The psalms :: :: University of Virginia Library

An undefiled course who leadeth,
And in Jehovas doctrine treadeth,
How blessed he!
How blest they be
Who still his testimonies keeping,
Doe seeke Himself with hearty seeking!

For whom in walke Gods way directeth,
Sure them no sinnfull blott infecteth
Of deede or word:
For thou, O Lord,
Hast to be done thy lawes commanded,
Not only to be understanded.

O weare my stepps soe staid from swerving,
That I me to thy hests observing
Might wholy give:
Then would I live
With constant cheere all chaunces brooking,
To all thy precepts ever looking:

Then would I worshipp thee sincerely,
When what thy Justice bidds severely
Thou shouldst me teach:
I would noe breach
Make of thy law to me betaken:
O leave me not in whole forsaken.

251

B

By what correcting line
May a yong man make streight his crooked way
By levell of thy lore divine?
Sith then with soe good cause
My hart thee seekes, O Lord, I seeking pray
Let me not wander from thy lawes.

Thy speeches have I hidd
Close locked up in Caskett of my hart:
Fearing to do what they forbid.
But this cannot suffice:
Thou wisest Lord, who ever blessed art,
Yet make me in thy statutes wise.

Then shall my lipps declare
The sacred lawes that from thy mouth proceed:
And teach all nations what they are;
For what thou dost decree
To my conceit, farre more delight doth breed,
Then worlds of wealth, if worlds might be.

Thy precepts, therefore, I
Will my continuall meditation make:
And to thy pathes will have good eye;
The orders of thee sett
Shall cause me in them greatest pleasure take,
Nor once will I thy wordes forgett.

C

Conferre, O Lord
This benefitt on me,
That I may live, and keepe thy word.
Open mine eyes,
They may the riches see,
Which in thy law enfolded lies.

A Pilgrim right
On earth I wandring live,
O barre me not thy statutes light.
I wast and spill,
While still I longing grieve,
Grive, longing for thy judgments still.

252

Thou proud and high
Dost low and lowly make:
Curst from thy rule who bend awry.
What shame they lay
On me, then from me take:
For I have kept thy will allway.

Let princes talk,
And talk their worst of me:
In thy decrees my thoughts shall walk.
All my delight
Thy witnest will shalbe:
My councell to advise me right.

D

Dead as if I were,
My soule to dust doth cleave:
Lord keepe thy word, and doe not leave
Me here:
But quicken me anew.
When I did confesse
My sinnfull waies to thee,
As then thy eare thou didst to me
Addresse:
Soe teach me now, thy statutes true.

Make that I may know
And throughly understand
What waie to walk thou dost command,
Then show
Will I thy wonders all.
Very woe and greif
My soule doe melt and fry;
Revive me Lord, and send me thy
Relief;
And lett on me thy comfort fall.

From the lyers trace,
From falshoods wreathed way,
O save me Lord, and graunt I may
Embrace
The law thou dost commend.
For the path ay right,

253

Where truth unfained goes,
My tongue to tread hath gladly chose:
My sight
Thy judgmentes doth, as guides, attend.

Since therefore, O Lord,
Still did I, still I doe
So neerly, deerly cleave unto
Thy word:
All shame from me avert.
Then loe, loe then I
Will tread, yea running tread
The trace which they commandements lead:
When thy
Free grace hath fully freed my hart.

E

Explaine, O Lord, the way to me,
That thy divine edicts enfold:
And I to end will runne it right.
O make my blinded eyes to see,
And I thy law will hold: yea hold
Thy law with all my hartes delight.

O be my guide, O guide me soe,
I thy commandments path may pace:
Wherein to walk my hart is faine.
O bend it then to things that show
True wittness of thy might and grace,
And not to hungry thirst of gaine.

Avert mine eye, it may not view
Of vanity the falsed face:
And strength my treadings in thy trade.
Lett doings prove thy sayings true
To him that holds thy servants place,
And thee his awe, his feare hath made.

Thou then my feare, remove the feare
Of comming blame from carefull me,
For gratious are thy judgmentes still:
Behold, to me thy precepts deare,
Most deare, and most delightful be:
O lett thy justice aid my will.

254

F

Franckly poure O Lord on me
Saving grace to sett me free:
That, supported, I may see
Promise truly kept by thee.

That to them who me defame,
Roundly I may answere frame:
Who because thy word and name
Are my trust, thus seeke my shame.

