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

Thy t 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.

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

Return now, God of Hosts! look down
From heaven, 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 thyself
Thou hast made firm and strong.

But now it is consum'd with fire,
And cut with axes' down;
They perish at thy dreadful 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 thyself hast made.

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.

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,

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.

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

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

Blow, as is wont,' in the new moon
With trumpets'' lofty sound,'
Th' appointed time, the day whereon
Our solemn feast comes round.'

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.'
This he a testimony ordain'd

In Joseph, not to change;'
When as he pass'd through Egypt land;
The tongue I heard was strange.

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

His hands from pots, and miry soil,'
Deliver'd were 'by me.'

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 answer'd thee in * thunder deep
With clouds encompass'd round,
I tried thee at the water 'steep'
Of Meriba' renown'd.'

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

Be Sether ragnam.

'Thou ancient stock of Israel
If thou wilt list to me,

Throughout the land of thy abode
No alien God shall be,
Nor shalt thou to a foreign god
In honour bend thy knee.

I am the Lord thy God, which brought
Thee out of Egypt 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 wand'ring mind;
Their own conceits they follow'd still,
Their own devices blind.

Then would I soon bring down their foes,

That now so proudly rise;"

6

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 he would feed them from the shock' With flower of finest wheat,