A translation of the psalms of David attempted in the Spirit of Christianity, and adapted to the divine service. By Christopher Smart |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
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| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
| XLIII. |
| XLIV. |
| XLV. |
| XLVI. |
| XLVII. |
| XLVIII. |
| XLIX. |
| L. |
| LI. |
| LII. |
| LIII. |
| LIV. |
| LV. |
| LVI. |
| LVII. |
| LVIII. |
| LIX. |
| LX. |
| LXI. |
| LXII. |
| LXIII. |
| LXIV. |
| LXV. |
| LXVI. |
| LXVII. |
| LXVIII. |
| LXIX. |
| LXX. |
| LXXI. |
| LXXII. |
| LXXIII. | PSALM LXXIII. |
| LXXIV. |
| LXXV. |
| LXXVI. |
| LXXVII. |
| LXXVIII. |
| LXXIX. |
| LXXX. |
| LXXXI. |
| LXXXII. |
| LXXXIII. |
| LXXXIV. |
| LXXXV. |
| LXXXVI. |
| LXXXVII. |
| LXXXVIII. |
| LXXXIX. |
| XC. |
| XCI. |
| XCII. |
| XCIII. |
| XCIV. |
| XCV. |
| XCVI. |
| XCVII. |
| XCVIII. |
| XCIX. |
| C. |
| CI. |
| CII. |
| CIII. |
| CIV. |
| CV. |
| CVI. |
| CVII. |
| CVIII. |
| CIX. |
| CX. |
| CXI. |
| CXII. |
| CXIII. |
| CXIV. |
| CXV. |
| CXVI. |
| CXVII. |
| CXVIII. |
| CXIX. |
| CXX. |
| CXXI. |
| CXXII. |
| CXXIII. |
| CXXIV. |
| CXXV. |
| CXXVI. |
| CXXVII. |
| CXXVIII. |
| CXXIX. |
| CXXX. |
| CXXXI. |
| CXXXII. |
| CXXXIII. |
| CXXXIV. |
| CXXXV. |
| CXXXVI. |
| CXXXVII. |
| CXXXVIII. |
| CXXXIX. |
| CXL. |
| CXLI. |
| CXLII. |
| CXLIII. |
| CXLIV. |
| CXLV. |
| CXLVI. |
| CXLVII. |
| CXLVIII. |
| CXLIX. |
| CL. |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
 | A translation of the psalms of David |  |
PSALM LXXIII.
God is in very truth benign
To Jacob, and his seed,
To such as heartily decline
From filth in word and deed.
To Jacob, and his seed,
To such as heartily decline
From filth in word and deed.
And yet my feet had well nigh lost
The conduct of their guide,
And my firm treadings, to my cost,
Were on the point to slide.
The conduct of their guide,
And my firm treadings, to my cost,
Were on the point to slide.
66
For wherefore? I was griev'd to see
Ungodly men so great,
And wealth and pow'r to that degree
On Satan's servants wait.
Ungodly men so great,
And wealth and pow'r to that degree
On Satan's servants wait.
For they themselves of age assure,
As though excus'd to die,
And lustily they live secure,
And Christ in strength deny.
As though excus'd to die,
And lustily they live secure,
And Christ in strength deny.
The tides of trouble, that confound
Their betters, they can stem;
And crosses, which their neighbours wound,
Are far enough from them.
Their betters, they can stem;
And crosses, which their neighbours wound,
Are far enough from them.
Hence pride has bound their stiffen'd neck
As with a gorgeous chain,
And as in robes themselves they deck
In wrath and high disdain.
As with a gorgeous chain,
And as in robes themselves they deck
In wrath and high disdain.
Their wanton eyes with fatness swell,
As in themselves they trust,
And in proud palaces they dwell,
To do whate'er they lust.
As in themselves they trust,
And in proud palaces they dwell,
To do whate'er they lust.
Their commerce is contagious too,
As loudly they blaspheme;
Their conversation they renew,
Against the great Supreme.
As loudly they blaspheme;
Their conversation they renew,
Against the great Supreme.
