University of Virginia Library

Psalme. xxxi. In te domine speraui.

In thee (O Lorde) haue I trusted
Let me not fele the blame:
At any tyme, I thee beseche
Of dysapoynted shame.


But me defende, preserue and kepe
Delyuer as I trust:
Now through thy might, without ye which
There maye no man be iust.
Gyue eare o Lorde, and ryd me soone
My fortresse before me:
In whose defence, thou shalt me saue
Yf I defended be.
For thou art wonte, alwayes to be
My holde and my succoure:
And for thy name, then be thou both
My guyde and comfortoure.
Thou shalt vntangle, and me vnlofe
From snares that they haue layde:
To take me with, for without thee
My selfe I can not ayde.


Into thy helpe, and hand I wyll
Betake my simple spryte:
Thou hast and shalt, delyuer me
Most iuste in thy behyght.
I haue not one, of them alowed
That sets theyr endes in vayne:
Myne only hope, both all and some
In the doth sure remayne.
Let me therfore, (oh Lord) inioye
Thy mercyes oft assayde:
My troubles for, thou dydst regarde
Wherin my lyfe was stayde.
Thou hast not suffered, me at all
Wyth enmies powre be paynde:
But rather hast, thou set at large
My stepps that were restraynde.


Oh Lorde on me, now pytye take
At hand my daunger loo:
Myne eyes my lyfe, and eke my fleshe
Alas doth frette for woo.
Moste of my dayes, and yeares I saye
In troubles wasted arre:
My strēgth decayeth, my bones do quayle
Such myschefe me doth marre.
The feare and dred, of many foes
Hath made my frendes to swarue:
And they to hate me, wyth out cause
Of whome I good desarue.
I am dyspysd, and cleane forgot
As dede in death doth starue:
As broken pots, whose shards I saye
For nothinge more can sarue.
I hearde the people, taulke and saye
And threaten woo and stryfe:
As though it semde, by one consent
I were not worthy lyfe.
But yet (oh Lorde) in thee I do
Set surely my beliefe:
And know thou art, what me befall
My God and whole reliefe.


My tyme it is, in thyne owne hands
Thou knowst what shall insue:
Delyuer me, from enmyes powre
Whych doth my lyfe pursue.
Shew yet thy frendly, countynaunce
Unto thy symple slaue:
According to, thy natyue ruthe
Thou me defend and saue.
Let it not be, imputed lorde
For a mock vnto me:
That in my nede, my ayde and helpe
I seake onely at thee.
The wycked haue, the mocks & scorns
And holde theyr peace in hell:
But buryed maye, they all be now
Of farther helpe that tell.
And let theyr mouths, be sealed vp
That vse theyr lyppes to lyes:
Speakinge slanders, of the iuste man
Wyth proude dysdaynfull cryes.
What welth and what, abundant store
Haste thou layde vp for those:
That honoure thee, that hope in thee
For whome thou doste dysclose.


Euen manyfest, afore oure eyes
Full many a noble dede:
That Adams lyne, maye wondre much
And learne thee for to drede.
Thou dost bestowe, them wondrous well
Afore thyne eyes and face:
Whyche is debard, from wycked men
They maye not haue that grace.
For thou dost them, defende and saue
From threates of myghty poure:
From venym tounges, thou dost thē hyde
Wythin thy pleasaunt boure.
Lorde of thy greate, goodnes haue I
At thy hand fauoure founde:
Thy workes in my, defence is as
A cytye walled rounde.
I haue me thought, often ere thys
Farre cast out of thy syght:
But yet euen then, thou hardst my voyce
And prayer daye and nyght.
Loue ye therfore, the lyuinge Lorde
Hys goodnes whych do taste:
For he the symple, doth defende
Rewards the proude as faste.


Be of good cheare, all ye therfore
That hope of God good turne:
For he wyll strengthen, styll youre harts
That trust in hys returne.
Dauid afore, the face of God
Doth here hys synnes confesse:
Vpon vvhose ayde, hys hope is stayed
vvhen troubles him oppresse.