A paraphrase on the Book of Job As likewise on the Songs of Moses, Deborah, David: On Four Select Psalms: Some Chapters of Isaiah, and the Third Chapter of Habakkuk. By Sir Richard Blackmore |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
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THE CIVth PSALM PARAPHRAS'D. |
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| LIII. |
 | A paraphrase on the Book of Job |  |
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THE CIVth PSALM PARAPHRAS'D.
My grateful Soul th' Almighty's Name adore;
Great is his Being, great his Works of Pow'r.
Immortal Honours, Majesty, Renown,
And Dignity Divine his Temples crown.
His Robe of State is wrought with Light refin'd;
An endless Train of Lustre flows behind.
His Throne's of massy, burnish'd Glory made,
With Heav'nly Pearl, and Gems Divine inlaid:
Whence Floods of Joy, and Seas of Splendour flow,
On all th' Angelic gazing Throng below:
Who drink in Pleasures by their ravish'd Sight,
Delug'd in vast ineffable Delight.
Great is his Being, great his Works of Pow'r.
Immortal Honours, Majesty, Renown,
And Dignity Divine his Temples crown.
His Robe of State is wrought with Light refin'd;
An endless Train of Lustre flows behind.
His Throne's of massy, burnish'd Glory made,
With Heav'nly Pearl, and Gems Divine inlaid:
Whence Floods of Joy, and Seas of Splendour flow,
On all th' Angelic gazing Throng below:
Who drink in Pleasures by their ravish'd Sight,
Delug'd in vast ineffable Delight.
He as a Tent the Heav'n's expansion reers,
And as a Curtain stretches out the Sphears.
He makes the Mists his Pillars to sustain
His airy Rooms, and lays their Beams in Rain.
The Clouds th' Almighty's rolling Chariots bear
Their Lord thro' all the spacious Fields of Air.
He harnasses the manag'd Winds, and flys
On their swift Wings to visit all the Skys.
The various Meteors of the Air above
Wait his Commands, and by his Order move.
Tempests and Windy Vapours, rais'd on high
To do his Will, like Menial Servants fly.
Lightnings, and all his wildest Works of Fire,
His Ministers, to serve their Lord conspire.
These sensless Creatures such Obedience shew
To their great Master, as his Angels do.
And as a Curtain stretches out the Sphears.
He makes the Mists his Pillars to sustain
His airy Rooms, and lays their Beams in Rain.
The Clouds th' Almighty's rolling Chariots bear
Their Lord thro' all the spacious Fields of Air.
He harnasses the manag'd Winds, and flys
On their swift Wings to visit all the Skys.
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Wait his Commands, and by his Order move.
Tempests and Windy Vapours, rais'd on high
To do his Will, like Menial Servants fly.
Lightnings, and all his wildest Works of Fire,
His Ministers, to serve their Lord conspire.
These sensless Creatures such Obedience shew
To their great Master, as his Angels do.
To him her Father, Nature owes her Birth,
He laid the deep Foundations of the Earth.
He hung the pondrous heap in fluid Air,
And made its weight its own Supporter there.
Then he the Waters o'er its Bosom roll'd;
And liquid Garments did the Earth enfold.
The Rocks and Hills conceal'd in Billows stood,
And o'er the Mountains tops the Deluge rais'd its Flood.
God's great Command chastis'd the Water's Pride,
He bad the Flood call down its tow'ring Tide,
And strait the ebbing Deluge did subside.
Th' Almighty form'd a vast capacious Deep,
Where he his Watry Regiments might keep:
The waves file off, and thither make their way,
To form the mighty Body of the Sea.
Where they encamp, and in their Stations stand,
Entrench'd in Works of Rock and Lines of Sand.
He laid the deep Foundations of the Earth.
He hung the pondrous heap in fluid Air,
And made its weight its own Supporter there.
Then he the Waters o'er its Bosom roll'd;
And liquid Garments did the Earth enfold.
The Rocks and Hills conceal'd in Billows stood,
And o'er the Mountains tops the Deluge rais'd its Flood.
God's great Command chastis'd the Water's Pride,
He bad the Flood call down its tow'ring Tide,
And strait the ebbing Deluge did subside.
Th' Almighty form'd a vast capacious Deep,
Where he his Watry Regiments might keep:
The waves file off, and thither make their way,
To form the mighty Body of the Sea.
Where they encamp, and in their Stations stand,
Entrench'd in Works of Rock and Lines of Sand.
