The Psalmes of David The King And Prophet, And Of other holy Prophets, paraphas'd in English: Conferred with the Hebrew Veritie, set forth by B. Arias Montanus, together with the Latine, Greek Septuagint, and Chaldee Paraphrase. By R. B. [i.e. Richard Brathwait] |
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Psal. 78. Attendite, Popule.
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 | The Psalmes of David |  |
Psal. 78. Attendite, Popule.
Admonitio Asaphi.
1
My Law, that I shall give in charge,O ye my people, heare:
To what my lips shall speake at large,
incline your heedfull eare.
2
A Parable my mouth shall shew,darke mysteries of old,
3
What we have heard, and knowne, renew,as have our fathers told.
4
Which of the Ages sons un-borne,we will conceale from none,
What Crownes of praise the Lord hath worne,
what powerfull wonders done?
5
A Covenant he with Jacob strooke,gave Israel a Law:
Wherein, strait charge our fathers tooke,
to hold their sons in awe.
6
That their Posteritie might know,and learne by them alive:
From seed to seed rise up and sowe,
from sonne to sonne derive.
7
On God, their hopes that they might set,Gods acts charactred deep
Within their breast, might not forget,
and his Commandments keep.
149
8
Not, as their fathers disobey'd,a race that did rebell:
A race, from God, whose heart un-stai'd,
whose spirit unfaithfull, fell.
9
Such as the sons of Ephraim were,that arm'd, and bearing bow,
Flung downe their armes, and fled for feare
before the signall-blow.
10
Of God, the Covenant kept they not,his Precepts pathes eschew'd:
11
What deeds he did for them, forgotwhat wondrous workes he shew'd.
12
What wonders in their fathers sight,sad proofe can Egypt yeeld,
Whereto, though Misraim all, had right,
most right had Zoan field.
13
The sea for them did he divide,and made them passage all:
He heap't the waters side by side,
to stand, as wall by wall.
14
A cloud all day, their course to keep,all night, a light of fire:
15
From Desert-rockes, as from the Deep,gave drinke at their desire.
16
Swift streames out of the Rocke he brought,that forth like rivers flie:
17
Their sinne, on sinne, in Desert wrought,provok't, yet, God Most-Hie.
18
And, tempting God, with grudging hearts,their soule requiring meat:
19
Shall God (said they) in Desert parts,on tables set to eate?
20
Behold, he smote the stony Rocke,whence flow'd those streames afresh:
150
find bread, or furnish flesh?
21
This heard the Lord; but heard with wrath,the fire that Jacob blew:
For this ingratefull breach of troth,
on faithlesse Israel flew.
22
For they to God no faith had given,nor his salvation trust:
23
Though clouds enjoyn'd, & doors of Heaven,lay open to their lust.
24
He, Manna downe on them did raine,their hunger to suffice;
And gave them of that Heavenly graine,
from Garners of the skies.
25
That man, the Mighties Bread might eate,it was his Makers will:
Who sent them this Celestiall meate,
of Angels food, their fill.
26
He, from Heavens Nabathean mouth,his East wind made to blow:
His power brought from Sabean South,
a softer gale to glow.
27
He rain'd downe flesh, the Desert dust,to number, is not more;
And feathred-fowle, to fill their lust,
as sand, on sea-driv'n shore.
28
He made it fall, his Camp throughout,so bigge the cloud did swell;
His habitations round about,
the feathred-tempest fell.
29
So they did eate, and had their fill,their lust, so highly priz'd,
Had what they would, yet, not their will;
were cloi'd, but not suffic'd.
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30
While yet the meat was in their mouth,Gods wrath upon them came;
And slew the fat of all their youth,
the hopes of Israels name.
31
This done, yet sinn'd they more and more,the more their God to grieve:
His wonders slighting, as before,
nor would they yet beleeve.
32
He therefore did consume their daiesin vanitie, their yeeres,
Not close, with Ages kind decaies,
but crosse, with hasty feares.
33
On them, when slaughters hand he brought,then home to him retir'd:
Then sought him, early then him sought,
then after God enquir'd.
34
That God was then their Rocke of strength,they could remember well;
And that the Highest God, at length,
was their Redeemer, tell.
35
Yet did their mouth but faigne the while,this was but flatt'ries gloze,
Their tongue fram'd this alluring stile,
these lies with him to close.
