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

This Psalme is the fyrste beginnyng of Dauids saluation and thancks geuing in the entring into his kingdome, wherin he extolleth, and praiseth most highly, the maruelous mercies and grace of God, who hathe bothe preserued and defended hym: he setteth forthe the Image of Christes kingdome, painted in hys kindom: that the faithful mai be assured, that Christe shall alwayes conquere and ouercome by the vnspeakable power of hys father, though all the whole world shuld say there against.

[The first parte.]

[1]

O God my strēgth and fortitude,
of force I must loue the:
Thou art my castell & defence
in mine necessitie.

[2]

My god my rock in whō I trust
ye worker of my wealth,
my refuge buckler & my shield,
ye horn of al mi health

When I sing laud vnto the Lorde,
most worthy to be strued:
Then fro my foes I am right sure,
that I shalbe preserued.

The panges of death did compas me,
and bounde me euery where:
The flowing waues of wickednes.
did put me in great feare.

The slie and suttell snares of hell,
were round aboute me set:
And for my death there was preparde,
a deadly trapping net.

I thus beset with payne and gryef,
did pray to God for grace:
And he forthwith did heare my playnt,
out of his holy place.

Suche is hys power that in his wrath,
he made the earth to quake:
Yea the foundation of the mounte,
of Basan for to shake.

And from his nostrels came a smoke,
When kindled was his ire:
And from his mouth came kindled coles,
of hote consuming fire,

The Lorde descended from aboue,
and bowde the heauens hie:
And vnderneth his fete he cast,
the darknes of the skye.

On Cherubs, and on Cherubins,
full royally he rode:

and on the winges of all the windes,
came fliyng all abrode.

The second parte.

And like a denne most darke he made,
his denne and secret place:
With waters black and ayrie cloudes,
enuironed he was.

But when the presence of his face,
in brightnes shall appeare:
Then cloudes consume & in their stead,
come hayles aud coales of fyre.

These fiery dartes and thunder boltes,
disperse them here and there:
And with his often lightninges,
he puttes them in great feare.

Lorde at thy wrath and threatenings,
and at thy chyding cheare.
The springes and the foundations,
of all the worlde appeare.

And from aboue the Lorde sent downe,
to fetche me from belowe:
And pluckt me out of waters great,
that would me ouerflowe.

And me deliuered from my foes,
that would haue made me thrall:
Yea from such foes as were to strong,
for me to deale with all.

They did preuent me to oppres,
in time of my great gryef:
But yet the Lorde was my defence,
my succor and relief.

He brought me forth in open place,
where as I might be free:
And kept me safe because he had,
a fauor vnto me.

And as I was an innocent,
so did he me regarde:
And to the cleanes of my hands.
he gaue me my reward.

For that I walked in his wayes,
and in his pathes haue trod:
And haue not wauered wickedly,
against my Lorde my God.

The third parte.

But euermore I haue respect,
to his law and decree:
His statutes and commaundementes,
I cast not out fro me.

But pure and cleane and vncorrupt,
appearde afore his face:
And did refrayne from wickednes,
and sinne in any case.

The Lorde therfore will me reward,
as I haue done aright:
And to the cleannes of my handes,
appearing in hys sight.

For Lorde with him that holy is,
wilt thou be holy to:
And with the good and vertuous men,
right vertuously wilt doo.

And to the louing and elect,
thy loue thou wilt reserue,

And thou wilt vse the wicked men,
as wicked men deserue.

For thou dost saue the simple folke,
In trouble when they lye:
And dost bring downe the countenance
of them that loke full hie.

The Lorde will light my candell so,
that it shall shine full bryght:
The Lorde my God will make also,
my darknes to be light.

For by thy helpe an host of men,
disconfite (Lorde) I shall:
By thee I scale and ouerleape,
the strength of any wall.

Unspotted are the wayes of God,
his worde is purely tryed:
He is a sure defence to suche,
as in his faith abide,

For who is God? except the Lorde,
for other there is none:
Or els who is omnipotent,
sauing our God alone?

The forthe parte.

The God that girded me with strēgth,
is he that I doo meane:
That all the wayes wherin I walke,
did euermore kepe cleane.

That made my feete lyke to the hartes,
in swiftnes of my pace:
And for my suertie brought me forth,
into an open place

He did in order put my handes,
to bataile and to fyght:
To breake in sunder barres of bras,
he gaue my armes the myght.

Thou reachest me my sauing health,
thy right hand is my tower:
Thy loue and familiaritie,
doeth styll encrease my power.

And vnder me thou makest playne,
the waye where I should walke:
So that my feete shall neuer slippe.
nor stumble at a balke.

And fiersely I pursue and take,
my foes that me annoyed:
And from the field doo not retorne,
till they be all destroyde.

So I suppresse and wound my foes,
that they can rise no more:
For at my seate they fall downe flat,
I strike them all so sore.

For thou dost gird me with thy strength
to warre in suche a wyse:
That they be all scatred abroade,
that vp against me ryse,

Lorde thou hast put into my handes
my mortall enemies yoke:
And all my foes thou dost deuide,
in sonder with thy stroke.

They calld for help but none gaue eare,
to helpe them with reliefe:

Yea to the Lorde they callde for helpe,
yet hearde he not their grief.

The fifth parte.

And styll lyke dust before the winde,
I driue them vnder feate:
And swepe them out lyke filthy claye,
that stinketh in the streat.

Thou kepest me from sedicious folke,
that still in stryfe be led:
And thou doest of the heathen folke,
apoint me to be hed.

A people straunge to me vnknowen,
and yet they shall me serue:
And at the first obey my word,
wheras mine owne will swarue.

I shalbe ircksom to mine owne,
they will not see my light:
But wander wide out of theyr wayes,
and hide them out of sight.

But blessed be the lyuyng Lorde,
most worthy of all prayse:
That is my rocke and sauing health,
praysed be he alwayes.

For God it is that gaue me power,
reuenged for to be:
And with his onely worde subdued,
the people vnto me.

And fro my foe me deliuered,
and set me hier then those:
That cruell and vngodly were,
and vp against me rose.

And for this cause, O Lorde my God,
to thee geue thankes I shall?
And syng out prayses to thy name,
among the Gentils all.

That gauest great prosperitie,
vnto the kyng I saye:
To Dauid thy anoynted kyng,
and to his seede for aye.

University of Virginia Library

Diligam te domine.

psal. xviii.

[The first parte.]

The second parte.

The third parte.

The forthe parte.

The fifth parte.