Thy true word O do not make
Utterly my mouth forsake:
Since I thus still waiting wake,
When thou wilt just vengaunce take.

Then loe I thy doctrine pure,
Sure I hold, will hold more sure:
Nought from it shall me alure,
All the time my time shall dure.

Then as brought to widest way
From restraint of straitest stay,
All their thincking night and day:
On thy law my thoughtes shall lay.

Yea then unto any king
Wittnesse will I any thing,
That from thee can wittnesse bring:
In my face no blush shall spring.

Then will I sett forth to sight
With what pleasure, what delight,
I embrace thy preceptes right,
Whereunto all love I plight.

Then will I, will either hand
Clasp the rules of thy command:
There my study still shall stand,
Striving them to understand.

255

G

Grave deeply in remembring mind
My trust, thy promise true:
This only joy in griefe I find,
Thy words my life renue.
Though proudly scorn'd, yet from thy lore
I no way have declin'd:
I hold for comfort what of yore
Thy dooms, O Lord, defin'd.

I quake to view how people vile,
Doe from thy doctrine swerve:
Thy just edicts ev'n in exile
Did me for musick serve.
I keepe thie learning and in night
Record Jehovas stile:
Observing still thy precepts right,
Loe this I have the while.

H

High Jehova once I say,
For my choice and lott I take,
I will sure his wordes obay.
Hott and harty sute I make,
Praying thus ev'n to thy face:
Pitty me for thy words sake.
Ev'ry path, and every pace
Taught by thee, observing well,
To thy rule I frame my race.
Least upon delaies I dwell
But to keepe, contend with speed
What to me thy precepts tell.
By lewd robbers brought to need,
From my losses of thy lawes
Never did neglect proceed.
Midnights watch thy praises cause,
While that me from bed and rest
Thought of thy just judgments drawes.
Felowship and frendshipps hest,
With thy fearers all I hold,
Such as hold thy biddings best.
Lord the earth can scarce enfold,
What thou dost benignly give:
Let me then by thee be told
In thy learning how to live.

256

I

In all kindnes, thou, O Lord,
Hast to me perform'd thy word:
This now resteth that I learne
From thy skill a skillfull tast,
Good from evill to discerne,
On thy lawes whose trust is plac't.

Yet unhumbled I did stray:
Now I will thy words obay.
Thou that art soe highly good
Nothing can thy goodnes reach,
Thou where floweth bounties flood
Willing me thy statutes teach.

What if proud men on me lie?
I will on thy lawes rely.
Wallow they in their delights,
Fatt in body, fatt in mind:
I the pleasures of my sprightes
Will unto thy doctrine bind.

Now I find the good of woe,
How thy hests it makes me know:
Of whose mouth the lectures true,
Are alone all wealth to me:
Millions then, and Mines adue,
Gold and silver drosse you be.

K

Knitt and conformed by thy hand
Hath been ev'ry part of me:
Then make me well to understand,
Conceiving all thou dost command:
That when me thy fearers see,
They for me may justly joy:
Seeing what I look't from thee
In thy word I now enjoy.

257

O Lord, thy judgmentes just I know;
When thy scurges scurged me,
Thou, in that doing, nought didst show
That might thy promise overthrow.
Let me then thy comfort see
Kindly sent as thou hast said:
Bring thy mercies life from thee:
On thy lawes my joyes are laid.

Let blame and shame the proud betide
Falsly who subverted me:
Whose meditations shall not slide,
But fast in thy commandments bide.
So shall I thy fearers see
On my part who know thy will:
While I purely worshipp thee,
Blott nor blush my face shall fill.

L

Looking and longing for deliverance
Upon thy promise, mightlesse is my mind,
Sightlesse myne eyes, which often I advaunce
Unto thy word,
Thus praying: when, O Lord,
When will it be I shall thy comfort find?

I like a smoked bottle am become:
And yet the wine of thy commandments hold.
Ay me! when shall I see the totall summe
Of all my woes?
When wilt thou on my foes
Make wronged me thy just reveng behold?

Their pride hath digged pitts me to ensnare,
Which with thy teachings, how doth it agree?
True or more truly, Truth thy precepts are:
By falshood they
Would make of me their pray:
Let truth, O Lord, from falshood rescue me.

258

Nigh quite consum'd by them on earth I ly:
Yet from thy statutes never did I swerve.
Lord, of thy goodnes quicken me, and I
Will still pursue
Thy testimonies true,
And all the biddings of thy lipps observe.

