The Mother and the Child, Psalm 102
Pſalme 102. Domine exaudi.
1 Heare my prayer O Lord: and let my crying come vntounto thee.O Lord, I hauehave long cryed vntounto thee for merciemercy, and am ſtill to attend on thee for ſuccour. The ayre is filled with my cryes: the windes hauehave carried the voice of my complaint to the ende of the earth; and thine eare which heareth mee from the depth of hell, doth not hearken vntounto my prayer, which pierceth vntounto the very heauens. Wilt thou then O Lord, be only deafe to mee? and ſhall all the world heare my moane before thee? No, no my God thou haſt been abſent from mee too long to reiect me, now when I come vntounto thee for ſuccour.
Turne not away thy face from mee▪ O Lord,2 Hide not thy face from me in the time of trouble: Incline thine eares vntounto mee when I call, O hear me, and that right ſoone. now when ſo many thouſands of griefes lay hold on mee, and ſo many miſchiefes aſſault me. Alas, I hauehave placed all my hope of riſing, in the milde looke of thy countenance. I hauehave forſaken the world, to draw neere vntounto thee. I hauehave abandoned the children of the earth, to ioin my ſelfe to the Maiſter of heauen: and wilt thou now forſake mee? O doe not ſo good Lord: but aſsiſt and ſtrengthen my weakneſs all the dayes of my life; that as ſoone as I ſhall lift my voice vntounto thee, ſo ſoone I may feele the comfort of thy preſence: and let thy grace ſpeedily deſcend vponupon mee, as an Eagle haſteth to ſuccour her yong. For vnleſſe thou aſsiſt me, how ſhal I be able to fight againſt the enemies of my ſoule?
3 For my dayes are conſumed away like a ſmoake, & my bones are burnt vp as it were with a firebrand.My ſtrength faileth me, and my life dayly conſumeth as a ſmoake that vaniſheth away into nought: the ſame eye that ſeeth it riſe out of the fire, ſeeth it alſo diſperſed, & in the ſame moment ſeeth both its beginning and its ende: man may looke after it; and loe, not ſo much as the trace therof it ſelfe. He that hath noted the ſmall branches cutte off the trees, and laide in the ſunne, how ſoone they loſe both ſappe and verdeur; may ſuppoſe hee ſeeth my bones which are dryed vp, and fallen away, and fit for nothing but a Tombe. A Tombe no doubt might make me happy, if a ſmall graue could ſtay the courſe of my moſt extreame miſerie.
Hee that hath ſeene the graſſe cut down in the medowes,4 My heart is ſmitten downe, and withered like graſſe, ſo that I forget to eate my bread. how it fadeth, changeth his liuely hewe, & withereth, let him looke vponupon my face, ſo wan and pale, that I looke like death it ſelfe. My heart is ſcorched in the midſt of my entralls, and my bloud is dryed vp within my veines, becauſe I remember not to put bread within my mouth, and forget to take my daily repaſt.
5 For the voice of my groaning my bones will ſcarce cleaue to my fleſh.My mouth ſerueth mee but to lament and crye: and the voice of my daily complaints is ſo ſtrong that it ſpendeth all the reſt of my vigour, ſo that my bodie, conſuming with heauineſs, falleth away by little and little, & now my bones appear moſt wofully through my skin. Why then doe I care to remaine any longer in this bodie, the ſubiect of my miſery? Why doe I watch to preſerue this life, which wreſtleth againſt ſo many miſeries? which is cleane ſpent with ſo many afflictions? Were it not much better for mee, with the ende of my life, to ende my miſeries?
The Pellicane that in the ſolitarie deſerts of Egypt,6 I am becom like a Pellicane in the wilderneſs: and like an Owle, that is in the deſert. tormenteth her ſelfe vvith grief, to hauehave ſlain her yong ones, beſprinkles them with her owne bloud, to reſtore them that life which ſhe had taken frō them; is not more ſorrowful thē I, nor maketh more grieuous moane then I. Hath not my ſin procured the death of my deareſt child, which I loued more then my ſelfe? And now that I hauehave already ſpent all my teares, the bloud is readie to ſpring forth of my eies, leaſt my plaints ſhould faile in ſo woefull a caſe. But the Pelican redeemeth her young, by the price of her bloud: and I miſerable wretch ſhall bee vtterly depriued of the child, which I ſo tenderly affect. I forſake the day and the light, and confine my ſelfe in the obſcure darknes, as a dolefull Owle, which goeth not out of her hole, vntill the night with his ſable mantle hauehave couered the earth.
