Poems, Psalms 1
PSAL. I. Done into Verſe, 1653.
BLeſs'd is the man who hath not walk'd aſtray
In counſel of the wicked, and ith' way
Of ſinners hath not ſtood, and in the ſeat
Of ſcorners hath not sate. But in the great
Jehovahs Law is ever his delight,
And in his Law he ſtudies day and night.
He ſhall be as a tree which planted grows
By watry ſtreams, and in his ſeaſon knows
To yield his fruit, and his leaf ſhall not fall,
And what he takes in hand ſhall proſper all.
Not ſo the wicked, but as chaff which fann'd
The wind drives, ſo the wicked ſhall not ſtand
In judgment, or abide their tryal then,
Nor ſinners in th' aſſembly of juſt men.
For the Lord knows th' upright way of the juſt,
And the way of bad men to ruine muſt.
PSAL. II. Done Aug. 8. 1653. Terzetti.
WHy do the Gentiles tumult, and the Nations
muſe a vain thing, the Kings of th' earth upſtand
With power, and Princes in their Congregations
Lay deep their plots together through each Land,
Againſt the Lord and his Meſſiah dear
Let us break off, ſay they, by ſtrength of hand
Their bonds, and caſt from us, no more to wear,
Their twiſted cords: he who in Heaven doth dwell
Shall laugh, the Lord ſhall ſcoff them, then ſevere
Speak to them in his wrath, and in his fell
And fierce ire trouble them; but I ſaith hee
anointed have my King (though ye rebell)
On Sion my holi' hill. A firm decree
I will declare; the Lord to me hath ſay'd
Thou art my Son I have begotten thee
This day; ask of me, and the grant is made;
As thy poſſeſſion I on thee beſtow
Th' Heathen, and as thy conqueſt to be ſway'd
Earths utmoſt bounds: them ſhalt thou bring full low
With Iron Scepter bruis'd, and them diſperſe
Like to a potters veſſel ſhiver'd ſo.
And …ow be wiſe at length ye Kings averſe
Be taught ye Judges of the earth; with fear
Jehovah ſerve, and let your joy converſe
With trembling; kiſs the Son leaſt he appear
In anger and ye periſh in the way
If once his wrath take fire like fuel ſere.
Happy all thoſe who have in him their ſtay.
PSAL. 3. Aug. 9. 1653. When he fled from Abſalom.
LOrd how many are my foes
How many thoſe
That in arms againſt me rise
Many are they
That of my life diſtruſtfully thus ſay,
No help for him in God there lies.
But thou Lord art my ſhield my glory,
Thee through my ſtory
Th' exalter of my head I count
Aloud I cry'd
Unto Jehovah, he full ſoon reply'd
And heard me from his holy mount.
I lay and ſlept, I wak'd again,
For my ſuſtain
Was the Lord. Of many millions
The populous rout
I fear not though incamping round about
They pitch againſt me their Pavillions.
Riſe Lord, ſave me my God for thou
Haſt ſmote ere now
On the cheek-bone all my foes,
Of men abhor'd
Haſt broke the teeth. This help was from the Lord
Thy bleſſing on thy people flows.
PSAL. IV. Aug. 10. 1653.
ANſwer me when I call
God of my righteouſneſs
In ſtraights and in diſtreſs
Thou didſt me diſinthrall
And ſet at large; now ſpare,
Now pity me, and hear my earneſt prai'….
Great ones how long will ye
My glory have in ſcorn
How long be thus forborn
Still to love vanity,
To love, to ſeek, to prize
Things falſe and vain and nothing elſe but lies?
Yet know the Lord hath choſe
Choſe to himſelf a part
The good and meek of heart
(For whom to chuſe he knows)
Jehovah from on high
Will hear my voyce what time to him I crie.
Be aw…d, and do not ſin,
Speak▪ to your hearts alone,
Upon your beds, each one,
And be at peace within.
Offer the offerings juſt
Of righteouſneſs and in Jehovah truſt.
Many there be that ſay
Who yet will ſhew us good?
Talking like this worlds brood;
But Lord, thus let me pray,
On us lift up the light
Lift up the favour of thy count' nance bright.
Into my heart more joy
And gladneſs thou haſt put
Then when a year of glut
Their ſtores doth over-cloy
And from their plenteous grounds
With vaſt increaſe their corn and wine abounds
In peace at once will I
Both lay me down and ſleep
For thou alone doſt keep
Me ſafe where ere I lie
As in a rocky Cell
Thou Lord alone in ſafety mak'ſt me dwell.
PSAL. V. Aug. 12. 1653.
JEhovah to my words give ear
My meditation waigh
The voyce of my complaining hear
My King and God for unto thee I pray.
Jehovah thou my early voyce
Shalt in the morning hear
Ith' morning I to thee with choyce
Will rank my Prayers, and watch till thou appear.
For thou art not a God that takes
In wickedneſs delight
Evil with thee no biding makes
Fools or mad men ſtand not within thy sight.
All workers of iniquity
Thou hat'ſt; and them unbleſt
Thou wilt deſtroy that ſpeak a ly
The bloodi' and guileful man God doth deteſt.
But I will in thy mercies dear
Thy numerous mercies go
Into thy houſe; I in thy fear
Will towards thy holy temple worſhip low
Lord lead me in thy righteouſneſs
Lead me becauſe of thoſe
That do obſerve If I tranſgreſs
Set thy wayes right before, where my ſtep goes.
