
the earth (at rest) inherite shall:
Therin to dwell: most safely well,
for euer (sure and) not to fall.

30

The ryghteous mouth: is traynd in south,
in wisdom (godly) all inured:
Hys tonge wyll talke: all wysdomes walke,
in sentence ryght (alway) assured.

31

For why Gods law: is all hys awe,
and shet in hart: (it is full fast:
Hys lyfe and gate: as stable state,
shall neuer slyde (once made) agast.

32

The wycked prye: they toote to spye,
the walke (and trade) of ryghteous man:
They search and seeke: some cause to pyke,
to kill hym (quyte and) if they can.

33

But God hys strength: wyll not at length,
leaue them in theyr foule (suttle) handes:
To be condemnd: by foes so fremde,
at sentence (nye so) when he standes.

106

34

Trust thou the Lord: keepe fast hys worde,
for he wyll thee on hye promoote:
To holde the land: where wycked band,
at eye (ryght downe) shall fall in foote.

35

For I euen I: haue spyed wyth eye,
the wycked (wyght O) far a loft:
So strong to see: as Ceder tree,
so grene (and freshe) as bay full oft.

36

Tho went I by: hys seate to spy,
but lo (full soone) it was agone:
I sought hys place: to see hys grace,
fye (stable) place then had he none.

37

Thys is the summe: soone good become,
in cliffe (alway) be innocent:
Hold truth full fast: for truth at last,
bringth (ioyfull) peace with gods assent.

38

But wretched men: who wicked ren.
by heapes shall fall in (shamefull) feare:
Their fortune falth: their pleasure palth,
their ende (of dayes) is woofull chere.

39

Where helth and welth: from God himselfe.
to righteous men so (fastly) growth:
He is theyr shield: theyr strength in field,
when trouble (chance or) ouerflowth.

40

God them shall fence: and ryd them thence,
where (proudly) rule all wycked men:
He wyll them saue: for why they haue,
theyr trust (and hope) in hym agayne.