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

The Prophet in the name of the churche, rehearseth the greatnes of his affliction, and his greuous temptation, wherby he was driuen to thys end to consider his formore conuersacion, & the continuall cours of Gods worckes in the preseruation of his seruauntes, and so he confirmeth his fayth agaynst these temptacyons.

[1]

I with my voyce to God do cry,
with harte and harty cheare,
my voyce to God I lyfte on hyghe
and he my sute doth heare,

[2]

in tyme of grief I sought to God,
by nyght no rest I toke:

184

But stretcht my hands to him abrode,
my soule comfort forsoke.

When I to thinke one God entend,
my troble then is more:
I spake but could not make an ende,
my breath was stopt so sore.

Thou houldst myne eys alwayse from rest,
that I alwayes awake:
With feare am I so sore opprest,
my speche doeth me forsake.

The dayes of olde in minde I cast.
and oft did thinke vpon:
The times and ages that are past,
full many yeares agon.

By night my songes I call to mynde,
once made thy prayse to shew:
And with my hart, much taulke I finde,
my spirites doth searche to knowe.

Will God (sayd I) at once for all,
cast of his people thus?
So that henceforthe no time he shall,
be frendly vnto vs.

What, is hys goodnes cleane decayed,
for euer and aday?

185

Or is hys promise now delayde,
and doeth his truthe decaye?

And will the Lorde our God forget,
his mercyes manifolde:
Or shall his wrath encrease so whot,
his mercy to with holde:

At last I sayde my weakenes is,
the cause of this mistrust.
Gods mighty hand, can healpe all thys,
and chaunge it, when he lust.

I will regarde, and thinke vpon,
the workyng of the Lorde:
Of all his wonders past and gone,
I gladly will recorde.

Yea all his workes I will declare,
and what he did deuise:
To tell his factes I will not spare,
and eke his counsell wyse.

Thy workes (O Lorde) are all vprghit
and holy all abrod:
What one, hath strēgth to match ye mighte
of thee O Lorde our God.

Thou art a God, that oft dost show,
thy wonders euery hower:
And so doest make the people knowe,
thy vertue and thy power.

And thine owne folke thou diddest defēd
with strength and stretched arme?
The sonnes of Iacob that discend,
and Iosephes seede from harme.

186

The waters, Lorde perceued thee,
the waters saw thee well:
And they for feare a side did flee,
the depthes on trembling fell.

The clouds that were, both thick & black
did rayne full plenteously:
The thonder in the ayer did cracke,
thy shaftes abrode did flye.

Thy thunder in the fire was hearde,
the lightening from aboue,
With flashes greate made men afearde,
the earth did quake and moue.

Thy wayes within the sea do lye,
thy pathe in waters depe:
Yet none can there, thy steppes espye.
nor know thy pathe to kepe.

Thou leadest thy folke vpon the lande,
as shepe on euery syde:
Through Moses & through Aarons hand
thou didst them safely gide.

University of Virginia Library

Voce mea ad dominum.

Psalm. lxxvii.