Poems, Psalms 2 – Title page 2
April. 1648. J. M.
Nine of the Pſalms done into Metre, wherein all but what is in a different Character, are the very words of the Text, tranſlated from the Original.
PSAL. LXXX.
THou Shepherd that doſt Iſrael keep
Give ear in time of need,
Who leadeſt like a flock of ſheep
Thy loved Joſephs ſeed,
That ſitt'ſt between the Cherubs bright
Between their wings out-ſpread
Shine forth, and from thy cloud give light,
And on our foes thy dread
In Ephraims view and Benjamins,
And in Manaſſe's ſight
Awake *Gnorera.thy ſtrength, come, and be ſeen
To ſave us by thy might.
Turn us again, thy grace divine
To us O God vouchſafe;
Cauſe thou thy face on us to ſhine
And then we ſhall be ſafe.
Lord God of Hoſts, how long wilt thou,
How long wilt thou declare
Thy *Gnaſhanta.ſmoaking wrath, and angry brow
Againſt thy peoples praire.
Thou feed'ſt them with the bread of tears,
Their bread with tears they eat,
And mak'ſt them *Shaliſh.largely drink the tears
Wherwith their cheeks are wet.
A ſtrife thou mak'ſt us and a prey
To every neighbour foe,
Among themſelves they *play,laugh, they
And *Jilgnagu.flouts at us they throw
Return us, and thy grace divine,
O God of Hoſts vouchſafe
Cauſe thou thy face on us to ſhine,
And then we ſhall be ſafe.
A Vine from Aegypt thou haſt brought,
Thy free love made it thine,
And drov'ſt out Nations proud and haut
To plant this lovely Vine.
Thou did'ſt prepare for it a place
And root it deep and faſt
That it began to grow apace,
And fill'd the land at laſt.
With her green ſhade that cover'd all,
The Hills were over-ſpread
Her Bows as high as Cedars tall
Advanc'd their lofty head.
Her branches on the weſtern ſide
Down to the Sea ſhe ſent,
And upward to that river wide
Her other branches went.
Why haſt thou laid her Hedges low
And brok'n down her Fence,
That all may pluck her, as they go,
With rudeſt violence?
The tusked Boar out of the wood
Up turns it by the roots,
Wild Beaſts there brouze, and make their food
Her Grapes and tender Shoots.
Return now, God of Hoſts, look down
From Heav'n, thy Seat divine,
Behold us, but without a frown,
And viſit this thy Vine.
Viſit this Vine, which thy right hand
Hath ſet, and planted long,
And the young branch, that for thy ſelf
Thou haſt made firm and ſtrong.
But now it is conſum'd with fire,
And cut with Axes down,
They periſh at thy dreadfull ire,
At thy rebuke and frown.
Upon the man of thy right hand
Let thy good hand be laid,
Upon the Son of Man, whom thou
Strong for thy ſelf haſt made.
So ſhall we not go back from thee
To wayes of ſin and ſhame,
Quick'n us thou, then gladly wee
Shall call upon thy Name.
Return us, and thy grace divine
Lord God of Hoſts voutſafe,
Cauſe thou thy face on us to ſhine,
And then we ſhall be ſafe.
PSAL. LXXXI.
TO God our ſtrength ſing loud, and clear
Sing loud to God our King,
To Jacobs God, that all may hear
Loud acclamations ring.
Prepare a Hymn, prepare a Song
The Timbrel hither bring
The cheerfull Pſaltry bring along
And Harp with pleaſant ſtring,
Blow, as is wont, in the new Moon
With Trumpets lofty ſound,
Th' appointed time, the day wheron
Our ſolemn Feaſt comes round.
This was a Statute giv'n of old
For Iſrael to obſerve
A Law of Jacobs God, to hold
From whence they might not ſwerve.
This he a Teſtimony ordain'd
In Joſeph, not to change,
When as he paſs'd through Aegypt land;
The Tongue I heard, was ſtrange.
From burden, and from ſlaviſh toyle
I ſet his ſhoulder free;
His hands from pots, aud mirie ſoyle
Deliver'd were by me.
When trouble did thee ſore aſſaile,
On me then didſt thou call,
And I to free thee did not faile,
And led thee out of thrall.
anſwer'd thee in *Be Sether ragnam.thunder deep
With clouds encompaſs'd round;
I tri'd thee at the water ſteep
Of Meriba renown'd.
Hear O my people, heark'n well,
I teſtifie to thee
Thou antient ſtock of Iſrael,
If thou wilt liſt to mee,
Through out the land of thy abode
No alien God ſhall be
Nor ſhalt thou to a forein God
In honour bend thy knee.
I am the Lord thy God which brought
Thee out of Aegypt land
Ask large enough, and I, beſought,
Will grant thy full demand.