I watch continually and take no reſt,7 I hauehave watched, and am euen as it were a ſparrow that ſitteth▪ alone vponupon the houſe toppe. I ſeeke to hide me from miſchiefe, which commeth vponupon mee as an armed man. I am quite diſcomfited, my courage faileth mee: I doe nothing but ſearch for a corner to hide me in: euen as a ſolitarie ſparrow, which beaten with winde and raine, doth ſeek ſome couerture, where ſhee may ſhrowde her ſelfe from the raine, and alſo receiue ſome heate from the ſunne.
8 Mine enemies reuile me all the day long, and they that are mad vponupon me are ſworne togither againſt me.Mine enemies ſeeing me thus deiected, reuile mee, and make a mocke of my miſery: they that vvere wont to make much of me, in ſtead of condoling with me in mine affliction, hauehave conſpir'd againſt me. What ſhall wee then account of the goods of this world, when the greateſt riches, a man can attaine vntounto, is to hauehave many friends; and yet friends are ſo double, that they make ſmall reckoning of violating their faith.
Behold,9 For I hauehave eaten aſhes as it were bread and mingled my drinke with weeping. my glorie is decayed, the floure of my beautie is fallen away, and withered; for I hauehave caſt aſhes vponupon my bread, and mingled my drinke with teares. But ſhall I for this, bee ſtill a laughing ſtocke to this wicked race of infidels?
I am come indeed before thy face,10 And that becauſe of thine indignation, and wrath: for thou haſt taken me vp and caſt mee downe. in the day of thy diſpleaſure: thou haſt laide vponupon me the arme of vengeance, and it hath beaten me downe, and laid me in the duſt. I had magnified my ſelf among men, and loe now am I brought lowe. O vaine preſumption! to what height haſt thou made mee mount, to giuegive mee the greater fall? Alas, what could I finde in my ſelfe, which could breed in my hart ſo high a ſelfe-conceit?
11 My dayes are gone like a ſhadow, and I am withered like graſſe.As the ſhadow of a body decreaſeth by little and little, according as the ſunne riſeth higher and higher ouer it, vntill it appeare but as a point: ſo as ſoone as thine anger was riſen ouer me, O Lord, my life, my goods, and my greatneſſe did by little vaniſh & turne to nought: ſo that now, behold I am but as the haye ſpread vponupon the ground, without grace, and without colour: they bind it vp in bottles to feede their ſheep: and al thoſe glorious flowers which before were ſo ſweet & fragrant, are now bound vp togither with the thiſtle and hemlocke.
But what? ſhal I therfore giuegive ouer all hope?12 But thou O Lord ſhalt endure for euer: and thy remembrance throughout all generations. Not ſo my God: for thy might is immenſe, and ſhall neuer decay: Thy mercy is infinite, & ſhall extend ouer all thoſe that truſt in thee. One age ſucceedeth another: but the memorial of thy louing kindneſs, ſhall endure for euer. One generation goeth, and another generation ſucceedeth, and all ſhall recount thy praiſe, and magnifie thy goodnes.
13 Thou ſhalt ariſe and hauehave pitie vponupon Sion: for it is time that thou hauehave mercy vponupon her, yea the time is come.Thou ſhalt at length ariſe O Lord, and be mercifull vntounto Sion, for the time approacheth. Behold, I ſee it at hand. The Riuers doe not ſēd ſo much water into the wide boſome of the Ocean, as thy bountie will ſhowre bounty and graces vponupon the face of this land. Open your hearts, O yee people, open your hearts wide: for the liberall hand of my God will fill you, with a holy zeale, vvhichwhich ſhall purifie you, and make you as faire beaten gold.
For the edifice of Sion,14 And why? thy ſeruāts think vponupon her ſtones: and it pitieth them to ſee her in the duſt. O Lord, is the refuge for thy ſeruants: this is it they louelove ſo well, this is it they deſire ſo ardently: this is it where they waite for thy merciemercy: this is the temple O Lord, which thou wilt deſtroy in three daies, and in three daies build againe, to be the manſion of life eternall, the ſeate of ſaluation, the ſtore-houſe of grace, the temple of eternitie.
