The Whole Booke of Psalmes, collected into Englysh metre by T. Starnhold I. Hopkins & others: conferred with the Ebrue, with apt Notes to synge the[m] withal

He sheweth how God of his mercy chose hys church of the posteritie of Abraham, castyng in theyr teth the stubburne rebellion of theyr fathers that the children might not only vnderstand, that god of his fre mercies made his couenant with theyr auncestors, but also seyng thē so malitious and peruerse, might be ashamed & so turn wholy to god. In this Psalme the holy Ghost hathe comprehended, as it were the sum of all Gods benefites, to thintent the ignoraunt and gros people mighte see in few wordes the effect of the whole historyes.

[The first parte.]

[1]

Attend my people to my law

187

& to my wordes inclyne.

[2]

My mouthe shall speake straunge parables,
and sentences deuyne.

[3]

Which we our selues haue hard & lernd,
euen of oure fathers olde,
& whiche for our instruction
our fathers haue vs tolde.

Because we shoulde not kepe it close,
from them that shoulde come after.
Who should Gods power to theyr race praise,
and all his workes of wonder.

To Iacob he commaundment gaue,
how Israell should lyue:
Willyng our fathers shoulde the same,
vnto theyr children geue.

That they and theyr posterytie,
that were not sprong vp tho:

188

Should haue the knowledge of the law,
and teache theyr seede also.

That they may haue the better hope,
in God that is aboue:
And not forget to kepe his lawes,
and his precepts in loue.

Not beyng as theyr fathers were,
rebellyng in Gods syght:
And would not frame their wicked harts
to know theyr God a ryght.

How went the people of Ephraim,
theyr neyghbours for to spoyle?
Shoting their dartes the day of warre,
and yet they toke the foyle.

For why? they did not kepe with God,
the couenant that was made:
Nor yet would walk or leade their liues,
according to his trade.

But put into obliuion,
his counsell and his will:
And all his workes most magnifique,
which he declared styll.

The second parte.

What wonders to our forefathers,
did he him selfe disclose:
In Egipt land, within the field,
that called is Thaneos?

He did deuyde, and cut the sea,
that they might pas at once:
And made the water stand as styll,
as doth an heape of stones,

189

He led them secret in a cloud,
by day when it was bryght:
And in the night when darke it was,
with fire he gaue them lyght.

He brake the rocks in wildernes,
and gaue the people drynk:
As plentifull as when the depes,
doo flow vp to the brynk.

He drew out riuers out of rockes,
that were bothe drye and harde:
Of suche aboundaunce that no floudes,
to them might be compard.

Yet for all this, against the Lorde,
theyr sinne they did increase:
And styred hym that is most hygh,
to wrath in wildernes.

They tempted hym within theyr harts,
lyke people of mistrust:
Requiring such a kynd of meate,
as serued to theyr lust.

Saying with murmuration,
in theyr vnfaythfulnes:
What can this God prepare for vs,
a feast in wildernes?

Beholde, he strake the stony rock,
and floudes forthwith did flo:
But can he now geue to his folke,
bothe breade and flesh also?

When God hard this, he waxed wroth
with Iacob and his sede:

190

So did his indignation,
on Israell procede.

The thirde parte.

Because they did not faithfully,
beleue and hope that he:
Could alwayes help and succor them,
in theyr necessitie.

Wherfore he did commaund the clouds
forthwith they brake in sundre:

And raind down Manna for thē to eate
a foode of mickell wondre.

When earthly men with angels fode,
were fed at theyr request:

He bad the east wynde blow away,
and brought in the south west.

And raind downe flesh as thick as dust
and foule as thick as sand:

Whiche he did cast amids the place,
where all the tents did stand.

Then did they eate excedingly,
and all men had theyr fils:
Yet more and more they did desire,
to serue theyr lusts and wils.

But as the meate was in theyr mouthes
his wrath vpon them fell?

And slew the floure of all theyr youth,
and choyse of Israell.

Yet fell they to theyr wonted sinne,
and still they did him greue:
For all the wonders that he wrought.
they would him not beleue.

191

Theyr dayes therfore he shortned,
and made theyr honor vayne:
Theyr yeares did wast and pas away,
with terrours and with payne.

But euer when he plaged them,
they sought hym by and by:

Remēbring then, he was their strength,
theyr help and God most hye.

Thoughe in their mouthes they did but glose
and flatter with the Lord:
And with their tongs, & in theyr hartes,
dissembled euery worde.

The forthe parte.