Yet some Deserters still the Sea forsake,
And from their Posts by stealth Excursions make.
The Sun to some lets down his helping Ray,
They climb the golden Line, and thus convey
Themselves in Vapours high amidst the Air,
And to the Hills aspiring heads repair.
Others by secret Channels from the Deep
Pass undiscern'd, and up the Mountains creep:
Whence gushing out in Springs they downward flow.
And thro' the flowry Vales back to the Ocean go.
And from their Posts by stealth Excursions make.
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They climb the golden Line, and thus convey
Themselves in Vapours high amidst the Air,
And to the Hills aspiring heads repair.
Others by secret Channels from the Deep
Pass undiscern'd, and up the Mountains creep:
Whence gushing out in Springs they downward flow.
And thro' the flowry Vales back to the Ocean go.
While God in Prison holds the mighty Deep,
And does in rocky Chains the raging Monster keep,
That it may ne'er surmount the ambient Shore,
And with its Flood may drown the Earth no more,
He to refresh, and cloath the Meads with Grass,
Bids all his Rivers thro' the Vallys pass.
Kindly their course th' indented Banks restrain,
Kindly the Hills retard their gliding train.
For thus the ling'ring Streams at leisure flow,
And greater Riches on the Fields bestow.
Beasts tame and salvage to the River's brink,
Come from the Fields and Wilderness to drink.
Thither the feather'd Singers of the Air,
To quench their thirst and prune their Wings, repair.
Then midst the Willows that adorn the Flood,
Or on the Branches in some neighb'ring Wood,
The painted Heralds in melodious Lays,
Proclaim their gracious Benefactor's Praise.
And does in rocky Chains the raging Monster keep,
That it may ne'er surmount the ambient Shore,
And with its Flood may drown the Earth no more,
He to refresh, and cloath the Meads with Grass,
Bids all his Rivers thro' the Vallys pass.
Kindly their course th' indented Banks restrain,
Kindly the Hills retard their gliding train.
For thus the ling'ring Streams at leisure flow,
And greater Riches on the Fields bestow.
Beasts tame and salvage to the River's brink,
Come from the Fields and Wilderness to drink.
Thither the feather'd Singers of the Air,
To quench their thirst and prune their Wings, repair.
Then midst the Willows that adorn the Flood,
Or on the Branches in some neighb'ring Wood,
The painted Heralds in melodious Lays,
Proclaim their gracious Benefactor's Praise.
He from his high Aerial Chambers, where
Th'Almighty Chymist does his Works prepare,
Digests his Lightnings, and distills his Rain,
Pours down his Waters on the thirsty Plain.
He sends refreshing Showers to cheer the Hills,
And with his Bounty all the Vally fills;
The Earth made fruitful with his Heav'nly drops,
With a rich Harvest crowns the Farmer's Hopes.
He does the Fields his open Table spred,
Where all the Beasts with grassy Meat are fed.
He Plants, for Food and Physic does produce
Thro' all the Earth, for Man his Viceroys use.
He pours from Heav'n his Rain upon the Vine,
And thus converts the Water into Wine.
Which does revive Man's Heart, his Cares relieve,
And to his Face a better Lustre give,
Than when with Oyl it does anointed shine,
With Oyl, another noble Gift Divine.
He fills the teeming Glebe with Crops of Corn,
Which cloath the Vallys, and the Hills adorn.
The Staff of Humane Life at his Command,
Springs from the Furrows of the fruitful Land.
Th'Almighty Chymist does his Works prepare,
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Pours down his Waters on the thirsty Plain.
He sends refreshing Showers to cheer the Hills,
And with his Bounty all the Vally fills;
The Earth made fruitful with his Heav'nly drops,
With a rich Harvest crowns the Farmer's Hopes.
He does the Fields his open Table spred,
Where all the Beasts with grassy Meat are fed.
He Plants, for Food and Physic does produce
Thro' all the Earth, for Man his Viceroys use.
He pours from Heav'n his Rain upon the Vine,
And thus converts the Water into Wine.
Which does revive Man's Heart, his Cares relieve,
And to his Face a better Lustre give,
Than when with Oyl it does anointed shine,
With Oyl, another noble Gift Divine.
He fills the teeming Glebe with Crops of Corn,
Which cloath the Vallys, and the Hills adorn.
The Staff of Humane Life at his Command,
Springs from the Furrows of the fruitful Land.
He from the Clouds does the sweet Liquor squeeze,
Which cheers the Forests and the Garden Trees,
With the rich Juice he feeds their thirsty root,
Which fills their Limbs with Sap, their Heads with Fruit.
