XC.
[1]
Þat wones in help heghist mai be,
In forhilinge ofe god ofe heuen dwelle sal he.
2
He sal sai to lauerd: mi helper ertou
And mi toflight; mi god, in him hope sal .i. nou.
3
For he lesed me fra snare ofe hunthand,
And fra wither-worde in land.
4
With his sculdres sal he vmschadow þe al,
And vnder his fethres hope þou sal.
5
With scheld vmgife þe sal his sothnes;
And noght saltou drede fra drede þat night es,
6
Fra arwe þat es in daie fleghand,
Fra wighte þat es forthgaand
In mirkenes, and ofe inras ai,
And of þe deuel ofe middai.
7
Falle sal þai fra þi halfe bi tale
A thousande ofe grete and smale,
And ten thousand fra þi halfes righte;
Bote to þe sal þai negh na-wight.
8
Bot with þine eghen bihald þou sal,
And foryheldynge of sinful se with-al.
9
For þou ert, lauerd, hope mine;
Heghist set þou toflight þine.
10
Noght sal iuel to þe helde,
And swepinge sal noght negh to þi telde;
11
For to his aungels sente he of þe to sai,
Þate þai þe yheme in al þi wai;
12
In handes þai sal þe bere on-ane,
Þat thurgh hap þou ne spurn þi fote til stane.
13
Oure aspide and basiliske saltou ga,
And fortrede lioun and dragoun alswa.
14
“.I. sal lese him, for he hoped in me;
Forhile him .i. sal, for mi name knewe he.
15
He cried vnto me witerli,
And .i. sal here him for-þi.
With him .i. am in drouinge hisse,
.I. sal him outake and him blisse;
16
With lenghte ofe daies fille him .i. sal,
And schew to him mi hele with-al”.
