The Psalms of David in English Meter, Psalms · Psalm 73 – Psalm 77
PSAL. LXXIII.
TRuly to Israel God is good, yea gracious is he:
To all that in their heart upright, and clean before him by.
verse 2 But as for me my failing feet were almost gone aside;
My wavering and unstedfast steps, now ready were to slide.
verse 3 For at the fools that flourished I fre…ed enviously;
And at the wicked, when I saw their great prosperity.
verse 4 For these men walk at liberty, in b…s they do not dye;
But firme and flourishing doth their strength abide continually.
verse 5 When others deep in troubles are, they are not troubled then;
Not are they plagued outwardly, like unto other men.
Therefore great pride like a strong chaine them compasseth about;
…nd, like a garment violence doth cover them throughout.
Their eies with fatnesse out do stand, so full themselves they feed:
Their store of wealth is such, that it their wishes doth exceed.
They are corrupt in heart and life, and they speak wickedly
Of their oppressions and their wrongs, yea they talk loftily.
For they against the heavens set their mouth in daring talk:
And proudly their unbrid…d tongue throughout the earth doth walk.
…o Gods people oftentimes for this looks back, and turnes about;
Since waters from so full a cup to them are powred out.
The second part.
verse 11 And thus they say, How can it be that God doth all things know?
Or in the Highest can there be knowledge of things below?
verse 12 Behold, these the ungodly are, who seem to live in peace;
And they do prosper in the world, in riches they increase.
verse 13 Then said I, verily that I my heart have cleans'd in vaine;
And wash't my hands in innocence, and did from sin abstaine.
verse 14 For contrary to these have I been plagued every day;
And every morning heavily a scourge upon me lay.
verse 15 Yet if I say, Thus will I speak, behold, offend should I
Against thy people and thy sons, that under crosses lye.
verse 16 But then I this to understand, my musing thoughts did bend:
But it so painfull was, that I it could not comprehend.
verse 17 Untill into thy Sanctuary I humbly went, and then
I plainly understood the end of prosperous wicked men.
verse 18 That verily in slippery waies these men thou placed hast;
And that into destruction downe they by thy hand are cast.
verse 19 As in a moment how are they to desolation brought?
They utterly consumed are with terrours in a thought.
verse 20 And like a dream when one awakes, they vanish from our eies:
O Lord, thou when thou shalt awake, their image shalt del…ise,
The third part.
verse 21 Yet thus mine heart was grieved then, my mind was much opprest:
verse 22 So fond was I and ignorant, and in this point a beast.
verse 23 Neverthelesse I do remaine continually with thee;
…hough I was weak, by my right hand thou, Lord, hast holden me.
verse 24 And with thy counsell while I live, thou shalt me guide aright;
And afterward shalt me receive to glory in thy sight.
verse 25 Whom have I for my chiefest good but thee in heaven above;
And besides thee I none on earth so much desire and love.
verse 26 And though my flesh and heart do faile, yet God doth faile me never;
For my hearts strength is God, and he my portion is for ever.
verse 27 For lo, they that are far from thee, most justly perish shall;
And those that whoring go from thee, shall be destroied all.
verse 28 But surely it is good for me still to draw neere to God:
I trust in God, that so I may shew all thy works abroad.
PSAL. LXXIIII.
WHy art thou, Lord, so long from us▪ in all this danger deep?
Why doth thine anger kindle thus at thine owne pasture sheep?
verse 2 Think on thy congregation purchast of old by thee;
And thine inheritance think upon, which thou from bonds didst free.
Still look upon thy chosen place, and it remember well;
This Sion Mount, where of thy grace thou pleased wast to dwell.
verse 3 Lift up thy feet and come apace, those utter ruines see;
Which wrought within thy holy place by wicked enemies be.
verse 4 For where thy congregations were, thine enemies roare and crie;
And they for signes of triumph there, their ensignes set on hie.
verse 5 A man was famous once as he had axes lifted hie:
Upon the trees that thickest be, thy house to beautifie.
verse 6 But now the carved work apace downe break they with despight;
Thy house with axes to deface and lummers they delight.
verse 7 Thy house they do consume with flame, and to the ground it c…st:
Desiling it, though once thy Name to dwell there thou hadst plac't.
verse 8 And thus they said within their heart; Destroy them out of hand;
Then burnt they up in every part Gods houses through the land.
verse 9 Yet thou no signe of help dost send, our Prophets all are gone;
To tell when this our plague shall end, among us there is none.
The second part.
verse 10 How long, Lord, shall the enemy at thee reproaches cast?
And shall his spitefull blasphemy against thee ever last?
verse 11 Why is thy right hand thus drawne back, and in thy bosome lies?
O pluck it out, and be not slack to strike thine enemies.
verse 12 For God is my great King of old, who hath salvation wrought;
Amid the earth men might behold what help to his he brought.
verse 13 By thy great strength divided was the sea, when thou didst speak;
Of dragons which through waters passe, the heads thou there didst break.
verse 14 And the Whales head thou didst divide, although his strength was great▪
To those in desarts that abide thou gavest him for meat.
verse 15 The floud and fountain mightily thou didst asunder cleave;
And mighty rivers making dry, paths there for thine didst leave.
verse 16 The shining day, the shady night, thine, and thine only are;
The glorious Sun, and all the light thou only didst prepare.
verse 17 Thou dost appoint the ends & coasts of all the earth about;
Both Summer heat, and winter frosts thy hand hath found them out.
