Reader
The Psalms of David in English Meter · Francis Rous

The Psalms of David in English Meter, Corrected psalms

Psalmes of harder and lesse usuall Tunes corrected, and the Tunes not altered.

BEcause to sundry Congregations, Families, and Persons, the harder Tunes of divers Psalmes by custome or skill are easie and delightfull; which delight, as it makes them desired, so it may also make the Psalmes themselves more used, and familiar: These Psalmes are now set forth corrected (whereof they had great need) that satisfaction be not wanting to a reasonablè desire, or a profitable delight.

PSAL. LI.

MErcy, Lord, mercy grant to me

Of thy great goodnesse, and free grace:

And, as thy mercies many be,

Blot out my faults, my sins deface.

verse 2 Defil'd I am with spots of sin,

O throughly from them wash thou me;

Foule mine iniquities have bin,

From them let me be cleans'd by thee.

verse 3 For I with griefe, and sins deep sense

Acknowledge mine iniquities;

My loathsome sin, and mine offence

Do still appeare before mine eies.

verse 4 Against thee only sin'd have I,

And done this evill in thy sight;

Which doth thy sayings justifie,

And cleare thee in thy judgments right.

verse 5 Behold, thou know'st, and I confesse

My shape in sin I did receive;

And me defil'd with wickednesse

At first my mother did conceive.

verse 6 Behold, thou that dost search the heart,

Truth in the inward parts dost love;

And thou shalt in the hidden part

Make me know wisdome from above:

verse 7 With sprinkling hyssope purge thou me,

And clean I shall be in thy sight;

Wash me, and, being wash't by thee,

Above the snow I shall be white.

verse 8 Of joy and gladnesse make me heare

Within my soule the pleasant voice;

That so the bones which broken were,

Made whole by thee may now rejoyce…

verse 9 From my great sins O hide thy face,

And turne away thy purest eies;

And by thy free forgiving grace,

Blot out all mine iniquities.

verse 10 O Lord, create in me a heart

Clean and unspotted in thy sight;

Renew in my most inward part

A spirit firmly good and right.

The second part.

verse 11 Cast me not off, nor banish me

From thy sweet favour, and thy face;

And let me not forsaken be

Of thy most holy Spirit of grace.

verse 12 Thy heavenly joy againe to me

Of thy most deare salvation give;

Uphold me with thy Spirit free,

In stedfast holinesse to live.

verse 13 Freely then I, and constantly

Will teach transgressors thy right wa…;

And sinners taught from sin to flye,

Shall turn to thee, and give thee praise.

verse 14 Deliver me from guilt of bloud,

O God, of my salvation God:

My tongue thy righteousnesse aloud

Shall then sing out, and shew abroad.

verse 15 My lips by sin that closed be,

Do thou, Lord, open graciously;

My mouth then opened thus by thee,

Shall speak thy praise abundantly.

verse 16 For sacrifice delights not thee,

Which willingly I would present;

Burnt-offrings, though they many be,

Yet will they not give thee content.

verse 17 A broken spirit is in Gods fight

A great and pleasing sacrifice;

A broken heart, and soule contrite,

O God, thou never wilt despise.

verse 18 In thy good pleasure graciously

Do good to Sion, blesse it still;

And of Jerusalem mightily

Build up the walls; with peace it sill.

verse 19 The sacrifice's of righteousnesse,

With offrings burnt shall then please thee,

And bullocks then with thankfulnesse

Shall on thine altar offred be.

PSAL. CXI.

WIth my whole heart will I

Give praise to the most Hie,

In meetings of th' upright.

verse 2 Great works the Lord hath wrought,

Of all out to be sought,

That in them do delight.

verse 3 His workes most glorious be,

His righteousnesse hath he

Por ever stable set.

verse 4 His wondrous works he would,

We still remember should,

His grace and love are great.

verse 5 The Lord for those doth care,

And food for them prepare,

That do him love and feare;

He them remember will,

For he his Covenant still

In faithfull mind doth beare.

verse 6 His workes of power and might,

Before his peoples sight

He plainly did make knowne.