36
Their heart with him was wrong within,his Covenants faith forgot:
His Mercy covered yet their sin,
and them corrupted not.
37
How often his compassions wing,could wind his wrath aside;
And on their heads forbeare to bring,
his whole displeasures tide.
38
Remembring that they were but flesh,a vapour, whift away:
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but once, and soon decay.
39
How often did they him provoke,the Wildernesse can speake:
How often his displeasures stroke,
the Deserts saw him breake.
40
Yet turning backe, to sinne they fell,and tempting God againe:
The Holy-One of Israel,
their limits would containe.
41
Nor minded they his Mighty hand,nor their Redemption-day:
When he them freed from Pharaoh's Land,
from bondage sent away.
42
What strange designes in Egypt done,what wonders Zoan-plaines:
All Ages wonder, equall none,
and Memphis yet complaines.
43
He turn'd their rivers into bloud,that thirst it selfe did shrinke,
In plenty, poore; of Nilus floud
when Egypt could not drinke.
44
Devouring flies, promiscuous swarmes,to eate them up, he sent;
And fenny frogs importune charmes,
corrupting, where they went.
45
He let the Caterpiller eatethe fruit of all their soile;
And gave their labours hopefull sweat,
to be the Locusts spoile.
46
Their Vines, with haile-stones he destroi'd,their Sycamores with frost:
47
With haile, their heards, their flocks annoi'd,in flames of lightning lost.
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48
His indignations fi'rie stripes,his fury on them spent;
And guilty-soules tormenting gripes,
by evill Angels sent.
49
He spared not their soule from death,to weigh his angers way,
Made man and beast give up their breath,
the Pestilences prey.
50
The first of all in Egypt borne,unequall death prevents;
The Principall of strength, the Horne,
where Cham had pitch't his Tents.
51
But forth, like sheep, from tempest fled,he made his people passe;
And, like a flocke in Deserts led,
as in deep pasture grasse.
52
He led them safe, and free from feare,their walkes were through the waves;
But drown'd their foes, that here and there
had made the sea their graves.
53
And them, he to his Rocke of rest,his holy Border, brought,
This Mountaine lov'd above the best,
and with his right hand bought.
54
Before them, out the Heath'ns he cast,and shar'd their lot by line;
Where Anak raign'd in Ages past,
the shields of Jacob shine.
55
Ingratefull they, their God Most-Hie,yet tempt, afresh provoke:
His Testimonies naught set by,
with them can beare no stroke.
56
They turne their backes, disloyall grow,and flie their fathers flight:
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the Archer aiming right.
57
And now, to grate his angry gall,Hill-Altars, Idoll-Groves,
Grav'n-Imagery, whereto they fall,
his jealous fury moves.
58
This, hearing God, his wrath grew hot,so foule revolt to heare;
So Israel his hatred got,
his people held so deare.
59
His Tabernacle he forsooke,that Shilo lov'd so well;
His Tabernacle, where he tooke
delight with men, to dwell.
60
His Arke, his Monument of Power,he left in captive bands;
And gave his Glories beauteous flowre
into Distressors hands.
61
He chain'd his people to the chanceof Tyrants raging blade;
And wroth with his Inheritance,
their heads the hostage made.
62
Their young men were untimely driven,of fire to be the food:
Their virgins not in marriage given,
nor by their praisers woo'd.
63
Their Priests annointed, slaine with glaves,and laid on bloudy Beers:
No widowes, on their wedlockes graves,
to melt some mourning teares.
64
So wak't the Lord, as after sleep,the rowzed sp'rits refine:
Or, as a Giant, sowsed deep
in lavish cups of wine.
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65
With Hemorroids, on their parts behind,his enemies he smote;
And branded them, and all their kind,
with shames eternall note.
66
For Josephs Tent he did refuse,or Ephraims Tribe to move:
67
But Judah's Royall Tribe did chuse,and Sion-Mount his love.
68
There, built his Temples Hornes on hie,his Holy-place so sure,
That founded to Eternitie,
might firme, as earth, endure.
69
His servant David (hooke and sling)he drew from folds of sheep;
And of a Shepherd, made a King,
a flocke of soules to keep.
70
From following Ewes, with young ones great,of Jacobs chosen seed:
Possest him of a Regall-seat,
his Israel to feed.
And them within this Holy Land,
with perfect heart he fed:
Them, with a prudent Pastors hand,
(his flocke) discreetly led.
| The Psalmes of David | |