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

Blessed are They, who undefil'd,
Nor in their waies beguil'd,
God's Lawes obay, His statutes keep,
And with their whole heart seek.
No wicked act seduc'd them hath,
Or turn'd them from His path;
For Thou command'st, that from Thy Law
We never should withdraw.

O that my waies were so upright,
I keep Thy statutes might:
Thou wilt not me with shame reject,
Who Thy commands respect.
My heart to praise Thee will delight,
When taught Thy judgments right:
Thy statutes I my rule will make;
O never me forsake.

BETH.

How shall a young man clense his way?
Nere from Thy word to stray.

227

My heart doth seek, and Thee prefer;
Let not my goings err.
Thy word I hid my heart within,
To keep me free from sin.
Blessed art Thou, O Gratious Lord;
Teach me to do Thy word.

My lips desist not to declare,
How just Thy judgments are:
Thy testimonies make me glad,
Above all riches had.
I will Thy precepts meditate,
And to Thy waies relate.
Thy statutes are my cheif delight,
Kept in my mind, and sight.

GIMEL.

Deale well with me, that whil'st I live,
I may observance give:
Discover to my opened eyes
Thy Law's high mysteries.
A stranger I on earth abide;
Thy precepts do not hide.
My fainting soul, with longing tir'd,
Thy judgments hath desir'd.

With curses Thou the proud hast strook,
Who Thy Commands forsook.
Reproach, and scorne from me remove;
For I Thy precepts love.

228

Princes did sit, and 'gainst me speak,
But I Thy statutes seek.
Thy word my only joy I make,
And from It counsaile take.

DALETH.

My soul unto the dust doth cleave;
Yet me in death not leave.
I to Thine eare my waies reveale,
Thy statutes not conceale.
Informe me in Thy precepts well,
That I Thy works may tell.
My melting soule with greif doth wast;
O quicken me at last.

Remove from me the way of lies,
That I Thy Law may prize.
The waies of Truth my Soule doth choose;
Thy judgments I propose.
Thy testimonies are my aime;
Lord put me not to shame:
Who from Thy Law will nere depart,
When Thou enform'st my heart.

HE.

Teach me Thy statutes to intend,
And keep them to the end.
Inform'd, I shall Thy Lawes each part
Observe with my whole heart:
Guide me in Thy commands aright,
For theirein I delight.

229

My heart unto Thy Lawes divine,
Not avarice, incline.

Quicken Thou me, and turne mine eye
From seeing vanity.
Thy word establish in my eare,
Devoted to Thy feare.
Remove my fear'd reproaches far,
For good Thy judgments are:
And me, Thy precepts who desire,
With quick'ning grace inspire.

VAU.

Thy saving mercies grant me Lord,
According to Thy word.
So shall I answer scornes unjust,
Because in Thee I trust.
Thy Truth from out my mouth nere take,
Who it my comfort make.
So I Thy Law, and holy will,
For ever shall fulfill.

Enlarg'd I walk at liberty,
Thy precepts to descry:
Which, daunted nor with fear, nor shame,
I will to Kings proclaime.
On Thy Commands my love I place,
And joyfully embrace:
With lifted hands, and heart, prostrate
On these I meditate.

230

ZAIN.

Remember Lord! Thy promise made,
Wherein my hope is lay'd:
This quickens me, though dead with greif
In trouble gives releif.
Thy Law, though proud men me deride,
I never have deny'd:
Thy judgments old I call'd to mind,
And present comfort find.

Horrour and trembling me surprise,
When sinners Thee despise.
I sing Thy statutes all my age,
In lifes short pilgrimage.
Thy name at night comes to my thought
Who have Thy precepts sought.
This comfort I performed saw,
Because I kept Thy Law.

CHETH.

Thou art my Lot; I said, (O Lord!)
That I would keep Thy word.
With my whole heart I favour crave;
Let me Thy mercy have.
My waies I mark'd, and turn'd my feet,
Within Thy Rules to meet.
To keep Thy statutes hast I made,
With duty, not delay'd.