The third part.
verse 18 Remember that thine enemies on thee reproaches lay;
And foolish people blasphemies against thy Name do say.
verse 19 Thy Turtles soul, which sinners hate, do not to them deliver;
Thy congregations poore estate do not forget for ever.
verse 20 Regard thy covenant, and see the land opprest doth lye;
Ev'n the dark places filled be with men of cruelty.
verse 21 O let not those that are opprest, returne againe with shame;
But help the needy and distrest, and let them praise thy Name.
verse 22 The cause is thine, O Lord, arise, for thy cause pleader be:
Remember how the man unwise daily reproacheth thee.
verse 23 The voice forget not of thy foes, nor their proud blasphemies;
Because still growes the rage of those, that do against thee rise.
PSAL. LXXV.
TO thee, O Lord, we thanks do give, we do give thanks to thee:
For that thy Name to us is neere, we by thy wonders see.
verse 2 When I th' assembly shall receive, uprightly judge I shall:
The earth and men therein do faint, I stay her pillars all.
verse 3 I to the foolish people said, Do not deale foolishly;
And to the wicked, Lift not up the horne so lostily.
verse 4 Yea, lift not up your …orne on hie, despising those below;
And with a stiff-neck do not speak, though you in honour grow.
verse 5 For know ye that promotion high, (though men thereof do boast)
Nor from the East nor West doth come, nor from the Southern coast.
verse 6 But God that ruleth all the world, is the great Judge alone:
He putteth downe the one, and sets another in the throne.
verse 7 For in Gods hand there is a cup, red wi…e that in it hath:
This wine is of a mixture full, this mixture is his wrath.
verse 8 This out he powreth, but the dregs drink shall the wicked all:
Yea sinners all, though high on earth, wring out, and drink them shall.
verse 9 But I thy glory to thy Church declare for ever will;
And unto thee, O Jacobs God, I will sing praies still.
verse 10 And all the hornes of wicked men shall be cut off by me:
But then the hornes of righteous men shall high exalted be.
PSAL. LXXVI.
THe Lord is known in Judah well, and his most glorious Name
Is very great in Israel, which doth extoll the same.
verse 2 …is Tabernacle plac't to be in Salem was his will;
For his abode and dwelling he did chuse out Sion hill.
verse 3 There he the arrowes of the bowes did break …or Sions sake:
The sword and shield of mighty foes, and battell there he brake.
verse 4 Thus thou more glorious dost appear, and excellent then they
In mighty troups that gathered were, on mountaines high of prey.
verse 5 Thou spoiled hast the …out of mind, and they have slept their sleep;
Their hands the mighty could not find, their lives they could not keep.
verse 6 When thy rebuke against those men, O Jacobs God, did passe:
With a dread sleep possessed then …oth … and chariot was.
verse 7 Thou, even thou, Lord, most great in might, art he whom all should fear;
And who dares stand before thy sight, if once thy wrath appeare?
verse 8 From heaven thou didst make men heare, the judgements of thine hand;
The earth surprized was with feare, and silent it did stand.
verse 9 When God to judgement did arise, to save the humble men;
Ev'n those to save▪ whom most despise, the earth stood silent then.
verse 10 The fury that in man doth raigne, unto thy praise shall be;
And of his wrath what doth remaine, shall be restrain'd by thee.
verse 11 Unto your God both vow and pay, ye that to him are neere;
Bring gifts to him, whose voice obey should all, whom all should feare.
verse 12 The spirit of the Princes great cut off with power shall he;
To Kings that hold the highest seat he terrible shall be.
PSAL. LXXVII.
I With my voice to God did crie, when great my troubles were:
My voice did cry to God on hie, and he to me gave eare.
verse 2 In griefe I sought the Lord by day, my sore still ran by night:
My wearied soule did put away all comfort and delight.
verse 3 I to remembrance God did call, yet great my griefe did grow:
I did complaine, yet griefe withall my spirit did overflow.
verse 4 Thou dost from sleep mine eies r…strain▪ and mak'st them still to wake:
I am so vext and full of paine, my speech doth me forsake.
verse 5 Then thought I on the daies of old, and ancient times and yeares;
Which saw Gods mercies manifold amid great griefes and feares.
verse 6 By night my songs I call'd to mind, and with my heart I spake;
My spirit made earnest search to find what issue thou would'st make.
verse 7 Will God, said I, still hide his face, and cast me off for ever?
Will he no more extend his grace, and shew his favour never?
verse 8 For ever is his mercy gone, which I have seen before?
The promise of the Holy One, shall it …aile evermore?
verse 9 Is't true that God forgotten hath now gracious to be?
His tender merciemercy… in his wrath, wholly shut up hath he?
verse 10 Then said I, Mine infirmity doth cause these doubts and feares▪
I will recall what the most High hath done in former yeares.
The second part.
verse 11 The works remember well will I which Gods great might hath done;
Even his strange workes wrought wondrously, in ages past and gone.
verse 12 Yea, my deep meditation of all thy works shall be:
I in my talk will mention what hath been done by thee.
verse 13 Thy secret waies are best within thy Sanctuary knowne;
And who so great a God hath been, as our almighty One?
verse 14 Thou art the God, by whose great might, wrought many wonders are;
And plainly in the peoples sight thy strength thou didst declare.
verse 15 Thy people from captivity, thy mighty arme did free;
Ev'n Jacobs sons their liberty, and Josephs had from thee.
verse 16 The waters, Lord, perceived thee; the waters saw thee well;
And they for feare aside did flee, the depths on trembling fell.
verse 17 The clouds their water forth did powre, a sound came from the skies;
And then abroad a stormy showre of thy swift arrowes flie….
verse 18 In heav'n loud thundring voices were, and lightnings light did make:
In this low world then men did feare, and trembling earth did shake.
verse 19 Thy way is in the sea, thy path where thou of old hast gone
Was in great waters, where none hath thy footsteps seen and knowne.
verse 20 By Moses and by Aarons hand thou didst lead through the deep
Thy people, to the promis'd land, like to a flock of sheep.