The heritage and lands,

Then in the heathens hands,

To give unto his owne.

verse 7 Judgement and truth we see,

Workes of his hands to be;

His statutes all are sure.

verse 8 For ever fast they stand,

In truth was each command,

And uprightnesse most pure.

Redemption great he gave

His people deare to save:

verse 9 A Covenant ending never

He did command and frame;

Most reverend is his Name,

His Name is holy ever.

verse 10 The Lord to feare and dread,

Is wisdomes spring and head:

Those that obey the will

Of him that doth them save,

Good understanding have;

His praise endureth still.

PSAL. CXII.

THe man is blest that God doth feare,

And in his lawes doth much delight;

verse 2 Great shall his seed on earth appeare,

Blest is the race of the upright.

verse 3 Riches and wealth his house shall fill,

His righteousnesse endureth still.

verse 4 In darknes light shines to th' upright,

Who shines himselfe in graciousnesse;

And in compassion doth delight,

And leads his life in righteousnesse:

verse 5 A good man lends wth good affection,

And his affaires guides wth discretion.

verse 6 For ever mov'd he shall not be

Still lasts the memory of the just:

verse 7 Fearlesse of tidings ill is he,

His fixed heart in God doth trust.

verse 8 His stedfast heart feares not at all,

Untill he see his enemies fall.

verse 9 Gifts to the poore disperst hath he,

His righteousnesse shall ever live,

His horne with honour rais'd shall be:

The sinner shall this see, and grieve;

verse 10 And gnash his teeth, & melt, & quaile,

The wicked mans desire shall faile.

PSAL. CXIII.

PRaise God; his servants give him praise,

To the Lords Name give praise alwaies;

His … for evermore be blest:

verse 3 From where the glorious Sun arose,

Unto the place where downe he goes,

His Names due praises be exprest.

verse 4 Above all Nations God is hie;

His glory and his majestie

Above the highest heavens are

verse 5 Upon his high-exalted throne,

Since the great God doth sit alone,

With our Lord God who may compare?

verse 6 Who humbleth yet himselfe so low,

As to look downe, behold, and know

Things that in earth and heaven be.

verse 7 The poor from dust to rise he makes,

And from the dunghill up he takes

The needy man of low degree;

verse 8 That he with Princes may him set,

And to high place with Princes great

Of his owne people may him raise.

verse 9 The barren he doth make to beare,

A mother glad of children deare:

Therefore unto the Lord give praise.

PSAL. CXX.

IN griefe and misery

I to the Lord did cry,

Who heard me graciously.

verse 2 Lord, save my soule from wrong

Of a deceitfull tongue,

And from the lips that lye.

verse 3 What shall be giv'n to thee?

What to thee done shall be,

Thou false tongue of the liar?

verse 4 Sharp arrowes thou dost cast,

Words that destroy and wast,

Like burning coales of fire.

verse 5 O wo is me that I

A sojourner must lye

In M…sechs land so long:

That I day after day

In banishment must stay

Black …edars tents among.

My soule (now weary) hath

Long dwelt with men of wrath,

Of peace that haters are:

verse 6 I am for peace, but when

I speak for peace, these men

Are then for cruell warre.

PSAL. CXXI.

UNto the hills look up shall I,

From whence the help I have,

Which doth me keep and save.

verse 2 From the great Lord that mightily

Did both earth and heaven make,

I do help and succour take.

verse 3 Thy foot-so stedfast he shall make

By his might and his love,

That no power shall it move.

verse 4 Behold, he that doth undertake

His deare Israel to keep,

Shall not slumber, shall not sleep.

verse 5 Thy keeper is the Lord of might;

God as thy shade doth stand

Neare thee at thy right hand.

verse 6 The Sun by day thee shall not smite

With his beames of heat and light;

Nor the Moon thee hurt by night.

verse 7 Though evill compasse thee about,

The Lord preserve thee shall

Most safe from evills all.

verse 8 God shall preserve thy going out,

And thy coming in defend,

From henceforth till time do end.