By wicked bands though robb'd, & spoyl'd
I nere from Thee recoyl'd.

231

At midnight I my selfe will raise,
To sing Thy Judgments praise.
I am their friend, and hold them deare,
Who Thee obey, and feare.
Through earth (O Lord) Thy mercies reach;
Me in Thy statutes teach.

TETH.

Thoust hast dealt well with me, O Lord!
According to Thy word.
Good judgment and true knowledge give,
For I Thy Lawes believe.
Before I troubled was, I stray'd;
But now Thy word obey'd:
All good doth from Thy bounty flow;
Let me Thy statutes know.

The proud by Lies would me supplant,
Who keep Thy Covenant:
Their heart is swoll'n with fat, and ease;
But me Thy statutes please.
Tis good, that by affliction taught,
To know Thee I am brought;
Whose Law I in more value hold
Then thousand heaps of Gold.

IOD.

I have been fashion'd by Thy hand;
Teach me to understand:
Who feare Thee shall be glad to see
My setled hope in Thee.

232

I know Thy judgments (Lord) are true;
And my affliction due.
Yet let Thy comfort, I Thee pray,
Thy servants grief allay.

In tender mercy me forgive,
That I with Thee may live.
Shame them, whose pride without a cause,
Hates me, who love Thy Lawes.
Let those conjoyn'd to me be neare;
Thy truth who know, and feare;
My heart keep in Thy statutes sound,
That me no shame confound.

CAPH.

My soule, for Thy salvation faint,
Trusts on Thy gratious grant.
Mine eyes with expectation faile;
When shall my hopes prevaile?
Though like a bottle in the smoake,
Yet Thee I not forsook.
Shall my short daies of life have end,
Ere Thou Thy judgment send?

The proud for me against all right
Have digged pits in spight:
As Thou art faithfull, send redresse,
'Gainst them who me oppresse.
They me on earth almost consum'd;
But I on Thee presum'd.

233

O quicken me, as Thou art kind,
So I Thy word shall mind.

LAMED.

Thy promise (Lord) doth ever last,
In heaven setled fast:
Thy faith, through all successions try'd,
Doth fixt as earth abide:
Thou for Thy service did'st ordaine,
That all things should remaine.
But that Thy Law was my releif,
I perisht had through greif.

Thy precepts in my thought shall live,
For they my soule revive.
Save me (O Lord!) for I am Thine,
And to Thy Law encline.
Though wicked men would me destroy,
I make Thy word my joy:
Which to eternall blisse extends,
When earth's perfection ends.

MEM.

Thy Law how dearely do I rate
All day to meditate?
Which still before me, makes me wise,
Above mine enemies.
For studying this, I knowledge have,
More then my teachers gave.
I understand more then the old,
'Cause I Thy precepts hold.

234

My feet from evill waies refrain'd,
Are by Thy word restrain'd:
I from Thy judgments not depart;
For Thou hast taught my heart.
Then honybred from flowry fields,
Thy word more sweetnesse yields.
Through this I understanding gat;
And waies of falsehood hate.

NUN.

Thy word a lamp is shining bright,
And to my path a light.
I in my solemne vowes have sworne,
Thy statutes to performe.
I ly perplext with greif and paine;
Lord! quicken me againe.
O let my Pray'rs Thy audience reach,
And me Thy judgments teach.

My soul, though death & dangers threat,
Can never Thee forget:
And though the wicked snares have lay'd
From Thee I never stray'd.
Thy statutes are my chosen part,
The comfort of my heart;
And to performe Them I intend,
Untill my life shall end.

SAMECH.

I hate vaine thoughts, ill men neglect:
But I Thy Law affect.

235

Thou art my refuge and my shield,
Whose word doth safety yield.
Depart ye wicked ones away;
I will my God obey:
Uphold me in a life unblam'd,
Nor let my hope be sham'd.

Sustaine me (Lord!) so shall my faith,
Resting on Thee, be safe.
Thou tread'st them downe, whose guilefull heart
Doth from Thy Lawes depart;
And, like the drosse that's cast away,
Mak'st them on earth decay.
My trembling flesh is full of feare,
When I these judgments heare.