For in his faltring mouth unſtable
No word is firm or ſooth
Their inſide, troubles miſerable;
An open grave their throat, their tongue they ſ…
God; find them guilty, let them fall
By their own counſels quell'd;
Puſh them in their rebellions all
Still on; for againſt thee they have rebell'd;
Then all who truſt in thee ſhall bring
Their joy, while thou from blame
Defend'ſt them, they ſhall ever ſing
d ſhall triumph in thee, who love thy name.
For thou Jehovah wilt be found
To bleſs the juſt man ſtill,
As with a ſhield thou wilt ſurround
Him with thy laſting favour and good wil
PSAL. VI. Aug. 13. 1653.
LOrd in thine anger do not reprehend me
Nor in thy hot diſpleaſure me correct;
Pity me Lord for I am much deject
Am very weak and faint; heal and amend me,
For all my bones, that even with anguiſh ake,
Are troubled, yea my ſoul is troubled ſore
And thou O Lord how long? turn Lord, reſtore
My ſoul, O ſave me for thy goodneſs ſake
For in death no remembrance is of thee;
Who in the grave can celebrate thy praiſe?
Wearied I am with ſighing out my dayes,
Nightly my Couch I make a kind of Sea;
My Bed I water with my tears, mine Eie
Through grief conſumes, is waxen old and dark
Ith' mid'ſt of all mine enemies that mark.
Depart all ye that work iniquitie.
Depart from me, for the voice of my weeping
The Lord hath heard, the Lord hath heard my prai'r
My ſupplication with acceptance fair
The Lord will own, and have me in his keeping.
Mine enemies ſhall all be blank and daſh't
With much confuſion; then grow red with ſhame,
They ſhall return in haſt the way they came
And in a moment ſhall be quite abaſh't.
PSAL. VII. Aug. 14. 1653.
Upon the words of Chuſh the Benjamite againſt him.
LOrd my God to thee I flie
Save me and ſecure me under
Thy protection while I crie,
Leaſt as a Lion (and no wonder)
He haſt to tear my Soul aſunder
Tearing and no reſcue nigh.
Lord my God if I have thought
Or done this, if wickedneſs
Be in my hands, if I have wrought
Ill to him that meant me peace,
Or to him have render'd leſs,
And not fre'd my foe for naught;
Let th' enemy purſue my ſoul
And overtake it, let him tread
My life down to the earth and roul
In the duſt my glory dead,
In the duſt and there out ſpread
Lodge it with diſhonour foul.
Riſe Jehovah in thine ire
Rouze thy ſelf amidſt the rage
Of my foes that urge like fire;
And wake for me, their furi' aſſwage;
Judgment here thou didſt ingage
And command which I deſire.
So th' aſſemblies of each Nation
Will ſurround thee, ſeeking right,
Thence to thy glorious habitation
Return on high and in their ſight.
Jehovah judgeth moſt upright
All people from the worlds foundation.
Judge me Lord, be judge in this
According to my righteouſneſs
And the innocence which is
Upon me: cauſe at length to ceaſe
Of evil men the wickedneſs
And their power that do amiſs.
But the juſt eſtabliſh faſt,
Since thou art the juſt God that tries
Hearts and reins. On God is caſt
My defence, and in him lies
In him who both juſt and wiſe
Saves th' upright of Heart at laſt.
God is a juſt Judge and ſevere,
And God is every day offended;
If th' unjuſt will not forbear,
His Sword he whets, his Bow hath bended
Already, and for him intended
The tools of death, that waits him near.
(His arrows purpoſely made he
For them that perſecute.) Behold
He travels big with vanitie,
Trouble he hath conceav'd of old
As in a womb, and from that mould
Hath at length brought forth a Lie.
He dig'd a pit, and delv'd it deep,
And fell into the pit he made,
His miſchief that due courſe doth keep,
Turns on his head, and his ill trade
Of violence will undelay'd
Fall on his crown with ruine ſteep.
Then will I Jehovah's praiſe
According to his juſtice raiſe
And ſing the Name and Deitie
Of Jehovah the moſt high.
PSAL. VIII. Aug. 14. 1653.
O Jehovah our Lord how wondrous great
And glorious is thy name through all the earth?
So as above the Heavens thy praiſe to ſet
Out of the tender mouths of lateſt bearth,
Out of the mouths of babes and ſucklings thou
Haſt founded ſtrength becauſe of all thy foes
To ſtint th' enemy, and ſlack th'avengers brow
That bends his rage thy providence to oppoſe
When I behold thy Heavens, thy Fingers art,
The Moon and Starrs which thou ſo bright haſt ſet,
In the pure firmament, then ſaith my heart,
O what is man that thou remembreſt yet,
And think'ſt upon him; or of man begot
That him thou viſit'ſt and of him art found;
Scarce to be leſs then Gods, thou mad'ſt his lot,
With honour and with ſtate thou haſt him crown'd.
O're the works of thy hand thou mad'ſt him Lord,
Thou haſt put all under his lordly feet,
All Flocks, and Herds, by thy commanding word,
All beaſts that in the field or forreſt meet.
Fowl of the Heavens, and Fiſh that through the wet
Sea-paths in ſhoals do ſlide. And know no dearth.
O Jehovah our Lord how wondrous great
And glorious is thy name through all the earth.