Psalm LXXVII. Voce mea ad Dominum, &c.
I
In my great trouble to the Lord I cried,
I cri'd aloud, And He was pleas'd to hear,
And when the night His Face did hide,
With stretch'd out hands I felt if, He was near:
I prai'd, and was resolv'd to pray,
Refus'd all Comfort but my tears,
Whose streames I thought my Feavour might allay,
And as they forc't my heart for passage, move His Ears.
II
Sometimes in groans, sometimes in Words I pray'd,
And fluent as my griefs my sorrows spake;
But suddenly my speech was stay'd,
And interrupting sighs its order brake:
And then I could nor speak, nor sleep,
Thou Lord didst hold my eyes, and tongue;
Only my mind its even frame did keep,
And with weak hands, and muttering lips became more strong
III
Then of Thy Wonders did I meditate,
Our Fathers dayes, and what their age did see;
How Thou upheld'st the Tottering State,
And in their troubles mad'st them trust in Thee:
Fresh to my mind then came a Song,
Which heretofore I did reherse,
An Anthem which had been forgotten long,
Where my Soul with me joyn'd, and thus began the Verse.
IV
“And can it be that God will thus reject,
“Be always angry, and ne'r pleas'd again,
“Will He His Flock no more protect,
“But let us ever, as this day, complain?
“Has He forgotten to be good,
“Or shall His Promise ever cease,
“Who has His Pleasure, or His Power withstood,
“That where He shuts up Warr, He should imprison Peace?
V
“Hold Soul, I said, 'tis Thy infirmity
“Makes Thee thus judge of God, whose Will shall stand
“Immovable, as it is High,
“Where Thou Thy wings should'st guide, to his right Hand!
“Of that think with me, and His Power,
“The Wondrous Works which He has done,
“They shall my talk and study be each hour,
“To shew Our children, what Our Fathers Us have shown.
VI
Thy Wayes, O God, are far above my sight,
And where Thou hid'st Thy self in Heav'n, lie hid;
Ther's none like Thee so full of might,
Whose Power I fear, by what Thy hand once did:
When from above Thou mad'st it bare,
Israel, and Josephs Seed to save,
When their Redemption did Thy strength declare,
And Egypt took the Chain to be her Captives slave.
VII
The Waters saw Thee, and the Waters fled,
The Depths were troubled, and ran back for fear;
The Clouds rain'd Seas, Heav'n Darkness spread,
From whence there came a voyce, which rocks did tear;
Th' Earth trembled, and the Mountains shook,
Egypt it self abhor'd the light,
Which from the flashes came, and horror strook
More terrible, than when three days they felt their night.
VIII
Thou for Thy People didst prepare the way,
And through those Floods a safe retreat they have,
Which Thou Thy Glory to display,
Resolvd'st should after be proud Pharaohs grave;
Along they went, by Thy Command,
Who of the Sacred Flock took'st Care;
Moses and Aaron only shew'd Thy Hand,
For the Great Shepherd Thou, and they Thy Heards-men were.