To this the Cedars that adorn the Brow
Of Lebanon, their Height and Beauty owe.
The Firs too thrive by drops from Heav'n distill'd,
In which the Storks their Airy Houses build.
The Mountains reer'd their Heads at his Command,
And Pillars to his Praise erected stand:
In these, and in the Rocks, the salvage Kind,
From the pursuer's Arms safe Refuge find.
Which cheers the Forests and the Garden Trees,
With the rich Juice he feeds their thirsty root,
Which fills their Limbs with Sap, their Heads with Fruit.
To this the Cedars that adorn the Brow
Of Lebanon, their Height and Beauty owe.
The Firs too thrive by drops from Heav'n distill'd,
In which the Storks their Airy Houses build.
227
And Pillars to his Praise erected stand:
In these, and in the Rocks, the salvage Kind,
From the pursuer's Arms safe Refuge find.
He form'd the Moon the Seasons to divide,
And gave it Empire o'er the Ocean's tide.
The Sun he burnish'd, till its Orb became
A Spring of Light, and undecaying Flame.
Which knows the Stages of its heav'nly way,
And does by turns roll up, by turns display
The wide and bright expansion of the Day.
'Tis God who made the Day, that makes the Night,
He in the Air to suffocate the Light,
Does from his open'd Stores of Darkness let
A gloomy Deluge out of liquid Jet.
He wipes the Colours off from Nature's Face,
And lays on Night's deep Shadows in their place.
Now the wild Beasts by Hunger bit awake,
And from their drowsy Eyes their Slumber shake.
From out their Dens the Spoilers yawning come,
The Forests Range, and o'er the Mountains roam.
Young rav'ning Lyons from the Woods retreat,
Roar out to Heav'n, and beg from God their Meat.
They on his Providential Care rely,
Who does his Creatures various Wants supply.
But when with his reviving Morning Ray
The rising Sun regenerates the Day,
They to their Dens retire with Toil opprest,
Stretch out their weary Limbs, and take their rest.
But Man goes forth to labour in the Morn,
When the tir'd Lyon does from his return.
And gave it Empire o'er the Ocean's tide.
The Sun he burnish'd, till its Orb became
A Spring of Light, and undecaying Flame.
Which knows the Stages of its heav'nly way,
And does by turns roll up, by turns display
The wide and bright expansion of the Day.
'Tis God who made the Day, that makes the Night,
He in the Air to suffocate the Light,
Does from his open'd Stores of Darkness let
A gloomy Deluge out of liquid Jet.
He wipes the Colours off from Nature's Face,
And lays on Night's deep Shadows in their place.
Now the wild Beasts by Hunger bit awake,
And from their drowsy Eyes their Slumber shake.
From out their Dens the Spoilers yawning come,
The Forests Range, and o'er the Mountains roam.
Young rav'ning Lyons from the Woods retreat,
Roar out to Heav'n, and beg from God their Meat.
They on his Providential Care rely,
Who does his Creatures various Wants supply.
But when with his reviving Morning Ray
The rising Sun regenerates the Day,
They to their Dens retire with Toil opprest,
Stretch out their weary Limbs, and take their rest.
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When the tir'd Lyon does from his return.
God's Works of Pow'r our Wonder, and his Praise
Thro' all the World his Works of Goodness raise.
To form the Sea he drew his Compass round,
And with the mark it left describ'd the ground:
Then dug th' unfathom'd Hollow, which the Main
And all the Floods and Rivers might contain.
So populous these watry Regions are,
That Nations numberless inhabit there.
Mute Nations that are here supply'd with Food,
Whose Finny Wings divide the crystal Flood.
Here 'tis the Ships along the yielding Tide,
Before the Wind upon their Bellys glide.
The Whale, the Soveraign that the Sea controlls,
Here takes his Pleasure, and in Pastime rolls.
He plays, and tumbles in his Watry Court,
And troubles all the Ocean with his Sport.
He makes his Spouts for his Diversion play,
And toss against the Clouds th' uplifted Sea.
Projected Billows from his Nostrils rise,
And mix the Ocean with th' astonish'd Skys.
This mighty Monster who does Monarch reign,
And all the Nations that possess the Main;
All creeping Creatures, Herds and harmless Flocks,
All Beasts that range the Woods, or hide in Rocks,
All Passengers that beat th' Etherial Road
With feather'd Wings, wait for their Meat from God.