M

Most plainly, Lord, the frame of sky
Doth show thy word decayeth never;
And constant stay of earth descry
Thy word, that staid it, staieth ever.
For by thy lawes they hold their standings,
Yea all things do thy service try:
But that I joy'd in thy commandings,
I had my self bene sure to dye.

Thy word that hath revived me
I will retaine, forgetting never:
Lett me, thine owne, be sav'd by thee
Whose statutes are my studies ever.
I mark thy will the while their standings
The wicked take, my bane to be:
For I no close of thy commandings,
Of best things else an end, I see.

N

Nought can enough declare
How I thy learning love:
Whereon all day my meditation lies;
By whose edicts I prove
Farre then my foes more wise,
For they a wisdome never-failing are.

My teachers all of old
May now come learne of me,
Whose studies tend but to thy wittnest will:
Nay who most aged be,
Thought therefore most of skill,
In skill I passe, for I thy precepts hold.

259

I did refraine my feete
From ev'ry wicked way,
That they might firmly in thy statutes stand.
Nor ever did I stray
From what thy lawes command,
For I of thee have learned what is meete.

How pleasing to my tast!
How sweete thy speeches be!
Noe touch of hony so affects my tong.
From whose edicts in me
Hath such true wisdome sprong,
That all false waies quite out of love I cast.

O

O what a lanterne, what a lampe of light
Is thy pure word to me
To cleere my pathes, and guide my goings right!
I sware and sweare againe,
I of the statutes will observer be,
Thou justly dost ordaine.

The heavy weightes of greif oppresse me sore:
Lord, raise me by thy word,
As thou to me didst promise heretofore.
And this unforced praise,
I for an offring bring, accept O Lord,
And show to me thy waies.

What if my life ly naked in my hand,
To ev'ry chaunce expos'd!
Should I forgett what thou dost me command?
No, no, I will not stray
From thy edicts though round about enclos'd
With snares the wicked lay.

Thy testimonies, as mine heritage,
I have retained still:
And unto them my hartes delight engage;
My hart which still doth bend,
And only bend to do what thou dost will,
And doe it to the end.

260

P

People that inconstant be,
Constant hatred have from me:
But thy doctrine changelesse ever
Holds my love that changeth never.
For thou, the closett where I hide
The shield whereby I safe abide:
My confidence expects thy promise just.
Hence, away you cursed crue,
Gett you gone, that rid from you
I at better ease and leisure,
Maie performe my Gods good pleasure:
O Lord, as thou thy word didst give,
Sustaine me soe that I may live,
Nor make me blush, as frustrate of my trust.

Be my Piller, be my stay,
Safe then I shall swerve no way:
All my witt and understanding
Shall then work on thy commanding,
For under foote thou treadst them all,
Who swerving from thy preceptes fall:
And vainly in their guile and treason trust.
Yea the wicked sort by thee
All as drosse abjected be:
Therefore what thy proof approveth,
That my love entirely loveth.
And such regard of thee I make,
For feare of thee my flesh doth quake:
And of thy lawes, thy lawes severely just.

Q

Quitt and cleere from doing wrong,
O lett me not betraied be
Unto them who ever strong
Doe wrongly seeke to ruine me.
Nay, my Lord,
Baile thy servant on thy word:
And lett not these that soare too high
By my low stoope yet higher fly.

261

Eye doth faile while I not faile
With eye thy safety to pursue:
Looking when will once prevaile,
And take effect thy promise true.
All I crave,
I at mercies hand would have:
And from thy wisdome, which I pray
May cause me know thy law and way.

Since thy servant still I stay,
My understanding, Lord, enlight:
So enlight it that I may
Thy ordinaunces know aright.
Now, O now
Time requires, O Lord, that thou
Thy lawes defence shouldst undertake:
For now thy law they sorely shake.

Hope whereof makes that more deere
I thy edicts and statutes hold,
Then if gold to me they were,
Yea then they were the purest gold;
Makes that right
Are thy precepts in my sight:
Makes that I hate each lying way,
That from their truth may cause me stray.

R

Right wonderfull thy testimonies be;
My hart to keepe them I therefore bend.
Their very threshold gives men light,
And gives men sight,
That light to see:
Yea ev'n to babes doth understanding lend.

Opening my mouth: I dranck a greedy draught,
And did on them my whole pleasure place.
Looke then, O Lord, and pitty me
As erst I see
Ordain'd and taught
By thee, for them whose hartes thy name embrace.