PSAL. CXXII.

I Was right glad when they

Thus unto me did say,

To the Lords House let us repaire.

verse 2 Our feet at such a call,

With joy within thy wall

Shall stand, Jerusalem most faire.

verse 3 Jerusalem know we,

Right strongly built to be,

Like to a city knit together.

verse 4 The Tribes up thither go,

And there assemble do;

Ev'n Gods beloved Tribes go thither.

Unto the Ark they passe,

Wherein Gods covenant was,

Thankes to the Name of God to bear.

verse 5 And there the thrones they see,

That set for judgement be;

The thrones of Davids house are there.

verse 6 Pray for Jerusalems peace,

That it may never cease;

They prosper shal that love thee well.

verse 7 Within thy walls be peace,

And in thy palaces

Prosperity for ever dwell.

verse 8 For my companions sake,

Whom I as brethren take,

I will say, Peace be in thee still.

verse 9 And for the house that is

Our Gods, the Lord of blisse,

Thy peace for ever seek I will.

PSAL. CXXIV.

If on our side the great Lord had not been,

Ev'n now his saved people Israel …y

Truly unto his praise coas… and …

verse 2 If on our side the Lord had not been then,

When up against us rose … men:

verse 3 In their great fury had they suddenly

Swallow'd us up alive, when the hot flame

Of their en…indled wrath against us came:

verse 4 Yea then the raging waters swelling hye,

Had overwhelm'd and drown'd us utterly.

verse 5 Over our soules the streames had surely past,

Over our soules had gone the lofty wa…,

verse 6 But God be blessed who alone us saves,

And by his merciemercy, which doth ever last,

A prey unto their teeth us hath not cast.

verse 7 Ou… soule escaped is out of their hand,

Ev'n as a bird out of the Fowlers snare,

The snare is broken, we escaped are;

verse 8 In the Lords Name alone our help doth stand,

Who earth and heaven made by his command.

PSAL. CXXV.

THose that do put their confidence

In God the Lord, and on him rest,

Seeking to him for their defence,

When they with dangers are distrest:

They shall be sure still to endure,

And shall not be remov'd away;

Like Sion hill abiding still,

Establish't they shall stand and stay.

verse 2 And as within the promis'd land,

Like bulwarks strong the mountains hye

About Jerusalem do stand,

The same to guard and fortifie:

So God that is a shield to his,

From dangers great them to deliver,

His people deare that do him feare,

Doth compass round hence forth for ever.

verse 3 And though the wise & gracious God,

Who chastens those whom he doth love,

Suffers the wicked by their rod

The righteous to afflict and prove:

Yet shall it not upon the lot

Of righteous men for ever rest,

Lest in distresse, to wickednesse

They put their hands, with grief opprest.

verse 4 To those that are good in thy sight,

Do good, O Lord, we humbly pray,

Ev'n to the men in heart upright.

verse 5 But those to their owne crooked way,

Aside that stray, and turne away,

With those that do work wickednesse,

The Lord & King them forth shal bring:

But he with peace shall Israel blesse.

PSAL. CXXVI.

WHen the good Lord made Sions sad captivitie

To turne againe, and us from bondage did set free,

To us appear'd this strange and wondrous libertie;

As i… … dreame or faigned thing beheld had we.

verse 2 Our mouthes then sill'd with laughter did rejoyce;

With singing then was sill'd our tongue and voice.

verse 3 The heathen then, when us they saw in freedome set,

Wondring thereat, among themselves this speech they had,

Great things for them

verse 4 The Lord hath done: Things very great glad.