And yet my people would not hear,
Nor hearken to my voice;
And Iſrael whom I lov'd ſo dear
Miſlik'd me for his choice.
Then did I leave them to their will
And to their wandring mind;
Their own conceits they follow'd ſtill
Their own deviſes blind.
O that my people would be wiſe
To ſerve me all their daies,
And O that Iſrael would adviſe
To walk my righteous waies.
Then would I ſoon bring down their foes
That now ſo proudly riſe,
And turn my hand againſt all thoſe
That are their enemies.
Who hate the Lord ſhould then be fain
To bow to him and bend,
But they, his People, ſhould remain,
Their time ſhould have no end.
And we would feed them from the ſhock
With flowr of fineſt wheat,
And ſatisfie them from the rock
With Honey for their Meat.
PSAL. LXXXII.
GOd in the *Bagnadath-…l.great * aſſembly ſtands
Of Kings and lordly States,
†Bekerev.Among the gods † on both his hands
He judges and debates.
How long will ye *Tiſhphetu gnavel.pervert the right
With * judgment falſe and wrong
Favouring the wicked by your might.
Who thence grow bold and ſtrong
*Shiphtu-dal.Regard the * weak and fatherleſs
* Diſpatch the * poor mans cauſe,
And † raiſe the man in deep diſtreſs
By †Hatzdiku.juſt and equal Lawes.
Defend the poor and deſolate,
And reſcue from the hands
Of wicked men the low eſtate
Of him that help demands.
They know not nor will underſtand,
In darkneſs they walk on
The Earths foundations all are * mov'd
And *Jimmotu.out of order gon.
I ſaid that ye were Gods, yea all
The Sons of God moſt high
But ye ſhall die like men, and fall
As other Princes die.
Riſe God, * judge thou the earth in might,
This wicked earth *Shiphta.redreſs,
For thou art he who ſhalt by right
The Nations all poſſeſs.
PSAL. LXXXIII.
BE not thou ſilent now at length
O God hold not thy peace,
Sit not thou ſtill O God of ſtrength
We cry and do not ceaſe.
For lo thy furious foes now * ſwell
And *Jehemajun.ſtorm outrageouſly,
And they that hate thee proud and fell
Exalt their heads full hie.
Againſt thy people they †Jagnarimucontrive
†Sod.Their Plots and Counſels deep,
*Jithjagnatsugnal.Them to enſnare they chiefly ſtrive
*Tſephuneca.Whom thou doſt hide and keep.
Come let us cut them off ſay they,
Till they no Nation be
That Iſraels name for ever may
Be loſt in memory.
For they conſult †Levjachdau.with all their might,
And all as one in mind
Themſelves againſt thee they unite
And in firm union bind.
The tents of Edom, and the brood
Of ſcornful Iſhmael,
Moab, with them of Hagars blood
That in the Deſart dwell,
Gebal and Ammon there conſpire,
And hateful Amalec,
The Philiſtims, and they of Tyre
Whoſe bounds the Sea doth check.
With them great Aſshur alſo bands
And doth confirm the knot,
All theſe have lent their armed hands
To aid the Sons of Lot.
Do to them as to Midian bold
That waſted all the Coaſt
To Siſera, and as is told
Thou didſt to Jabins hoaſt,
When at the brook of Kiſhon old
They were repulſt and ſlain,
At Endor quite cut off, and rowl'd
As dung upon the plain.
As Zeb and Oreb evil ſped
So let their Princes ſpeed
As Zeba, and Zalmunna bled
So let their Princes bleed.
For they amidſt their pride have ſaid
By right now ſhall we ſeize
Gods houſes, and will now invade
†Neoth Elohim bears both.Their ſtately Palaces.
My God, oh make them as a wheel
No quiet let them find,
Giddy and reſtleſs let them reel
Like ſtubble from the wind.
As when an aged wood takes fire
Which on a ſudden ſtraies,
The greedy flame runs hier and hier
Till all the mountains blaze,
So with thy whirlwind them purſue,
And with thy tempeſt chaſe;
*They ſeek thy Name, Heb.And till they * yield thee honour due;
Lord fill with ſhame their face.
Aſham'd and troubl'd let them be,
Troubl'd and ſham'd for ever,
Ever confounded, and ſo die
With ſhame, and ſcape it never.
Then ſhall they know that thou whoſe name
Jehova is alone,
Art the moſt high, and thou the ſame
O're all the earth art one.
PSAL. LXXXIV.
How lovely are thy dwellings fair!
O Lord of Hoaſts, how dear
The pleaſant Tabernacles are!
Where thou do'ſt dwell ſo near.
My Soul doth long and almoſt die
Thy Courts O Lord to ſee,
My heart and fleſh aloud do crie,
O living God, for thee.