AIN.

Lord! leave me not, who love the right,
To my oppressors might:
Be Thou my surety 'gainst their pride,
Who have my waies decry'd.
Mine eyes for Thy salvation faile,
Untill my hopes prevaile.
In mercy with Thy servant deale;
Thy statutes (Lord!) reveale.

Give me an understanding heart;
Thy sacred will impart:
Tis time for Thee to bring Thy aid,
For voyd Thy Law is made.

236

I Thy Commandments pretious hold,
Above refined gold:
And all Thy precepts justly prize;
But hate deceit and lyes.

PE.

Thy testimonies wond'rous are,
My soules delight and care:
Thy words like beams of light arise,
To make the simple wise.
Panting, and breathlesse in desire,
I to Thy lawes aspire:
Such mercy (Lord) upon me powre,
As those who Thee adore.

Order my steps, no sins may staine,
Nor vices or'e me reigne.
From man's oppression me redeeme,
Thy precepts who esteeme.
Make Thy blest face on me to shine;
Teach me Thy Lawes divine:
Rivers of Teares run down mine eyes,
When men Thy Law despise.

TSADDI.

Thou righteous art, (O Lord) my might,
Thy judgments are upright.
The Statutes which Thou do'st command,
Unchang'd and faithfull stand.
My zeale consumes me, when I find
Thy Law not kept in mind:

237

Thy word is very pure and try'd,
By me most magnify'd.

I, though despis'd and lightly set,
Thy precepts not forget:
Thy righteousnesse no period knew,
And Thy Commands are true.
Though troubles me, or anguish seize,
Yet I delight in these:
Lord! in Thy statutes knowledge give,
And I shall ever live.

COPH.

I cry'd with my whole heart! Lord heare,
Through whom I persevere.
O save me, when to Thee I call;
So keep Thy Lawes I shall.
My cryes prevent the dawning light;
My eyes outwatch the night:
That I Thy word might meditate,
My hope, and safe Retreit.

O Lord my voice in mercy heare,
Me quicken in Thy feare.
Men bent to mischeif nigh me draw,
Contemners of thy Law:
Yet Thou O Lord art neare at hand,
And true is Thy command.
For on eternall bases plac't,
Thy testimonies last.

238

RESCH.

Consider me in my distresse:
For I Thy Law confesse.
Plead Thou my cause, and life afford,
According to Thy word.
Salvation far from sinners flies?
For they Thy Lawes despise.
Thy tender mercies (Lord) exceed:
O quicken me with speed.

Though many foes 'gainst me combine,
From Thee I not decline.
With sorrow I transgressors saw,
Who have not kept Thy Law.
Lord! think how I Thy precepts love:
Inspire me from above.
Thy word is true, Thy Judgments pure,
And ever shall endure.

SCHIN.

Princes pursue me without cause;
Yet still I feare Thy Lawes:
Whose sacred word more glads my mind,
Then those that treasures find.
I falshood hate, abhorre all lyes;
But Thy Commandments prize.
Sev'n times each day my tongue displayes
Thy righteous judgments praise.

Great peace have those Thy Law attend,
Nothing shall them offend.

239

Lord! I in Thy salvation hope,
And make Thy will my scope.
My soule Thy testimonies loves,
And them 'bove all approves;
And constantly Thy Law obeyes,
Who searchest all my waies.

TAU.

Accept (O Lord) my lowd complaint,
And knowledge to me grant.
Let my request admission crave,
And in Thy promise save.
So shall my lips Thy praises reach,
When Thou my heart dost teach:
My tongue Thy statutes shall recite:
For Thy commands are right.

O let Thine hand bring help to me,
Whose choise Thy precepts be.
My thoughts for Thy salvation long,
My cheifest joyes among.
Let my soule live Thy Name to praise,
Whose judgments me shall raise:
I like a lost sheep went astray;
O Lord my wand'rings stay.

University of Virginia Library

Psal. CXIX.