Then my God,15 The Heathen ſhall feare thy name O Lord: and al the kings of the earth thy maieſtie. ſhall the nations ſtand amazed: and the kings of the earth ſhall tremble at the brightnes of thy glorie. What corner of the earth ſhall bee ſo ſecret, but that thither alſo ſhall ſpread the fruit of thy bleſſed comming? What people ſhall there bee ſo remote from the ſunne, ſo confined in darknes, which ſhall not open their eyes to behold the glorious luſtre of ſaluation, which ſhall ſhine vntounto them? The heauen ſhall encreaſe the number of his lampes, to giuegive light at thy glorious entrance into the world: and kings ſhall come from far, to doe homage to the King of Kings, and Lord of heauen and earth.
For hee hath exalted his throane in Sion, with great and magnificent preparation: there ſhall men ſee him enuironed with glory, and obſcuring the Sun & Moon with the brightneſs of his countenance. But wherfore haſt thou O Lord, ſo highly exalted the throne of thy glory?
Is it to this end that thou mighteſt contemne the humble prayers of thy faith full ſeruants,16 When the Lord ſhall build vp Sion, and when his glory ſhall appeare. and to neglect all the world, which is nothing in compariſon to thy greatneſs? Ah, nay, my Lord. Thou haſt therefore ſet thy ſelf in a place ſo eminent, to the end that all the inhabitants of the earth might ſee & acknowledge thee to bee their God: and to run to thee for grace and mercy: for thou art euer ready preſt, to incline to the humble call of thy ſeruants, and neuer diſdaineſt their pitifull requeſt. Look now vponupon them al arraignd like poore priſoners condemned to the chaine, who attend the view of ſome King, to bee by him deliuered at the day of his coronation. Euen ſo deliuer theſe O Lord, who are ſold vnderunder the ſlauery of ſinne: and at the turne of thine eye, all their irons ſhall fall from them.
Then ſhall they be heard to chaunt out the ſong of glory,18 This ſhall be written for them that come after: and the people which ſhall bee borne ſhall praiſe the Lord. to the victorious king: their voice ſhall bee heard throughout all the parts of the earth: and the memoriall of thy ſingular bounty, and infinite mercy ſhall bee engrauen in mens harts, to remain from generation to generation to all poſteritie. The Earth ſhall melt away, the waters ſhall be dried vp, the aire ſhal vaniſh, the heauens ſhall paſſe away, and be no more: but the memoriall of thine aboundant kindnes, O eternall God, ſhall endure for euer.
Thou art the euerlaſting God,19 For hee hath looked down from his ſancturie; out of the heauen did the Lord behold the earth. who haſt daind to caſt down thine eyes from heauen, to behold the neathermoſt parts of the Earth, to take notice of their torments, who lye faſt bound in the depth, who haſt heard their groanings, and immediately runne to their ſuccour, to vnbinde and ſet at liberty theſe poore priſoners, and their whole poſteritie. Death hath vanquiſhed them by the ſtrength of ſin▪ and had ſhutte them vp in darke dungeons: but the Lord of life, hath conquered death, and hath giuen full deliuerance.
That ſo they might declare thy praiſe O Lord in Sion,20 That he might hear the mournings of ſuch as be in captiuitie: and deliuer the children appointed vntounto death. and proclaim thy clemencie in Hieruſalem. But though eueryevery one of them had an hundred tongues, & though their voice were as ſtrong as thunder, yet would they not bee able to reach vntounto the greatneſs of thy glory:21 That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion, and his worſhip at Ieruſalem. though all the parts of the world conſpire in one, to repreſent in their motions ſome part of thy might and infinite bounty, yet can they reach no further: for theſe are depths, and the depths of depths, which hauehave no bottom nor bound, and which wee are not able to ſee, but a far off.
