The Whole Booke of Psalmes, collected into Englysh metre by T. Starnhold I. Hopkins & others: conferred with the Ebrue, with apt Notes to synge the[m] withal

With many words doth the prophet prayse the goodnes of God, for his testament and couenaunt that he had made betwene him and his elect by Iesu Christ the sonne of Dauid: Then dothe he complayne of the greate ruine and desolation of the kingdome of Dauid so that to the outward aperaunce, the promis was broken. Finally he prayeth to be delyuered from his aflictions. making mention of the shortnes of mans lyfe, and confirming him selfe by Gods promises.

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Sing this as the .lxvii.

[1]

To syng the mercyes of the Lorde,
my tounge shall neuer spare:
And with my mouth from age to age,
thy truthe I will declare.

219

For I haue sayd that mercye shall,
for euermore remayne:
In that thou dost the heauens stay
thy truth appeareth playne.

To myne elect (sayth God) I made,
a couenant and be hest:
My seruaunt Dauid to perswade,
I swore and did protest.

Thy seede for euer I will stay,
and stablish it full fast:
And still vphoulde thy throne alway,
from age to age, to last.

The heauens shew, with ioy and mirth,
thy wondrous workes O Lorde:
Thy saincts within thy church on earth
thy faith and truth recorde.

Who with the Lorde is equall then,
in all the cloudes abrode?
Amonge the sonnes of all the Gods,
what one is like our God.

God in assemble of the sainctes.
is greatly to be drad:
And ouer all that dwell about,
in terror to be had,

Lorde God of hostes, in all the worlde,
what one is lyke to thee:
On euery side most mighty Lorde,
thy truthe is sene to be.

The raging sea, by thine aduice,
thou rulest at thy wyll:

220

And when the waues therof aryse,
thou makst them calme and still.

And Egipt thou Lord hast subdued
and thou hast it destroyed.
Yea thou thy foes with mighty arme,
hast scattred all abrode.

The heauens thine and still haue ben,
lykewyse the earth and laude:
The worlde with all that is therin.
thou foundest with thy hand.

Both north and south, with est and west
thy selfe didst make and frame:
Both Tabor mount and Hermon
reioyse and prayse thy name,

Thyne arme is strong, and ful of power
all might therin doth lye:
The strength of thy right hand eche houre
thou liftest vp on hie.

In righteousnes and equitie,
thou hast thy seate and place:
Mercy, and truthe are still with thee,
and go before thy face.

That folke is blest that knoweth a right
thy present power O God:
For in the fauoure of thy sight,
they walke full safe abrode,

For in thy name, throughout the daye,
they ioy and muche reioyce:
And through thy rightousnes haue they,
a pleasaunt fame and noyse.

221

For why theyr glory strength and ayde
in thee alone doth lye:
Thy goodnes eke that hath vs stayed,
shall lyfte our horne on hye.

Our strength, that doth defend vs well,
the Lorde to vs doth brynge:
The holly one of Israell,
he is oure gide and kyng.

Somtime thy will vnto thy sainctes,
in visions thou didst show:
And thus then didst thou say to them,
thy mind to make them know.

A man of might haue I erect,
your king and gyde to be:
And set vp him whom I elect,
amonge the folke to me.

My seruaunt dauid, I appoynte,
whom I haue searched oute:
And with my holy oyle anoynte,
him king of all the route.

For why my hand is redy still,
with him for to remayne
And with mine arme also I will,
him strengthen and sustayne

The ennemies shall not him oppres,
they shall him not deuoure:
Ne yet the sonnes of wickednes,
of him shall haue no power.

His foes likewyse will I destroy,
before his face in sighte:

222

And those that hate him I will plage,
and stryke them with my mighte.

My truth and mercy eke withall,
shall still vpon him lye:
And in my name his horne eke shall
be lifted vp on hye.

His kingdome I will set to be,
vpon the sea and sand:
And eke the running flouds shall he,
embrace with his right hand.

He shall depend with all hys hart,
on me and thus shall saye:
My father, and (my God thou arte)
my rocke of health and staye.

As one first borne I will him take,
of all on earth that sprynges:
His might, and honour, I shall make,
aboue all worldly kynges.

My mercy shalbe with him styll,
as I my sealfe haue toulde:
My faythfull couenaunt to fullfill,
my mercy I will houlde.

And eke his seede will I sustayne,
for euer strong and sure:
So that his seate shall still remayne,
whyle heauen doth endure.

If that his sonnes forsake my lawe,
and so begin to swerue:
And of my iudgements haue none awe,
nor will not them obserue.

223

Or if they doo not vse aryght,
my statutes to them made:
And set all my commaundments light,
and will not keepe my trade.

Then with the rod will I begin,
theyr doinges to amend:
And so with scourging for theyr sin,
when that they doo offend.

My mercy yet, and my goodnes,
I will not take him froe:
Nor handle him with craftines,
and so my truthe forgoe.

But sure my couenaunte I will hould,
with all that I haue spoke:
No word the which my lippes haue told
shall alter or be broke.

Once swore I by myne holynes,
and that performe will I:
With Dauid I shall kepe promise,
to him I will not lye,

His seede for euermore shall rayne,
and eke his throne of might:
As doeth the sonne it shall remayne
for euer in my sight.

And as the mone within the skye,
for euer standeth fast:
A faythfull witnes from on hie,
so shall his kingdom laste.

But now O Lorde thou dost reiect,
and now thou chaungest chere,

224

Yea thou art wrothe with thine elect,
thine owne anoynted dere.

The couenant which thy seruaūt made
Lorde thou hast quite vndone:
And downe vpon the ground also,
hast cast his royall crowne.

Thou pluckst his hedges vp with might
his walles doest thou confounde:
Thou beatest eke his bulworkes downe
and breakst them to the ground.

That he is sore destroyed and forne,
of commers by throughoute:
And so is made a mocke and scorne,
to all that dwell aboute.

Thou their right hand hast lifted vp,
that him so sore annoy:
And all his foes that him deuoure,
loe thou hast made to ioy.

His swerds edg thou doest take away.
that should his foes withstand:
To him in warre no victorye,
thou geuest nor vpperhand.

His glory thou dost also waste,
his throne, his ioy, and mirth:
By thee is ouerthrowne, add cast,
full low vpon the earthe.

Thou hast cut of, and made full short,
his youth and lusty dayes:
And raysed of him an ill reporte,
with shame and great disprayse.

225

How long away from me, O Lord,
for euer wilt thou turne:
And shall thine anger still alwaye,
as fire consume and bourne.

O call to minde, remembre then,
my time consumeth fast:
Why hast thou the sonnes of men,
as thinges in vayne to wast.

What man is he that liueth here,
and death shall neuer see?
Or from the hand of hell his soule,
shall he deliuer free?

Where is (O lord) thine oulde goodnes
so oft declared beforne?
Whiche by thy truth and vprightnes,
to Dauid thou hast sworne.

The great rebukes to minde doo call,
that on thy seruauntes lye:
The rayling of the people all,
borne in my brest haue I.

Wherwith O Lorde thyne enemies,
blasphemed haue thy name,
The steppes of thine anoynted one,
they cease not to defame.

All prayse to thee, O Lorde of hostes,
bothe now and eke for aye:
Through skie, and earth in all the costes
Amen, amen, I saye.

University of Virginia Library

Miserecordias domini.

Psalme. lxxxix.