A paraphrase upon the psalms of David :: :: University of Virginia Library

And by His liberal hand improve,
Let with your voice your thanks ascend,
And here begin, what you shall do above!
His Mercy like His Truth is ever sure,
And so your Praise should be, as constant, and as pure.

Versus I.

Let His Redeem'd say so, that Israel, whom

Versus I.

Their Enemys Captive led, but He brought home!
Then brought them home, when from the farthest East
They were dispers'd, and scattred to the West;
When North and South their weary steps did know,
But they, nor where they went, nor where to go;

320

Now in the Desart an untrodden way,
Where they could hardly pass, yet durst not stay;
Where they no City found, and none to tell
Which road to take, or in what Place to dwell;
Hungry and thirsty, doubtful in their mind,
Scarce knowing what they sought, or what they'd wish to find.

Chorus Minor.

Chorus Minor.

Then to the Lord in their distress they cry'd,
They cry'd aloud, and He did hear;
And though His Face He seem'd to hide,
By His great Hand declar'd that He was near;
For when in vain they had look'd round about,
And saw no help, tow'rds Him they look'd, & were brought out.

Versus Respondens.

Versus Respondens.

He led them forth Himself by the right way,
Their passage made, as their great journey lay:
A Citty founded for them, and did tell
Not only where, but made them in it dwell.

Chorus Omnium.

Let all the Earth th' Eternal Bounty praise,

Chorus O.

And talk of all that He has done:
How Truth and Mercy are His wayes
To the whole World, as well as to His Own;
For to the longing Soul He grants His Will,
And with that Goodness, which He is, do's th' hungry fill.

Versus. II.

Those who in darkness, and in Horror sit,

Versus II.

And so near death, 'tis in the shade of it,
Bound in Affliction, and in heavy chaines,
In prison, where their noyse, and silence reignes,
Feeling their sins in all they suffer there,
Whose weight more rings than th' Irons, which they bear,
Their hearts sink lower than their bodies ly,
And there's as little hope, as in their eye.

321

Chorus M.

Then to the Lord in their distress they cry'd,

Chorus M.

They cry'd aloud, and he did hear;
And though His Face He seem'd to hide,
By His great hand declar'd that He was near;
For when in vain they had look'd all about,
And saw no help, tow'rds Him they look'd, & were brought out.

Versus Resp.

He broke their Chains asunder, sett them free,

Versus R.

And made their Irons a new Bearing be;
From darkness freed them, where they once did sit,
Not from Death only, but the shade of it.

Chorus Omnium.

Let all the Earth th' Eternal Bounty praise,
And talk of all that He has done;

Chorus O.

How Truth and Mercy are His Wayes
To the whole World, as well as to His Own!
For gates of Brass against Him could not stand,
But open fell, Iron prov'd stubble to His Hand.

Versus III.

Those Foolish sinners, who in sottish Love

Versus III.

Consume their Age, neglecting that above,
Are justly punish'd for their fond disdain,
And have for all their love, no love again:
How do they pine away, and loath their meat,
Feeding their passion more, the less they eat?
To sullen rocks lament, as if the grones
Which tear their breasts, would pierce the sensless stones
But all in vain, those meanes but fruitless prove,
One Death alone can end their Lives, and Love.

322

Chorus M.

Then to the Lord, in their distress they cry'd

Chorus M.

They cry'd aloud, and he did hear;
And though His Face He seem'd to hide.
By His great hand declar'd that He was near:
For when in vain they had look'd all about,
And saw no help, tow'rds Him they look'd, & were brought out.

Versus Resp.

Versus R.

He sent His Word which did refine their love,
No more on Earth, but plac'd it all above;
'Twas a disease no longer, knew no pain,
But for the love it gave, had love again.

Chorus Omnium.

Chorus O.

Let all the Earth th' Almighty Bounty praise,
And talk of all that He has done;
How Truth, and Mercy are His Wayes
To the whole World, as well as to His Own!
And let all those, who by His Goodness live,
The hearts He thus has chang'd an Offering to Him give!

Versus IV.

Versus IV.

They who into the Sea in Ships go down,
And seek by Wayes they know not, lands unknown,
Who make the untrac'd Ocean be their Road,
Which with their keels they tear, and burdens load,
They in the Deep His dreadfull Wonders see,
(Of which themselves as great as any bee)
How He commands the stormes, and do's unbinde
The airy fetters of the strugling Winde;
Out they all tumble and the rough Sea invade,
Which now their scorn, as much as sport is made;
To Heav'n lift up its floods, as if to call
Help thence, but e're 'tis come, down let them fall,
Low is their depth, whiles the scar'd passingers
Look every wave should drown them, and their fears;

323

Stagger like drunken Men, reel to, and fro,
Their feet less steady than their Vessels go;
And in their teeth the Winds their sighs do send,
Making them e're the storms, at their Witts end.

Chorus M.

Then to the Lord, in their distress they cry'd,
They cry'd aloud, and He did hear;

Chorus M.

His Face the Tempest could not hide,
Nor raging Seas or dull, or stop His Eare:
For when in vain they had look'd round about,
And saw no help, tow'rds Him they look'd & were brought out.

Versus Resp.

He bid the Sea be calm, the Winds be still,

Versus R.

And only with brisk gales their canvass fill;
Then brought them smooth and calmy as the Sea,
To the wish'd Haven, where they long'd to be.

Chorus Omnium.

Let all the Earth th' Eternal Bounty praise,
And talk of all that He has done;

Chorus O.

How Truth, and Mercy are His Wayes
To the whole World, as well as to His Own!
And let all those, who on the Seas have been,
Sing in His Church His praise, and tell what they have seen.

Versus.

When for their sin God do's chastize a land,
Their springs He turnes into a Parched sand;

Versus.

A Wilderness, which drinks their Rivers up,
And not a Rose budd yields to crown the Cup;
But barren as the salt, which is sown there,
Nor herb for man, nor grass for beast do's bear.

Resp.

The Wilderness He turns into a Pool,
And fills the parched sand, with springs brim full;

324

Resp:

There for the hungry Soul provides His meat,
And for the Colonys He leads, a seat:
With corn they sow their fields, new Vineyards plant,
And neither Citizens, nor Cities want;
He blesses them, and makes them so increase,
Their very Cattle feel the fruits of Peace.

Versus.

Versus.

Again to punish them they are brought low,
That hand destroys them, which first made them grow;
For He on mighty Kings contempt do's lay,
And those, who His forsake, lose their own way.

Resp.

Resp.

But He the Poor from trouble sets on high,
Whence He may see His long Posterity.

Chorus Omnium.

Chorus O.

Let all the Righteous in their God rejoice,
But the Unjust, with envy break!
Those shew their triumph by their voice,
While these have neither Will, nor power to speak!
Thrice happy Man, who treasuring in his minde
These several Mercies, some one for his Use can finde.