At his expence they eat, by various ways
He for his numerous Family purveys.
His open'd Hand dispences fresh supplys,
That more than all his Creatures Wants suffice.
Thro' all the World his Works of Goodness raise.
To form the Sea he drew his Compass round,
And with the mark it left describ'd the ground:
Then dug th' unfathom'd Hollow, which the Main
And all the Floods and Rivers might contain.
So populous these watry Regions are,
That Nations numberless inhabit there.
Mute Nations that are here supply'd with Food,
Whose Finny Wings divide the crystal Flood.
Here 'tis the Ships along the yielding Tide,
Before the Wind upon their Bellys glide.
The Whale, the Soveraign that the Sea controlls,
Here takes his Pleasure, and in Pastime rolls.
He plays, and tumbles in his Watry Court,
And troubles all the Ocean with his Sport.
He makes his Spouts for his Diversion play,
And toss against the Clouds th' uplifted Sea.
Projected Billows from his Nostrils rise,
And mix the Ocean with th' astonish'd Skys.
This mighty Monster who does Monarch reign,
And all the Nations that possess the Main;
All creeping Creatures, Herds and harmless Flocks,
All Beasts that range the Woods, or hide in Rocks,
All Passengers that beat th' Etherial Road
With feather'd Wings, wait for their Meat from God.
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He for his numerous Family purveys.
His open'd Hand dispences fresh supplys,
That more than all his Creatures Wants suffice.
To substitute Successors in the place
Of those that perish, and to save the Race
And Kind of every living Creature, God
Does his prolific Spirit send abroad;
Which thro' the Earth does quick'ning Pow'r diffuse,
And Heat, which fresh Productions there produce.
Since on the Earth th' Almighty does dispence
Th' unnumber'd Blessings of his Providence,
And with his Favours has all Nature crown'd,
Let all the World with Songs of Joy resound.
Let Men for ever bless his glorious Name,
Recite his Wonders, and his Praise proclaim.
If stupid Man this Tribute should neglect,
His God th' ungrateful Wretch can soon correct.
If on the Earth he does in Anger look,
It trembles at the terrible Rebuke.
It from its strong Foundations starts for fear,
And twisting Gripes its working Entrails tear.
The Mountains shiver, and their Heads incline
At the reproof of Majesty Divine.
The Hills forget they're fixt, and in their fright
Of all their weight they strip themselves for flight.
The Rocks from off their Marble Pillars break,
And which they us'd to give, a Refuge seek.
The Woods with Terror wing'd outstrip the Wind,
And leave the heavy, panting Hills behind.
All Nature troubled and in deep distress,
Of God's Displeasure does her Fear express.
Of those that perish, and to save the Race
And Kind of every living Creature, God
Does his prolific Spirit send abroad;
Which thro' the Earth does quick'ning Pow'r diffuse,
And Heat, which fresh Productions there produce.
Since on the Earth th' Almighty does dispence
Th' unnumber'd Blessings of his Providence,
And with his Favours has all Nature crown'd,
Let all the World with Songs of Joy resound.
Let Men for ever bless his glorious Name,
Recite his Wonders, and his Praise proclaim.
If stupid Man this Tribute should neglect,
His God th' ungrateful Wretch can soon correct.
If on the Earth he does in Anger look,
It trembles at the terrible Rebuke.
It from its strong Foundations starts for fear,
And twisting Gripes its working Entrails tear.
The Mountains shiver, and their Heads incline
At the reproof of Majesty Divine.
The Hills forget they're fixt, and in their fright
Of all their weight they strip themselves for flight.
The Rocks from off their Marble Pillars break,
And which they us'd to give, a Refuge seek.
230
And leave the heavy, panting Hills behind.
All Nature troubled and in deep distress,
Of God's Displeasure does her Fear express.
But I, whatever others do, will sing
The due Applauses of th' Eternal King.
With pleasure I'll contemplate, all my days
His wondrous Works, and wondrous Goodness praise.
And let obdurate Sinners, who refuse
To give him Glory, and his Gifts abuse,
Be from the Earth, as they deserve, destroy'd,
While, thou my Soul, art in his Praise employ'd.
The due Applauses of th' Eternal King.
With pleasure I'll contemplate, all my days
His wondrous Works, and wondrous Goodness praise.
And let obdurate Sinners, who refuse
To give him Glory, and his Gifts abuse,
Be from the Earth, as they deserve, destroy'd,
While, thou my Soul, art in his Praise employ'd.
| A paraphrase on the Book of Job | |