Psalme CVI.
[Part 1.]
VVith gratefull hearts Jehovahs praise resound;
In goodnesse great; whose Mercy hath no bound.
VVhat Language can expresse his mighty deeds,
Or utter his due praise, which words exceeds!
Thrice blessed they, who his commands observe,
Nor ever from the tract of Justice swerve.
Great God, O with benevolent aspect
(Even with the love thou bear'st to thine Elect)
Behold and succour; That my ravisht Eyes
May see a period of their miseries,
VVho Thee adore: that I may give a voice
To thy great Acts, and in their joy rejoyce.
We as our Fathers, have thy Grace exil'd;
Revolted, and our Souls with Sin defil'd.
They, of thy Miracles in Egypt wrought,
So full of Feare and Wonder, never thought;
Thy Mercies, then their haires in number, more:
But murmur'd on the Erythræan Shore.
Yet for his Honour sav'd them from the Foe,
That all the VVorld his wondrous Power might know.
There the commanded Sea asunder rent,
VVhile Israel through his dusty Chanel went:
VVhom He from Pharaoh and his Army saves;
The swift-returning Flouds their fatall Graves.
Part. 2.
Then they his VVord believ'd, and sung his Praise;
Yet soone forgot: and wandred from his VVaies.
VVho long for flesh to pamper their excesse;
And tempt him in the barren Wildernesse.
He grants their wish, and with a Flight of Fowles
Sent meager Death into their hungry Soules.
They, Moses gentle Government, oppose;
And envy Aaron, whom the Lord had chose.
The yawning Earth then in her silent womb
Did Dathan and Abirams Troups intomb.
A swiftly-spreading Fire among them burnes,
And those Conspirators to Ashes turnes.
Yet they, the slaves of Sin in Horeb made
A Calfe of Gold, and to an Idol prai'd.
The Lord, their Glory, thus exchanged they
For th'Image of a Beast that feeds on Hay:
Forgot their Saviour, all his Wonders shown
In Zoan, and the Plains by Nile o'reflown;
The VVonders acted by his pow'rfull Hand;
VVhere the Red-Sea obey'd his stern Command.
God had pronounc'd their ruine: Moses then,
His Servant Moses, and the best of Men,
Stood in the Breach, which their Rebellion made;
And by his Prayer the hand of Vengeance staid.
Part. 3.
Yea they this fruitfull Paradise despis'd,
Nor his so-oft-confirmed Promise priz'd:
But mutined against their faithfull Guide,
And basely wisht they had in Egypt dy'd.
For this, the Lord advanc'd his dreadfull Hand,
To overthrow them on th'Arabian Sand;
To scatter their rebellious Seed among
Their Foes; expos'd to Poverty and Wrong.
Besides; Baal-Peor they ador'd, and fed
On Sacrifices offer'd to the Dead.
Thus their Impieties the Lord incense,
Who smote them with devouring Pestilence.
But when with noble anger Phinees slew
The bold Offenders, He his Plagues with-drew.
This was reputed for a righteous Deed,
Which should for ever consecrate his Seed.
So they at Meribah his Anger mov'd;
The sacred Prophet for their sakes reprov'd:
Their Cries his Saint-like sufferance provoke;
Who rashly in his Soules distemper spoke,
Nor ever entred the affected Land.
They, still rebellious to divine Command,
Preserv'd those Nations by his Wrath subdu'd;
Mixt with the Heathen, and their Sins pursu'd.
Their cursed Idols serve with Rites profane,
(Snares to their Soule) and from no Crime abstaine.
Part. 4.
Their Sons and Virgin daughters sacrifice
To Divels; and looke on with tearelesse eyes.
Defil'd the Land with innocent blood, which sprung
From their owne loines, on flaming Altars flung.
Vnto adulterate Deities they praid,
And worshipped those Gods their hands had made.
These crying Sins exasperate the Lord;
VVho now his owne inheritance abhorr'd:
Given up unto the Heathen for a Prey;
Slaves to their Foes; who hate them most, obey.
Deliver'd oft; as oft his Wrath provoke,
And with increasing Sins renew their Yoke.
Yet he compassionates their miseries,
And with soft pity heares their mournfull Cries:
His former Promise calls to mind, relents;
And in his Mercy of his Wrath repents.
In salvage Hearts unknowne Compassion bred,
By whom but lately into thraldome led.
Great God of gods, thy Votaries protect,
And from among the Barbarous recollect:
That we to Thee may dedicate our Daies,
And joyntly triumph in thy glorious Praise.
Blest, O for ever blest, be Israels King:
All you his People, Halelu-jah sing.
Amen, Amen.