For why? their harts were nothing bēt,
to him nor to his trade:
Nor yet to kepe or to performe,
the couenaunt that was made,

Yet was he still so mercifull,
when they deserued to dye:
That he forgaue them their misdedes,
and would not them destroy,

Yea many a tyme he turned his wrath,
and did himselfe auise:
And would not suffer all hys whole,
displeasure to aryse.

Considering they were but fleshe,
and euen as a wynde:
That passeth away and cannot well,
retourne by his owne kynde.

How often times in wildernes,
did they their Lorde prouoke:

192

How did they moue and stir theyr Lorde
to plage them with hys stroke?

Yet did they turne agayne to sinne,
and tempted God eftsone:
Prescribing to the holy Lorde,
what thinges they would haue don,

Not thinking of his hand and power,
nor of the day when he:
Deliuered them out of the bondes,
of the fierse ennemie.

Nor howe he wrought his miracles,
as they them selues beheld:
In Egipt, and the wonder that
he did in Zoan field.

Nor how he turned by his power,
theyr waters into bloud
That no man might receyue his drink,
at riuer nor at floud.

Nor how he sent them swarmes of flies
whiche did them sore annoy
And fild theyr countreys full of frogs,
whiche should theyr lande destroy.

Nor how he did commit theyr fruites
vnto the Caterpiller.
And all the labour of theyr handes,
he gaue to the Grashopper.

With haylestones he destroid their vines
so that they were all lost:
And not so much as wylde figge trees,
but he consumde with frost.

193

And yet with hailestones once agayne,
the Lorde their cattell smote:
And all their flocks and heards like wise
with thunderbolts full hote.

He cast vpon them in his ire,
and in his fury strong:
Displeasure, wrath, and euill spirites,
to trouble them amonge.

Then to his wrath he made a waye,
and spared not the least:
But gaue vnto the pestilence,
the man and eke the beast.

He strake also the first borne all,
that vp in Egipt came:
And all the chief of men and beastes,
within the tents of Ham.

But as for all his owne dearefolk,
he did preserue and kepe:
And caried them through wildernes,
euen lyke a flocke of shepe.

Without all feare, both safe and sound,
he brought them out of thrall:
Where as theyr foes with rage of Sea
were ouerwhelmed all.

And brought them out into the costes,
of his owne holy land:
Euen to the mount whiche he had got,
by his strong arme and hand.

And there cast out the Heathen folke,
and did theyr land deuyde:

194

And in the tentes he set their tribes,
of Israell to abide.

Yet for all this, theyr God most hygh,
they stirred and tempted styll:
And woulde not kepe his testament,
nor yet obey his will.

But as theyr fathers turned backe,
euen so they went astray:
Muche lyke a bowe that would not bēd,
but slipt and start away.

The .vi. parte.

And greued him with their hil altars,
with offerings, and with fire:
And with theyr Idols vehemently,
prouoked him to ire.

Therwith his wrath began agayne,
to kindle in his brest:
The naughtines of Israell,
he did so muche detest.

Then he forsoke the tabernacle,
of Silo where he was:
Right conuersant with earthly men,
euen as his dwelling place.

Then suffred he his might and power,
in bondage for to stand:
And gaue the honor of his Arcke
into his enemies hand.

And did commit them to the sword,
wroth with his heritage:

The yong men were deuoured with fire
maids had no mariage,

195

And with the sworde, the priestes also,
did pearish euerychone:
And not a widow left alyue,
theyr deathe for to be mone,

And then the Lorde began to wake,
lyke one that slept a tyme:
Or lyke a valyant man of warre,
refreshed after wyne.

With Emerods in the hinder partes,
he strake his enemies all:
And put them then vnto a shame,
that was perpetuall.

Then he the tent and tabernacle,
of Ioseph did refuse:
As for the tribe of Ephraim,
he would in no wise chuse.

But chose the tribe of Iehuda,
where as they thought to dwell:
Euen the noble mount Sion,
whiche he did loue so well.

Where as he did his temple build,
both sumptuously and sure:
Like as the earth which he hath made
for euer to endure.

Then chose he Dauid, him to serue,
his people for to kepe:
Which he toke vp and brought away,
euen from the foldes of shepe.

As he did folow the ewes with yong,
the Lorde did him auaunce:

196

To fede hys people of Israell,
and his inheritaunce.

Then Dauid with a faithfull hart,
his flocke and charge did fede:
And prudently with all his power,
did gouerne them in dede.

University of Virginia Library

Attendite popule.

Psal. lxxviii.

[The first parte.]

The second parte.

The thirde parte.

The forthe parte.

The .vi. parte.