22 When the people are gathered togither & the kingdomes alſo to ſerue the Lord.Let it then ſuffice, O my God, that thy people aſſembled & revnited both in body and minde, doe vvith humble deuotion offer vp vntounto thee, the wil they hauehave to honour thee: for the effect is not able to approach to that, which to thee is due. Let it be acceptable in thy ſight O Lord, that the kings of the earth doe proſtrate themſelues at thy feet; and do tender that homage and ſeruice, which is due to thee, as to their ſoueraigne Lord. They ſhall lay down their ſcepters on the earth, and their crownes at their feet, and ſhall preſent an innocent conſcience, as a ſacrifice of an humble deuotion. I will bee the firſt, O my God, that wil proſtrate my ſelf before thee, to worſhip and ſerue thee with my whole heart: On thee onelyonly will I fixe my thoughts: to thee will I conſecrate my ſpirit. Quicken it O Lord; that beeing purified with the ſacred ardour of thy louelove, it may (as a moſt pure mirrour) receiue in it the image of thy incomprehenſible beauty and perfection, and may feele in it ſelfe the reflexion of thy ſincere amitie, vntill thy infinite beautie ſhall aſſociate it vntounto the number of thine elect, to be with them coheir of euerlaſting life.
23 He broght downe my ſtrength in my iourney: and ſhortened my dayes.Now my God, doe I feele that thou haſt enlightened my ſoule with thy grace, and hauehave firſt felt the fauor which thou wilt beſtowe vponupon the ſons of men. My ſpirit hath already ſeen a far off how thou wilt come to redeeme the world; but it feareth it ſhall dye before thy comming; and this is the cauſe, why it hath cried vntounto thee, ſaying; Tell me O Lord, what ſhall be thee courſe of mine age, & when thou wilt ende my dayes?
Cut not off the thread of my life O Lord,24 But I ſaid, O my God take me not away in the midſt of my age: as for thy yeeres they endure throughout all generations. at the firſt or ſecond turne of the ſpindle, and take mee not away in the middle of my courſe. Let me liue O my God vntill the time come, wherein thou ſhalt open the treaſures of thy graces, to beſtowe among men the largeſſe of ſaluation: or at leaſt if thou haſt ſo determined of mine ende, that my life may not continue till then; remember my poſteritie, and let him ſpring of my race, that by his comming ſhall redeeme and ſanctifie the earth.
I know O Lord, that thou haſt from the beginning faſhioned the heauen and the earth,25 Thou Lord in the beginning haſt laide the foundation of the earth: and the heauens are the workes of thy hands. and whatſoeuer is good, and excellent in the world, is the worke of thine hands.
But all the vniuerſal ſhall wax old as doth a garment: they vaniſh away, and ſhall be no more to be found: it hath been created,26 They ſhall periſh but thou ſhalt endure, they ſhal all waxe olde as doth a garment; And as a veſture ſhalt thou change them, and they ſhal be changed, and it ſhall bee diſſolued: it hath had a beginning, and muſt hauehave an ende.
But thou O Lord, art from euerlaſting, and thou ſhalt continue the ſame for euer. Time and continuance, which conſume all things, doe onelyonly ſerue to confirme thy being, and to publiſh thy diuinitie:27 But thou art the ſame and thy yeares ſhall not faile. and men do liue vponupon the earth that they may contemplate on the one ſide, thine incomprehenſible greatneſſe, and on the other ſide, their owne infirmitie. Man goeth from place to place, & the ſame land doth change her inhabitants: one driueth out another, and all is renewed in a moment: but thou my GOD art yeſterday, and to day, and the ſame for euer. EueryEvery province of the earth can reckon vp great numbers of Kings, which hauehave raigned one after another: but the the heauen and the earth doe continually ſing, that thou haſt euer been God alone, alwaies admirable alone: and that thy goings out and thy commings in, hauehave euer beene vvithout change.
28 The children of thy ſeruants ſhall continue, and their ſeed ſhall ſtand faſt in thy ſight.Now O Lord, when I ſhall depart hence, I doe verely beleeue, that I ſhal taſte of that ſweet fruit, which ſhall heale vsus of this contagious maladie (which hath been deriued from our firſt Parents, for eating the forbidden fruit) of death, and ſinne. For our children ſhal come after vsus, and thou O Lord, ſhalt continue our poſteritie, vntill wee ſhall come to appeare togither before thy face: not to receiue a rigorous doome; but by the merit and interceſsion of thy beloued Son, to enter into that inheritance of euerlaſting bleſſedneſſe, which ſhall be giuen to all thy faithfull, by the adoption of the ſonnes, in the family of thy ſeruant Dauid.