262

Of all my goings make thy word the guide,
Nor lett injustice upon me raigne:
From them that false accusers be
Lord, sett me free:
Soe never slide
Shall I from what thy statutes do ordayne.

Shine on thy servant with thy faces beames,
And thoroughly me thy commandments teach;
From fountaines of whose watry eyes
Doe welling rise
Of teares huge streames,
Viewing each where thy doctrines daily breach.

S

Sure, Lord, thy self art just,
Thy lawes as rightful be:
What rightly bid thou dost,
Is firmly bound by thee.
I flame with zeale to see
My foes thy word forgett:
Pure wordes, whereon by me
A servantes love is sett.

Though bare, and though debast
I yet thy rules retaine:
Whose doomes do endlesse last,
And doctrine true remayne.
In presure, and in paine
My joyes thy preceptes give:
No date thy judgmentes daine;
O make me wise to lyve.

T

To thee my harty plaint I send,
Lord turne thine eare
My plainte to here,
For to thy law my life I bend
Since I have envoked thee;
Lett me, Lord, thy succour see:
And what thy ordinaunces will
I will persist observing still.

263

My cry more early then the day
Doth daily rise:
Because mine eyes
Upon thy promise waiting stay;
Eyes, I say, which still prevent
Watches best to watching bent:
Esteeming it but pleasing paines
To muse on that thy word containes.

O in thy mercy here my voice,
And as thy lawes
Afforde the cause
So make me, Lord, revyv'd rejoyce.
Lord, thou seest the gracelesse crue
Presse me neere, who me pursue.
As for the doctrine of the law
They farre from it them selves withdraw.

That Lord, thou seest, and this I see:
Thou ev'ry where
To me art neere,
For true, nay, truth thy precepts be.
Now, though not now first, I know,
For I knew it long ago:
That firmly founded once by thee
Thy ordinance no end can see.

V

View how I am distressed,
And lett me be released:
For looke what me thy word hath bidden
Out of my mind hath never slidden.

Then be my causes deemer:
Be thou my soules redeemer:
And as good hope thy word doth give me,
Lett with good help thy worke relive me.

Where wickednesse is loved,
There health is farre removed.
For since thy sole edicts containe it,
Who serch not them, how can they gaine it?

264

Thy mercies are so many,
Their number is not any:
Then as thou usest, Lord, to use me,
Revive me now, and not refuse me.

Exceeding is their number
That me pursue and cumber:
Yet what thy wittnesse hath defined,
From that my stepps have not declined.

I saw, and grieved seeing
Their waies, who wayward beeing,
With guilefull stubborness withstanded
What by thy speeches was commanded.

Since therefore plaine is proved
That I thy lawes have loved:
Looke Lorde, and here thy bounty showing
Restore my life now feeble growing.

This in thy doctrine raigneth
It nought but truth containeth:
This in thy Justice brightly shineth,
Thy just edictes no date defineth.

W

Wrong'd I was by men of might,
Hottly chas'd and hard assailed:
Little they my hart to fright,
But O much thy words prevailed:
Words to me of more delight,
Then rich booty wonne by fight.

Fraud doe I with hate detest,
But with love embrace thy learnings,
Seav'n times daily ere I rest,
Sing thy doomes and right discernings.
Whom who love, with peace are blest,
Plenteous peace without unrest.

265

Doing what thy precepts will
I thy help have long expected:
My soule by thy doctrine still,
Loved most, is most directed.
Thy edicts my deedes fullfill
Who survaist my good and ill.

Y

Yeeld me this favour, Lord,
My plaint may presse into thy sight,
And make me understand aright
According to thy word.

Admitt to sight I say
The praier that to thee I send,
And unto me thy help extend,
Who on thy promise stay.

Then from my lipps shall flow
A holy hymn of praise to thee:
When I, thy scholer, taught shalbe
By thee thy lawes to know.

Then shall my tongue declare
And teach againe what thou hast taught:
All whose decrees to triall brought
Most just, nay justice are.

O then reach out thy hand,
And yeeld me aid I justly crave,
Since all things I forsaken have,
And chosen thy command.

I looke, I long, O Lord,
To see at length thy saving grace:
And only doe my gladdness place,
In thy glad-making word.

I know my soule shall live,
And, living, thee due honor yeeld:
I know thy law shall be my shield,
And me all succour give.

266

As sheep from shepherd gone
So wander I: O seeke thy sheep,
Who soe in mind thy precepts keep,
That I forgett not one.