There ev'n the Sparrow freed from wrong
Hath found a houſe of reſt,
The Swallow there, to lay her young
Hath built her brooding neſt,
Ev'n by thy Altars Lord of Hoaſts
They find their ſafe abode,
And home they fly from round the Coaſts
Toward thee, My King, my God.
Happy, who in thy houſe reſide
Where thee they ever praiſe,
Happy, whoſe ſtrength in thee doth bide,
And in their hearts thy waies.
They paſs through Baca's thirſtie Vale,
That dry and barren ground
As through a fruitfull watry Dale
Where Springs and Showrs abound.
They journey on from ſtrength to ſtrength
With joy and gladſom cheer
Till all before our God at length
In Sion do appear.
Lord God of Hoaſts hear now my praier
O Jacobs God give ear,
Thou God our ſhield look on the face
Of thy anointed dear.
For one day in thy Courts to be
Is better, and more bleſt
Then in the joyes of Vanity,
A thouſand daies at beſt.
I in the temple of my God
Had rather keep a dore,
Then dwell in Tents, and rich abode
With Sin for evermore.
For God the Lord both Sun and Shield
Gives grace and glory bright,
No good from them ſhall be with-held
Whoſe waies are juſt and right.
Lord God of Hoaſts that raign'ſt on high,
That man is truly bleſt,
Who …ly on thee doth relie,
And in thee only reſt.
PSAL. LXXXV.
THy Land to favour graciouſly
Thou haſt not Lord been ſlack,
Thou haſt from hard Captivity
Returned Jacob back.
Th' iniquity thou didſt forgive
That wrought thy people woe,
And all their Sin, that did thee grieve
Haſt hid where none ſhall know.
Thine anger all thou hadſt remov'd,
And calmly didſt return
From thy †Heb. The burning heat of thy wrath.fierce wrath which we had prov'd
Far worſe then fire to burn.
God of our ſaving health and peace,
Turn us, and us reſtore,
Thine indignation cauſe to ceaſe
Toward us, and chide no more.
Wilt thou be angry without end,
For ever angry thus
Wilt thou thy frowning ire extend
From age to age on us?
Wilt thou not *Heb Turn to quicken us.turn, and hear our voice
And us again * revive,
That ſo thy people may rejoyce
By thee preſerv'd alive.
Cauſe us to ſee thy goodneſs Lord,
To us thy mercy ſhew
Thy ſaving health to us afford
And life in us renew.
And now what God the Lord will ſpeak
I will go ſtrait and hear,
For to his people he ſpeaks peace
And to his Saints full dear,
To his dear Saints he will ſpeak peace,
But let them never more
Return to folly, but ſurceaſe
To treſpaſs as before.
Surely to ſuch as do him ſear
Salvation is at hand
And glory ſhall ere long appear
To dwell within our Land.
Mercy and Truth that long were miſs'd
Now joyfully are met
Sweet Peace and Righteouſneſs have kiſs'd
And hand in hand are ſet.
Truth from the earth like to a flowr
Shall bud and bloſſom then,
And Juſtice from her heavenly bowr
look down on mortal men.
The Lord will alſo then beſtow
Whatever thing is good
Our Land ſhall forth in plenty throw
Her fruits to be our food.
Before him Righteouſneſs ſhall go
His Royal Harbinger,
Then * will he come, and not be ſlow
His footſteps cannot err.
* Heb. He will ſet his ſteps to the way.
PSAL. LXXXVI.
THy gracious ear, O Lord, encline,
O hear me I thee pray,
For I am poor, and almoſt pine
with need, and ſad decay.
Preſerve my ſoul, ſor †Heb. I am good, loving, a doer of good and holy things.I have trod
Thy waies, and love the juſt,
Save thou thy ſervant O my God
Who ſtill in thee doth truſt.
Pitty me Lord for daily thee
I call;
O make rejoyce
Thy Servants Soul; for Lord to thee
I lift my ſoul and voice,
For thou art good, thou Lord art prone
To pardon, thou to all
Art full of mercy, thou alone
To them that on thee call.
Unto my ſupplication Lord
give ear, and to the crie
Of my inceſſant praiers afford
Thy hearing graciouſly.
I in the day of my diſtreſs
Will call on thee for aid;
For thou wilt grant me free acceſs
And anſwer, what I pray'd.
Like thee among the gods is none
O Lord, nor any works
Of all that other gods have done
Like to thy glorious works.
The Nations all whom thou haſt made
Shall come, and all ſhall frame
To bow them low before thee Lord,
And glorifie thy name.
For great thou art; and wonders great
By thy ſtrong hand are done,
Thou in thy everlaſting Seat
Remaineſt God alone.
