The Psalmes of David, from the New Translation of the Bible Turned into Meter ::

My Soul the Lord for ever bless:
O God! Thy greatnesse all confess;
Whom Majesty and honour vest,
In robes of Light eternall drest.
He Heaven makes his Canopy;
His chambers in the waters ly:
His Chariot is the cloudy storme,
And on the wings of wind is borne.

194

He Spirits makes His Angels quire;
His Ministers a flaming fire.
He so did earth's foundations cast,
It might remaine for ever fast:
Then cloath'd it with the spatious deep,
Whose wave outswells the mountaines steep.
At Thy rebuke the waters fled,
And hid their thunder-frighted head.

They from the mountaines streaming flow,
And downe into the Vallies go:
Then to their liquid center hast,
Where their collected floods are cast.
These in the Ocean met, and joyn'd,
Thou hast within a bank confin'd:
Not suff'ring them to pass their bound,
Least earth by their excess be drown'd.

He from the hills his Christall springs
Down running to the vallies brings:
Which drink supply, and coolnes yield,
To thirsting beasts throughout the field.
By them the fowles of heaven rest,
And singing in their branches nest.
He waters from his clouds the Hills;
The teeming earth with plenty fills.

He grass for Cattle doth produce,
And every Herbe for humane use:

195

That so He may His creatures feed,
And from the earth supply their need.
He makes the clusters of the vine,
To glad the Sons of men with wine.
He oyle to cheere the face imparts,
And bread, the strength'ner of their hearts.

Second Part.

The trees, which God for fruit decreed,
Nor sap, nor moyst'ning vertue need.
The lofty Cedars by His hand
In Lebanon emplanted stand.
Unto the birds these shelter yield,
And Storks upon the fir-trees build:
Wild goats the hills defend, and feed,
And in the Rocks the Conies breed.

He made the changing Moone appeare,
To note the seasons of the yeare.
The Sun from Him his strength doth get,
And knows the measure of his Set.
Thou mak'st the darkness of the night,
When beasts creep forth that shunn'd the light.
Young Lions, roaring after prey,
From God their hunger must allay.

When the bright Sun casts forth his ray,
Down in their Dennes themselvs they lay.
Man's labour, with the morne begun,
Continues till the day be done.

196

O Lord! what wonders hast thou made,
In providence and wisedome layd?
The earth is with Thy riches crown'd,
And Seas, where creatures most abound.

There go the ships, which swiftly fly,
There great Leviathan doth ly,
Who takes his pastime in the flood:
All these do waite on Thee for food.
Thy bounty is on them distill'd,
Who are by Thee with goodness fill'd.
But when thou hid'st Thy face, they dy
And to their dust returned ly.

Thy spirit all with life endues,
The springing face of earth renewes.
Gods glory ever shall endure,
Pleas'd in His works, from change secure
Upon the earth He looketh downe,
Which shrinks & trembles at His frowne
His lightnings touch, or thunders stroak
Wil make the proudest mountains smoak.

To Him my Ditties, whil'st I live,
Or being have, shall praises give:
My Meditations will be sweet,
When fixt on Him my comforts meet.
Upon the earth let sinners rot,
In place, and memory forgot.

197

But thou, my soul, thy Maker bless;
Let all the world His praise express.

University of Virginia Library

Psal. CIV.

[First Part]

Second Part.