Psalme CIV.
[My ravisht Soule, great God, thy praises sings]
[Part 1.]
My ravisht Soule, great God, thy praises sings;
VVhom Glory circles with her radiant VVings,
And Majesty invests: then Day more bright;
Cloth'd with the beames of new-created Light.
He, like an all-infolding Canopy,
Fram'd the vast concave of the spangled Skie:
And in the Aire-embraced Waters set
The Basis of his hanging Cabinet.
VVho on the Clouds, as on a Chariot, rides;
And with a reine the flying Tempest guides.
Bright Angels his attendant Spirits made;
By flame-dispersing Seraphims obey'd.
The ever-fixed Earth cloth'd with the Floud;
In whose calme bosome unseene Mountains stood;
At his rebuke it shrunke with sudden dread,
And from his voices Thunder swiftly fled.
Then Hils their late concealed Heads extend,
And sinking Valleies to their Feet descend.
The trembling VVaters through their bottomes winde,
Till they the Sea, their Nurse and Mother, finde.
He to the swelling Waves prescribes a bound;
Lest Earth againe should by their rage be drown'd.
Springs through the pleasant Medows powre their drils,
VVhich Snake-like glide betweene the bordring Hils;
Till they to Rivers grow; where beasts of prey
Their thirst asswage, and such as man obey.
Part. 2.
In neighbouring Groves the Ayr's Musicians sing,
And with their Musicke entertaine the Spring.
He from cœlestiall Casements showres distills,
And with renew'd increase his Creatures fills.
He makes the food-full Earth her fruit produce;
For Cattell grasse, and Herbs for humane use.
The spreading Vine long purple clusters bears,
VVhose juyce the hearts of pensive Mortals chears:
Fat Olives smooth our browes with suppling Oyle;
And strengthning Corne rewards the Reapers toile.
His Fruit affording trees with sap abound.
The Lord hath Lebanon with Cedars crown'd:
They to the warbling Birds a shelter yield,
And wandring Storks in lofty Fir-trees build.
Wild Goats to craggy Cliffs for refuge flie;
And Conies in the Rocks darke entrails lie.
He guides the changing Moones alternate face:
The Suns diurnall and his annuall Race.
T'was he that made the all-informing Light;
And with darke shadowes cloths the aged Night.
Then Beasts of prey breake from their Mountaine Caves;
The roring Lion pinch't with hunger craves
Food from his hand. But when Heavens greatest Fire.
Obscures the Stars, they to their dens retire.
Men with the Morning rise, to labour prest;
Toile all the Day, at Night returne to rest.
Part. 3.
Great God! how manifold, how infinite
Are all thy works! with what a cleere fore-sight
Didst thou create and multiply their birth!
Thy riches fill the far extended Earth.
The ample Sea; in whose unfathom'd Deep
Innumerable sorts of Creatures creep:
Bright-scaled Fishes in her Entrailes glide,
And high-built Ships upon her bosome ride:
About whose sides the crooked Dolphin playes,
And monstrous Whales huge spouts of water raise.
All on the Land, or in the Ocean bred,
On Thee depend; in their due season fed.
They gather what thy bounteous Hands bestow,
And in the Summer of thy Favour grow.
When thou contract'st thy clouded Brows, they mourn;
And dying, to their former dust return.
Againe created by thy quickning breath,
To resupply the Massacres of Death.
No Tract of Time his Glory shall destroy:
He in th'Obedience of his Works shall joy:
But when their wild revolts his Wrath provoke,
Earth trembles, and the aery Mountains smoke.
I all my life will my Creator praise;
And to his Service dedicate my Daies.
May he accept the Musicke of my Voice,
While I with sacred Harmony rejoyce.
Hence you profane, who in your Sins delight;
God shall extirp, and cast you from his Sight.
My Soule, blesse thou this all-commanding King:
You Saints and Angels, Hallelu-jah sing.