Surely for us the Lord hath done, which make us

verse 5 Turne backe againe,

Lord, our captivity,

As in the South streames upon pastures dry.

verse 6 The gracious Lord in wisdome deep doth so dispose,

That they which sow sadly in sorrow, and with teares,

Shall reap with joy.

verse 7 And he that forth with mourning goes,

And precious seed with him in his sowing beares,

Shall with rejoycing doubtlesse come againe,

Bringing his sheaves with comfort, and with gaine.

PSAL. CXXVII.

EXcept the Lord the house do build,

The skilfull labour and the paine

Of builders, wholly are in vaine:

verse 2 Except the Lord do succour yeeld,

The city to defend and keep,

In vaine the watchman leave, his sleep.

verse 3 In vaine it is for you to rise

In mornings early, full of care;

In vaine all your late watchings are:

'Tis vain to think wealth must arise

By eating bread with sorrowes deep:

To his belov'd God giveth sleep.

verse 4 An heritage lo children be,

Which from the gift of God do come,

The fruit that springeth from the womb,

Is also his reward most free;

verse 5 Children growne up, like arrowes are

In th'… and of some strongman of war…e.

verse 6 And blessed from above is he,

Whose plenteous race doth so increase,

That full his quiver is of these;

That man ashamed shall not be,

But to his soes that do him hate,

He shall speak boldly in the gate.

PSAL. CXXX.

FRom the depths of wo and griefe,

O Lord, I cry to thee;

Heare my voice, and …Wourd… …,

O gracious God to me.

verse 2 Let thine hearkning eares attend

To my voice and cry,

When I supplications send

Unto thy Majesty.

verse 3 If thou, Lord, shouldst strictly s…an,

And marke iniquities;

T…n what … of mortall man

Can stand before thine eies?

verse 4 But we well do know and prove

Forgivenesse is with thee;

That when sins thou dost remove,

Fear'd with love thou maist be.

verse 5 Wa… I do still for the Lord,

My soule waits patiently;

And upon his faithfull Word

Hope do I stedfastly.

verse 6 My soule waits more earnestly

For the Lord, then doth he,

That the morning watch'th to spy,

That waits the morne to see.

verse 7 In the Lord let Israel

His hope for ever place;

For still with the Lord doth dwell

Rich mercy, and free grace.

verse 8 Large redemptions with him be,

Therein abounds he still;

And his Israel set free

From all their sins he will.

PSAL. CXLVIII.

PRaise ye the Lord of might:

Him from the heavens praise;

Ev'n in the highest height

Praise ye the Lord alwaies.

verse 2 The Lord praise ye,

His Angels all,

Hosts spirituall,

His face that see.

verse 3 Praise him, bright-shining Sun,

And Moon, the lamp of night;

And while your race ye run,

Praise him all Stars of light.

verse 4 Heavens most hie,

The Lord praise ye;

And waters that be

Above the skie.

verse 5 Let all these praise the Name

Of the Almighty Lord,

Who did them make and frame

By his commanding word.

verse 6 These still to last,

Stablish't hath he;

And set a decree

Not to be past.

verse 7 And from the earth below,

Gods praise, ye Dragons, tell;

His praises speak and show,

All deeps that roare and swell.

verse 8 Ye vapors flying,

Fire, ha…e, and snow,

Fierce winds that blow,

His word obeying.

verse 9 Ye Hills and Mountaines all▪

And Trees that fruitfull are;

Ye Cedars great and tall,

His worthy praise declare:

verse 10 Cattell and beasts all,

Each creeping thing,

All birds of wing,

Both great and small.

verse 11 On earth Kings great in might,

All people that do live,

Princes, and ye that right

On earth by judging give.

verse 12 Both young men all,

And maides him praise;

Men full of daies,

And children small.

verse 13 Let all these praise present

Unto his glorious Name;

Because most excellent

Alone appe…res the same:

verse 14 His glory hie

And honour are,

Above earth fa…e;

Yea, above the skie.

verse 15 By him exalted be

His peoples horne and might;

Praise of his Saints is he,

Of Israel his delight;

A people that be

Unto him neare,

And very deare:

The Lord praise ye.