PSALM VII.

[August 14, 1653.]

Upon the words of Chush the Benjamite against him

LORD, my God to thee I fly;

Save me, and secure me under
Thy protection, while I cry ;
Lest, as a lion, (and no wonder,)
He haste 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 freed my foe for naught;

Let th' enemy pursue my soul
And overtake it, let him tread
My life down to the earth, and roll
In the dust my glory dead,
In the dust; and, there outspread,
Lodge it with dishonour foul.

Rise, Jehovah in thine ire,
Rouse thyself amidst the rage
Of my foes that urge like fire;
And wake for me, their fury assuage;
Judgment here thou didst engage
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.
S*

Jehovah judgeth most upright

All people from the world's 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 the upright of heart at last.

God is a just judge and severe,
And God is every day offended;
If the unjust will not forbear,

His sword he whets, his bow hath bended
Already, and for him intended

The tools of death, that wait him near.

(His arrows purposely made he
For them that prosecute :) Behold,
He travels big with vanity;
Trouble he hath conceiv'd of old,
As in a womb; and from that mould
Hath at length brought forth a lie.

He digged 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 ruin steep.

Then will I Jehovah's praise
According to his justice raise,

And sing the name and Deity
Of Jehovah the Most High!

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 th' 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 firmanent, then saith my heart,
O, what is man that thou rememb'rest 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 crown'd.

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,

owl 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!

PSALM LXXX.

[April, 1648. J. M.]

Nine of the Psalms done into metre, wherein all but what is distinguished by inverted commas, are the very words of the text translated from the original.

THOU, Shepherd, that doth 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 outspread ;'
Shine forth and from their cloud give light,'
'And on our foes thy dread.'

In Ephraim's view and Bejamin's,
And in Manasse's sight,

Awake* 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

6

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

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

* Gnorera. † Gnashanta.

+ Shalish.

A strife thou mak'st us 'and a prey'

To every neighbour foe;

Among themselves they

laugh, they play, And 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 Egypt thou hast brought,
"Thy free love made it thine,'
And drov'st out nations proud and haught,'
To plant this 'lovely' vine.

Thou didst 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 'overspread ;'
Her boughs 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 broken 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;

* Jilgnagu.

*