Psalme LXXXIX.
[Ovr gratefull Songs, O thou eternall King]
[Part 1.]
Ovr gratefull Songs, O thou eternall King,
Shall ever of thy boundlesse Mercies sing:
And thy unalterable Truth rehearse
To after Ages, in a living verse.
For what is by thy Clemency decreed,
Shall orderly, and faithfully succeed:
Even like those never resting Orbs above,
VVhich on firme hinges circularly move.
Thus God unto his servant David swore;
This Cov'nant made: I will for evermore
Thy Seed establish, and thy Throne sustaine;
Whilst Seas shall flow, or Moones increase, and waine.
The heavenly Hierarchy thy Truth shall praise;
The Saints below thy glorious Wonders blaze.
For who is like our God above the Clouds!
Or who so great, whom humane frailty shrowds!
He to his Angels terrible appeares;
And daunts the Tyrants of the Earth with feares.
Great God! how great, when dreadfull Armies joyne!
What God so strong! what Faith so firme as thine!
Part. 2.
Thy Bounds the Billowes of the Sea restraine;
Thou calm'st the tumults of th'incensed Maine.
Proud Rahab, like a Coarse, with bloud imbru'd;
Hew'n downe: the strong with greater strength subdu'd.
Thine are the Heavens; those Lamps which guild the Skies;
Round Earth; broad Seas, and all which they comprise.
Thou mad'st the Southern and the Northern Pole,
Whereon the Orbs cœlestiall swiftly rowle.
Hermon invested with the Morning Raies,
And Tabor with the Evening's, sing thy praise.
Thy Arme excels in Strength: thy hands sustaine
The World they made: And guide it with a reine.
Justice with Judgement joyn'd, thy Throne uphold:
Mercy and Truth thy sacred browes infold.
Thrice happy they, who, when the Trumpet cals,
Throng to thy celebrated Festivals!
They of thy Beauty shall injoy the sight,
And guide their Feet by that informing light:
Thy Name shall daily in their mouthes be found;
And in thy Justice shall their Joyes abound.
Part. 3.
Our Ornament in Peace, our Strength in Wars;
Thy Favour shall exalt us to the Stars.
Thou, Holy One of Israel, our King;
Thou our defence; secure beneath thy VVing.
Thus spake Jehovah by his Prophets voice;
Of strenuous David have I made my choice,
(On that Heroë powr'd my Sacred Oyle)
To guide my People, and preserve from spoile.
I will support him with my powerfull Arme;
No Foe shall Tribute force; nor Treason harme:
His enemies before his Face shall flie,
And those, who hate his Soule, by slaughter die.
Our Truth and Clemencie shall crowne his Daies,
And to the Firmament his Glory raise.
He, from the Billows of the Tyrian Maine,
To swift Euphrates shall extend his Reigne.
Who in his oft renew'd Devotions shall,
Me Father, God, and great Protector call.
My Favorite he shall be, and my First birth;
Rais'd above all the Princes of the Earth.
My Mercy him for ever shall preserve:
And from my Promise I will never swerve.
His Seed shall alwaies reigne; his Throne shall last,
While Daies have light, and Nights their shadows cast.
Part. 4.
If they my Judgements slight, forsake my Law,
My Rites neglect, and from my Rule withdraw;
Then I with whips will their offences scourge,
With labour, misery, and sorrows urge:
Yet will not utterly my King forsake,
My Vow infringe, or alter what I spake.
I by my Sanctity to David sware,
That he, and his should never want an Heire,
To sway the Hebrew Scepter, while the Sun
His usuall Race should through the Zodiack run;
VVhile Men, the Moone and radiant Stars should see,
The faithfull witnesses of my Decree.
But thou art angry with thy owne Elect,
And dost thy late affected King reject;
Infringe the Cov'nant to thy Servant sworne;
Thou from his Browes his Diadem hast torne,
Cast downe the Rampier, which his strength renown'd,
And all his Bulwarks level'd with the ground:
VVhom now his Neighbours scorne; a common prey,
And spoile to all that travell by the way.
Part. 5.
Thou addest strength and courage to his Foes,
VVho now rejoyce and triumph in his woes;
Rebatest his sharpe Sword, unnerv'st his might,
And mak'st him shrinke in fervor of the fight:
His splendor hast Eclipsed; his renowne
In ruines buried, and his Throne cast downe:
His Youth consumed with untimely Age;
Markt out for shame; the object of thy Rage.
How long shall he in thy displeasure mourne!
Still shall thy Anger like a Furnace burne!
O call to mind the shortnesse of my daies;
That dreame of Man, which like a Flower decaies.
VVho lives, that can the stroke of Death defend;
Or shall not to the silent Grave descend?
Where is thy ancient Love! thy plighted Troth,
Confirm'd to David by a solemne Oath!
Remember the Reproches I have borne;
Those of the Mighty; and their bitter scorne:
Traduced; by thy enemies abhorr'd.
Yet, O my pensive Soule, praise thou the Lord.
Amen, Amen.
