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PSALM VIII.

AUGUST 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 birth.

Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou
Hast founded strength because of all thy foes,
To stint the enemy, and slack the avenger's brow,
That bends his rage thy providence to oppose.
When I behold thy heavens, thy fingers' art,
The moon and stars which thou so bright hast set
In the pure firmament, then saith my heart,
Oh, what is man that thou rememberest yet,
And think'st upon him; or of man begot,

That him thou visit'st, and of him art found?
Scarce to be less than gods, thou mad'st his lot,
With honour and with state thou hast him crowned.
O'er 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 forest 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!

APRIL, 1648. J. M.

[Nine of the Psalms done into metre, wherein all, but what is in s different character, are the very words of the text, translated from the original.]

PSALM LXXX.

1 THOU Shepherd that dost Israel keep,

Give ear in time of need,

Who leadest like a flock of sheep

Thy loved Joseph's 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.

2 In Ephraim's view and Benjamin's,
And in Manasse's sight,

Awake 'thy strength, come, and be seen
To save us by thy might.

3 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.

4 Lord God of Hosts, how long wilt thou,
How long wilt thou declare

Thy 2 smoking wrath, and angry brow
Against thy people's prayer!

5 Thou feed'st them with the bread of tears,
Their bread with tears they eat,
And mak'st them 3 largely drink the tears
Wherewith their cheeks are wet.

6 A strife thou mak'st us and a prey
To every neighbour foe,

Amongst themselves they laugh, they play,
And flouts at us they throw.

7 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.

8 A vine from Egypt thou hast brought,
Thy free love made it thine,
And drov'st out nations, proud and haut,
To plant this lovely vine.

9 Thou didst prepare for it a place,
And root it deep and fast,

That it began to grow apace,
And filled the land at last.

10 With her green shade that covered all,
The hills were overspread,

Her boughs as high as cedars tall
Advanced their lofty head.

1 Gnorera.

2 Gnashanta.

4 Jilgnagu.

3 Shalish.

11 Her branches on the western side
Down to the sea she sent,
And upward to that river wide
Her other branches went.

12 Why hast thou laid her hedges low,
And broken down her fence,

That all may pluck her, as they go,
With rudest violence?

13 The tuskéd boar out of the wood
Upturns it by the roots,

Wild beasts there browse, and make their food
Her grapes and tender shoots.

14 Return now, God of Hosts, look down

From Heaven, thy seat divine,

Behold us, but without a frown,
And visit this thy vine.

15 Visit this vine, which thy right hand
Hath set, and planted long,

And the young branch, that for thyself
Thou hast made firm and strong.

16 But now it is consumed with fire,
And cut with axes down;
They perish at thy dreadful ire,
At thy rebuke and frown.
17 Upon the man of thy right hand
Let thy good hand be laid,
Upon the son of man, whom thou
Strong for thyself hast made.

18 So shall we not go back from thee
To ways of sin and shame;
Quicken us thou, then gladly we
Shall call upon thy Name.

19 Return us, and thy grace divine,
Lord God of Hosts, vouchsafe,
Cause thou thy face on us to shine,
And then we shall be safe.

PSALM LXXXI.

1 To God our strength sing loud, and clear,
Sing loud to God our King,

To Jacob's God, that all may hear,
Loud acclamations ring.

2 Prepare a hymn, prepare a song,
The timbrel hither bring,

The cheerful psaltery bring along,
And harp with pleasant string.

3 Blow, as is wont, in the new moon
With trumpets' lofty sound,

The appointed time, the day whereon
Our solemn feast comes round.

4 This was a statute given of old
For Israel to observe,

A law of Jacob's God, to hold,
From whence they might not swerve.

5 This he a testimony ordained
In Joseph, not to change,

When as he passed through Egypt land;
The tongue I heard was strange.

6 From burden, and from slavish toil,
I set his shoulder free:

His hands from pots, and miry soil,
Delivered were by me.

7 When trouble did thee sore assail,
On me then didst thou call,
And I to free thee did not fail,
And led thee out of thrall.
I answered thee in 'thunder deep
With clouds encompassed round;
I tried thee at the water steep
Of Meribah renowned.

8 Hear, O my people, hearken well,
I testify to thee,

Thou ancient stock of Israel,

If thou wilt list to me,

9 Throughout the land of thy abode No alien god shall be,

Nor shalt thou to a foreign god

In honour bend thy knee.

10 I am the Lord thy God, which brought Thee out of Egypt land;

Ask large enough, and I, besought,
Will grant thy full demand.

1 Be sether ragnam.

11 And yet my people would not hear,
Nor hearken to my voice;

And Israel, whom I loved so dear,
Misliked me for his choice.

12 Then did I leave them to their will,
And to their wandering mind;

Their own conceits they followed still,
Their own devices blind.

13 Oh, that my people would be wise,
To serve me all their days!
And oh, that Israel would advise
To walk my righteous ways!

14 Then would I soon bring down their foes,
That now so proudly rise,

And turn my hand against all those
That are their enemies.

15 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.

16 And he would feed them from the shock
With flour of finest wheat,
And satisfy them from the rock
With honey for their meat.

1

PSALM LXXXII.

1 GOD in the 'great' assembly stands

2

Of kings and lordly states,

Among the gods,2 on both his hands
He judges and debates.

2 How long will ye 3 pervert the right
With judgment false and wrong,
Favouring the wicked by your might,
Who thence grow bold and strong?
3 Regard the1 weak and fatherless,
4 Despatch the poor man's cause,
And raise the man in deep distress
By just and equal laws,

Bagnadath-el.

2 Bekerev.

+ Shiphtu-dal.

3 Tishphetu gnavel.

5 Hatzdiku.

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