Davids Harp, Part 8 – Psalm
¶ The eyght verse.
I wyll pay my vowes vn to the Lorde in the syghte of all his people ī the courtes of the Lordes house / yea euen in the myddes of the / O Ierusalem.
DAuid is euer one man. He had Dauid is euer one man.rather synge one song a thousand tymes, than he woulde once at tempte ony thynge without the au thorite of Gods word. He is at this poynte, that he wyll do nothyng, ex cepte Gods worde bearethe hym in it. He wyll not cleaue to his owne good intentes, myndes and zeles. He wyl worshyp God accordyng to his worde. He setteth before his eyes this commaundement. That I commaund the, do that only to the Lorde, neyther put thou ony thing to it, nor yet plucke ought therfrō. Agayne, I commaunde the to do y•, whiche is pleasaunt in the sight of the Lord thy God. Also in another place, Ye shall not do euerye one of you, that which ye yourselfe think Deu…ro. xii xiii.right & good. He can make no shyft to be diuers in the worshippyng of God. He can inuente no newe and straunge honorynges of god, as the olde Phareses dyd in tymes paste, Esa. xrix …ath cv. …. vii.and the Papistes & Monckes hauehave done syns y• tyme, but all in vayne, as the Scriptures testifye. He kepethe hym selfe wythin the bondes of Gods worde, and as he sayde before that he would paye his vowes, that is to saye, do those thynges y• he had promysed to his LORD God, kepe his Commaundementes, followe & accomplysh his moost godly wyll in all poyntes vntounto the vttermooste of hys power, and do the offyce of a true kynge, seake Goddes glory, promote his holy worde, tenderly The office of a true kynge.louelove his subiectes, mayntayn vertue, and suppresse vice: euen so dothe he nowe agayne. So that Dauid knoweth not howe to recō pense in ony parte the goodnes of GOD, but only by kepynge hys moost holy commaundementes, & in gyuynge hym hattye and contiall thanckes, whiche he also promisethe to do in this verse.
But seyng that I hauehave entreated of the whole matter, that this verie contayneth, in the fyfte verse and seuenhte strynge heretofore, I wyll speke no more of it at this present, but only note this one thinge that our Mynstrell sayth, He wyll paye his vowes in the courtes of y• Lordes house, and in the middes of Ierusalē. By the courtes of y• Lordes house, & by Ierusalem is none What is signifyed by the courtes of y• Lordes hous, and by Ieru salem. i. Cor. iii. v… ii. Cor. v….other thyng signifyed, thā y• chirch of Christ, I meane the congregaciō of Saync…es, that is to saye, of the faythfull, in whome God dwelleth by his holy Spirite, as S. Paule sayth. The Temple of God is holy, which ye are. His meanyng is this, loke wher so euer the people of god is mooste gathered togyther, euen there in the thyckest of them wyl he sette forthe the glory of God, as we read of the good Kynge Iosias. He wyll seake all meanes possible, that …iii. …e. xxiii …i. pa. xxxiiii Would god that all kyn ges would… …o this.all thynges in his Realme shalbe or dered accordyng to y• law of God, & that no vice shal reygne among his people, nether I dolatry, nor swearynge, nor disobedience, nor whoredome, nor manslaughter, nor stealynge, nor bearynge false wytnes, nor ony other vice, that is prohibited by the holy scripture. And that thys thynge maye the more fortunately come to passe, Dauid hym selfe, in as muche as he is king and excelleth all other in dignite, wyl al so farre excell & passe all his subiectes in vertue & godlynes. He wyll be vntounto them an example & spectacle of all goodnes. He wyll lyke vntounto Phil. ii. Math. v. Iosue. i. Psal. i.as great lyghte shyne before hys people in godly conuersacion. The boke of the lawe of the Lorde shall neuer departe from hym. He wyll read & meditate in it daye & nyght. He wyll not steake to the corrupte iudgementes of other, nor be led wt the dotyng fansys of those pestilēt flatterers, Trueth wyll we, but he hymselfe wyll looke vponupon the scriptures Ma… we…of God wythe all diligence, & & euermore caull vntounto God for the assistence of his moost holy spirite, Ioā. xiiii. xvthat that swete confortoure maye both assist & conforte hym in all his godly and vertuous enterpryses, & also lead hym into all trueth, & kno ledge of Gods moost holy wyll. To make an ende, come ther lyfe, or cō meth ther death, Dauid is fully determned to stycke by Gods word, & Math. x. Mar. iiii. Luke. viii.to seke his glory aboue all thynges yea and that not in corners and secret places, but openly, that all the worlde maye euidently se that Dauid is an earneste setter forthe and an vnfayned promotoure of Goddes glorye, and by that meanes be occasioned also wyth Dauid to honoure, worshyppe, magnify, laude, and prayse GOD wyth one mynd and voyce for euermore, as Christe Math. v.saythe: Let your lyght so shyne before menne, that they maye se your good workes, and glorifye your father, which is in heauen, to whome wythe his onlye begotten s…nne oure LORDE and omnisufficient sauiour Iesus Christ, & the holy Ghoste that moost swete confor toure, be all honoure, prayse and glory for euer and euer.
Am̄.
¶ Gyue the glory to God alone.
¶ The. Cxlv. Psalme.
I Wyll magnifye the, O God my kyng, I wyl prayse thy name for euer and euer.
EueryEvery day wyll I gyue thākes vntounto the, and prayse thy name for euer and euer.
Great is y• Lord, and maruelous worthy to be praysed, ther is no ende of his greatnes.
One generacion shall prayse thy workes vntounto another, and declare thy power.
As for me I wyll be talkynge of thy worshyp, thy glory, thy prayse, and wonderous workes.
So that men shall speake of the myghte of thy maruelous actes, & tell of thy greatnes.
The memoriall of thyne abundant kyndenes shall be shewed, and mē shall synge of thy righteousnes.
The LORDE is gracious & mercifull, longe sufferynge, and of great goodnes.
The LORDE is louynge to eueryevery man, and his mercye is ouer all his worckes.
All thy worckes prayse the (O LORD) and all thy Saynctesgyue thanckes vntounto the.
They shew the glory of thy kingdome, and talke of thy power.
That thy power, thy glorye and myghtynes of thy kyngdom might be knowen vntounto men.
Thy kingdome is an euerlastyng kyngedome, & thy dominion endureth thorowe oute all ages.
The LORDE vpholdethe all suche as shoulde fall, and lyfteth vppe all those that be downe.
The eyes of all wayte vponupon the, and thou gyuest them theyr meate in due season.
Thou openest thyne hande, and fyllest all thynges lyuyng with plē teousnes.
The LORDE is ryghteous in all his wayes, & holy in all his workes.
The LORDE is nye vntounto them y• call vponupon hym, yea all suche as call vponupon hym faythfully.
He fulfylleth the desyre of them that feare him, he heareth theyr cry and helpeth them.
The LORDE preserueth all them y• louelove hym, but scatterethe abroad all the vngodly.
My mouth shal… speake y• prays… of the LORDE, and let all fleshe gyue thanckes vntounto his holy name for euer and euer.
Prayse the euerlastynge.
¶ Imprynted at London in Botulph lane at the sygne of the whyte Beare, by Iohn̄ Mayler for Iohn̄ Gough. Anno Dn̄i. 1542.
Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum. Per Septenn…m.
End of the text · Thomas Becon, Davids Harp (1542)