Psa. 55.
[_]
To the cheef Musitian Neginoth Maschil, a Psalm
of David. It personatet the faithfull, complaining & petitioning
against the inhumanitie of their foes. It deciphers,
also, false brethren; declares their destruction, & the securitie
of the Elect
. It may be vsed as the former.
[1]
Oh God! my praiers hear;
Hide not away thine eare;
But, hear, & cast on mee thine eye.
For, loud my foes doe roare;
The wicked greeve me sore;
And, therfore Lord, thus loud I crie.
2
With wrongs, they mee persue,
A wrathfull spight they shewe,
And, I, at hart am greatlie vext:
Deaths torments mee oppresse,
I shake through fearfullnes,
With horrors great, I am perplext.
3
I sayd; Doves wings, had I,
To rest, I then would flie.
Lo, then farr hence I would abide,
I, then would haste away,
And, in some Desert stay
Which frō the Tempest mee should hide.
4
Destroy & slitt their tongues;
For, strife, oh Lord, & wrongs,
Possesse their Cittie night & day:
In midst thereof I spi'de
Sinn, fraud, & guile abide;
These, in her streats, still made their stay.
5
A foes contempt, or scorne,
I could have shund or borne;
But, mee no publike foe abus'de:
It was my trusted Peer;
As freinds, wee freindlie were,
And, wee God's house togither vs'd.
6
Arrest them, Death & Hell,
With whome such Mischeevs dwell:
For, I, vpon the Lord will call.
To God, at night I'le pray,
At morninge, at nooneday;
And, mee both hear, & save, he shall.
7
In warr, he gave mee peace,
And, mee will still release:
Ev'n me, the Lord will hear, and save.
But, God will punish them:
For, they his feare contemn;
Because, that they no Changes have.
8
Their hands, the Peace did breake,
(Where they a league did make)
And, though their speach most freindlie were,
Yet are, sometime, their words,
Like darts or naked swords.
Let God, therefore, thy Burthen bear.
8
For, God is thy defence,
He gardeth innocence;
And, Sinners downe to Hell will thrust.
Not half their daies they live,
Who murther or deceive:
But, in the Lord I put my trust.
