Exaudi domine iustitiam meam.
Psal. xvii.
T.S
Here he complayneth to god of the cruel pride and arrogancye of Saule,
and the rest of his enemies, who thus raged withoute anye cause
geuen on his part: therfore he desireth God to reuenge his innocency
and deliuer him. This Psalm ought diligently to be noted of suche as receiue euell, for well doyng.
[_]
Sing this as the .xiiii. psalme.
[The first parte.]
O Lorde
geue eare to my iust cause,
attend when I complaine:
And heare the prayer that I put forth
with lippes that doo not fayne.
And let the iudgement of my cause,
procede alwayes from thee:
And let thyne eyes beholde, and cleare
thys my simplicitie,
Thou hast well tryed me in the night,
and yet couldst nothyng fynde:
That I haue spoken with my tonge,
that was not in my minde.
As from the workes of wicked men,
and pathes peruerse and ill:
For loue of thy most holy worde,
I haue refrayned styll.
Then in thy pathes that be most pure,
stay me (Lorde) and preserue:
That from the way wherin I walke,
my steppes may neuer swerue.
For I doo call to thee (O Lorde)
surely thou wylt me ayde:
Then heare my prayer & way right wel
the wordes that I haue sayde.
O thou the sauiour of all them,
that put theyr trust in thee:
Declare thy strength on thē that spurn,
against thy maiestie.
O kepe me (Lord) as thou wouldst kepe
the apple of thine eye:
And vnder couert of thy winges,
defend me secretly.
The seconde parte.
From wicked men that trouble me,
and dayly me anoy:
Ind from my foes that go about,
my soule for to destroy.
Whiche wallow in their worldly wealth,
so full and eke so fat:
That in theyr pride they do not spare,
to speake they care not what.
Meaning him selfe and his cōpanyons.
They lye in wayte where we should passe
with craft me to confounde:
And musing mischief in their mindes,
to cast me to the grounde.
Muche lyke a Lyon gredely,
that would hys praye embrace:
Or lurking like a Lyons whelpe,
within some secrete place.
Up Lorde with hast preuent my foe,
and cast hym at thy feete:
Saue thou my soule from the euil man,
and with thy sworde him smite.
Deliuer me Lorde by thy power,
out of these tyrantes handes:
Whiche nowe so longe time raigned haue.
and kepe vs in theyr bandes.
I meane from worldly men, to whom
all worldly goodes are ryfe:
That haue no hope nor part of ioy,
but in this present lyfe.
Thou of thy store, theyr bellies filst,
with pleasures to their minde:
Theyr children haue inough, and leaue,
to theirs the rest behinde.
But I shall with pure conscience,
beholde thy gratious face:
So when I wake I shalbe full,
with thine image and grace.