For with their clamour they invade,
Where heav'n its vault sublimes,
And their untoward talk is made
The fashion of the times.
Where heav'n its vault sublimes,
And their untoward talk is made
The fashion of the times.
Therefore to them the people crave
For profit and for ease;
And from each voluntary slave
No trivial tax they squeeze.
For profit and for ease;
And from each voluntary slave
No trivial tax they squeeze.
Shall God (the scorners say) perceive,
Who dwells in heavens unknown,
And what we dare and disbelieve,
Be laid before his throne?
Who dwells in heavens unknown,
And what we dare and disbelieve,
Be laid before his throne?
Lo! these are what religion brands,
Yet make the world their mart,
If so, in vain I've wash'd my hands,
I cry'd, and purg'd my heart.
Yet make the world their mart,
If so, in vain I've wash'd my hands,
I cry'd, and purg'd my heart.
I have been mortify'd all day,
And griev'd such men were born,
And chasten'd with the rising ray
For many an irksome morn.
And griev'd such men were born,
And chasten'd with the rising ray
For many an irksome morn.
Yea, I had almost join'd the fools—
But then I shou'd have blam'd
The wholesome discipline, which schools
Thy sons that are reclaim'd.
But then I shou'd have blam'd
The wholesome discipline, which schools
Thy sons that are reclaim'd.
Then labour'd I to comprehend
This mystery of thine,
But could not its immediate end
With all my skill divine.
This mystery of thine,
But could not its immediate end
With all my skill divine.
Until I went into thy fane
To recommend my plea,
And there thou mad'st it very plain
Why these events should be.
To recommend my plea,
And there thou mad'st it very plain
Why these events should be.
To wit, how all their pride they prop
Upon a tott'ring base,
Whence at thy bidding down they drop,
And sink into disgrace.
Upon a tott'ring base,
Whence at thy bidding down they drop,
And sink into disgrace.
How instantaneous one and all
Are blasted and consume,
And perish at thy wrath, and fall
Upon a dreadful doom.
Are blasted and consume,
And perish at thy wrath, and fall
Upon a dreadful doom.
Like as a dream, when men awake,
And from their fright are freed;
So from the city shalt thou make
Their image to recede.
And from their fright are freed;
So from the city shalt thou make
Their image to recede.
Thus in my heart was discontent,
And gall within me flow'd,
And thro' my loins vexation went,
And in my reins abode.
And gall within me flow'd,
And thro' my loins vexation went,
And in my reins abode.
So foolish in my vain dispute
Was I before my God,
And void of wisdom as the brute,
By which the corn is trod.
Was I before my God,
And void of wisdom as the brute,
By which the corn is trod.
And yet I keep within thy courts
One constant strain of pray'r,
And my right hand thy pow'r supports,
While I thy surplice wear.
One constant strain of pray'r,
And my right hand thy pow'r supports,
While I thy surplice wear.
67
My road thy counsel shall direct,
And thro' all straits convoy,
And thou shalt welcome thine elect
To glory and to joy.
And thro' all straits convoy,
And thou shalt welcome thine elect
To glory and to joy.
Whom have I in the heav'ns above
Like thee my hope to raise,
Nor is there ought on earth I love,
In measure as thy praise?
Like thee my hope to raise,
Nor is there ought on earth I love,
In measure as thy praise?
My spirits have forsook my heart,
My vigour fails my flesh;
But God, in whom I have a part,
Shall with new strength refresh.
My vigour fails my flesh;
But God, in whom I have a part,
Shall with new strength refresh.
For they that from thy banner run,
Shall find an hasty grave,
Nor ought but thine all-righteous Son
Can such adult'rers save.
Shall find an hasty grave,
Nor ought but thine all-righteous Son
Can such adult'rers save.
But it is good for me to hold
My service and my song,
And God—the works of God unfold,
Where Zion's daughters throng.
My service and my song,
And God—the works of God unfold,
Where Zion's daughters throng.
| A translation of the psalms of David | |