The Poems of James VI. of Scotland :: :: University of Virginia Library

O thou my soule iehoua blesse & praise
o thou my god indeued uith greatest micht
quho can thy clothis of gloire & honoure blaise
as uith á goune thou cleithis thy selfe uith licht
& streichis out the heauenis lyke courtinis bricht
quhois syleringis all be maid of uatteris cleir
quho makis of cloudis á chairiot lairge & uicht
& ualkis on uingis of quhithering uindis uith beir.

quho makis his angelis uyndis to serue him ay
quhoise seruantis glancing flammis of fyre thay be
quho on hir groundis the earth did setle & stay
that none shoulde euer hir remouing see
sche couerid uas uith deipe as clothis by the
the uattiris stoode on stayest mountainis face
quhill tyme thy threatningis maid thaime suiftly flee
euen frome thy thoundring uoice thay fledd apace.

oure hiddeouse hillis & houis thay fledd full fast
unto that place quhiche thou for thaime had maide
thou gaue thaime then thair limitis at the last
quhairby the roring deipes returne uas stayde
then springis by the sent out throuch ualleys straide
& uent amongst the michtie montaines tall
uylde beastis of feilde uith drink to serue & ayde
& suage the thrist of assis uylde uithall.

quho maid the birdis of heauen besyde to duell
amidd the leaues to sing uith succurit sounde
quho from his chalmeris mountaines uatteris uell
that uith the fruitis that from his uorkis abound
the earth may all replenishit be found
he makis for horse & cattell grasse to spreid
& for the man the herbis to grou on grounde
that earth the man & beastis both may feid.

quho doth reioise the mortailis hairt uith uyne
& quho uith oyle his face makis cleir & bricht
& quho uith foode his stomake strenthinis syne
quho nourishis the uerry trees aricht
the cedris euin of liban tall & uicht
he plantid hath quhaire birdis do bigg thaire nest
he maid the firr trees of a uondrouse hicht
quhaire storkis do mak thaire residence & rest.

he maid the mountainis hie uylde goatis refuge
he maid the rumling rokkis á duelling place
for alpin rattis quhaire thay do liue & luge
he maid the mone hir course for to imbrace
he maid the sonne to knou his endit race
the uesten earth then maid thou darknes so
as nicht cam on quhen all uylde beastis apace
from uoodis & forrestis creip throuch plainis to go.

then lyonis young beginnis for prayes to roare
at god allmichtie crauing foode & pray
then at sonne rysing do thay stay no moire
but in thaire dennis thaime selfis do softly lay
the man gois foorth unto his uorke by day
& as the sonne beginnis to shyne & ryse
& quhill the euining he remainis auay
at leifsum laboure quhaire his liuing lyis.

o iehoua thy uorkes hou large thay be
& uith quhat uisdome are thay uyselie urocht
of thy great giftis hou full is earth & sea
in great large seas be creping thingis upbrocht
uithout all nomber, yea thy hande hes urocht
great fishe & small, thaire shippis do ualke & slyde
the quhayle quhiche thou hast maid thaire fleitis aflocht
& playis at list quhill thou his foode prouyde.

all thir haue trust in the yea all this heape
that thou in season uill prouyde thaire fill
thou giuing thaime thay readie are to reape
thy oppinid hande uith goode thingis fillis thaime still
bot by the contrair if it be thy uill
to hyde thy face then are thay troublit soire
thaire braith receaued by the quyt doth thaime kill
syne turne thay in thaire ashis uithout moire.

but if thou breithe thay do reuiue againe
yea euen of earth thou dois reneu the face
uith iehoua lett honoure still remaine
& lett him als great ioyfulness inbrace
into his uorkes he formed in euery place
quhois looke & touche quhenas it is essayed
on hillis & earth so alteris it thaire cace
as earth doth tremble mountaines smokes afrayed.

to iehoua I all my lyfe shall sing
unto my god quhill lyfe lastis shall I pray
my thocht of him great glaidnes shall me bring
in iehoua shall I delyte for ay
lett sinfull men out of the earth decay
& lett the uikkid be into noquhaire
bless thou my soule iehoua great alluay
extoll oure god aboue the skies & aire.

finis.

I.D.R.S.