Teach me O Lord thy way moſt right,
I in thy truth will bide,
To fear thy name my heart unite
So ſhall it never ſlide
Thee will I praiſe O Lord my God
Thee honour, and adore
With my whole heart, and blaze abroad
Thy name for ever more.
For great thy mercy is toward me,
And thou haſt free'd my Soul
Eev'n from the loweſt Hell ſet free
From deepeſt darkneſs foul.
O God the proud againſt me riſe
And violent men are met
To ſeek my life, and in their eyes
No fear of thee have ſet.
But thou Lord art the God moſt mild
Readieſt thy grace to ſhew,
Slow to be angry, and art ſtil'd
Moſt mercifull, moſt true.
O turn to me thy face at length,
And me have mercy on,
Unto thy ſervant give thy ſtrength,
And ſave thy hand-maids Son.
Some ſign of good to me afford,
And let my foes then ſee
And be aſham'd, becauſe thou Lord
Do'ſt help and comfort me.
PSAL. LXXXVII.
AMong the holy Mountains high
Is his foundation faſt,
There Seated in his Sanctuary,
His Temple there is plac't.
Sions fair Gates the Lord loves more
Then all the dwellings faire
Of Jacobs Land, though there be ſtore,
And all within his care.
City of God, moſt glorious things
Of thee abroad are ſpoke;
I mention Egypt, where proud Kings
Did our forefathers yoke,
I mention Babel to my friends,
Philiſtia full of ſcorn,
And Tyre with Ethiops utmoſt ends,
Lo this man there was born:
But twiſe that praiſe ſhall in our ear
Be ſaid of Sion laſt
This and this man was born in her,
High God ſhall fix her faſt.
The Lord ſhall write it in a Scrowle
That ne're ſhall be out-worn
When he the Nations doth enrowle
That this man there was born.
Both they who ſing, and they who dance
With ſacred Songs are there,
In thee freſh brooks, and ſoft ſtreams glance
And all my fountains clear.
PSAL. LXXXVIII.
LOrd God that doſt me ſave and keep,
All day to thee I cry;
And all night long, before thee weep
Before thee proſtrate lie.
Into thy preſence let my praier
With ſighs devout aſcend
And to my cries, that ceaſeleſs are,
Thine ear with favour bend.
For cloy'd with woes and trouble ſtore
Surcharg'd my Soul doth lie,
My life at deaths uncherful dore
Unto the grave draws nigh.
Reck'n'd I am with them that paſs
Down to the diſmal pit
I am a *Heb. A man without manly ſtrength,man, but weak alas
And for that name unfit.
From life diſcharg'd and parted quite
Among the dead to ſleep,
And like the ſlain in bloody fight
That in the grave lie deep.
Whom thou remembereſt no more,
Doſt never more regard,
Them from thy hand deliver'd o're
Deaths hideous houſe hath barr'd.
Thou in the loweſt pit profound
Haſt ſet me all forlorn,
Where thickeſt darkneſs hovers round,
In horrid deeps to mourn.
Thy wrath from which no ſhelter ſaves
Full ſore doth preſs on me;
*The Hebr. bears both.Thou break'ſt upon me all thy waves,
* And all thy waves break me.
Thou doſt my friends from me eſtrange,
And mak'ſt me odious,
Me to them odious, for they change,
And I here pent up thus.
Through ſorrow, and affliction great
Mine eye grows dim and dead,
Lord all the day I thee entreat,
My hands to thee I ſpread.
Wilt thou do wonders on the dead,
Shall the deceas'd ariſe
And praiſe thee from their loathſom bed
With pale and hollow eyes?
Shall they thy loving kindneſs tell
On whom the grave hath hold,
Or they who in perdition dwell
Thy faithfulneſs unfold?
In darkneſs can thy mighty hand
Or wondrous acts be known,
Thy juſtice in the gloomy land
Of dark oblivion?
But I to thee O Lord do cry
E're yet my life be ſpent,
And up to thee my praier doth hie
Each morn, and thee prevent.
Why wilt thou Lord my ſoul forſake,
And hide thy face from me,
That am already bruis'd, and †Heb. Prae Concuſſione.ſhake
With terror ſent from thee;
Bruz'd, and afflicted and ſo low
As ready to expire,
While I thy terrors undergo
Aſtoniſh'd with thine ire.
Thy fierce wrath over me doth flow
Thy threatnings cut me through.
All day they round about me go,
Like waves they me perſue.
Lover and friend thou haſt remov'd
And fever'd from me far.
They fly me now whom I have lov'd,
And as in darkneſs are.
FINIS.
Joannis Miltoni LONDINENSIS POEMATA.
Quorum pleraque intra Annum aetatis Vigeſimum Conſcripſit.
Nunc primum Edita.
LONDINI, Excudebat W. R. Anno 1673,