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 he,

Anointed have my King (though ye rebel) On Sion my holy hill. A firm decree

I will declare: The Lord to me hath said, ,

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

The Heathen ; and, as thy conquest to be sway'd, Earth’s utmost bounds: them shalt thou bring full low

With iron scepter bruis’d, and them disperse

Like to a potter's vessel shiver'd so.
And now 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, lest 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!

PSALM III. 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,
The exalter of my head I count:

Aloud I cried
Unto Jehovah, he full soon replied,
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, encamping round about,
They pitch against me their pavilions.

Rise, Lord ; save me, my God; for thou

Hast smote ere now
On the cheek-bone all

my

foes,
Of men abhorr'd
Hast broke the teeth. This help was from the Lord ;
Thy blessing on thy people flows.

PSALM IV. Aug. 10, 1653.

ANSWER me when I call,
God of my righteousness;
In straits, and in distress,
Thou didst me disenthrall
And set at large ; now spare,

Now pity me, and hear my earnest prayer.
Great ones, how long will ye
My glory have in scorn ?

1

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 apart,
The good and meek of heart;
(For whom to choose He knows)
Jehovah from on high

Will hear my voice, what time to him I cry.
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 show us good ?
Talking like this world's brood;
But, Lord, thus let me pray;
On us lift up the light,

Lift up the favour of thy countenance bright.
Into my heart more joy
And gladness thou hast put,
Than when a year of glut
Their stores doth over-cloy,
And from their plenteous grounds

With vast encrease 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'er I lie.
As in a rocky cell

Thou, Lord, alone, in safety mak’st me dwell.

PSALM V. Aug. 12, 1653.

JEHOVAH, to my words give ear,

My meditation weigh;
The voice of my complaining hear,
My King and God; for unto thee I pray.
Jehovah, thou my early voice

Shalt in the morning hear;
l' the morning I to thee with choice,
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 lie ;
The bloody 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 ways right before, where my step goes.
For, in his faltering mouth unstable,

No word is firm or sooth;
Their inside, troubles miserable ;
An open grave their throat, their tongue they smooth.
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
And 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 will.

PSALM VI. Aug. 13, 1653.

And very

LORD, in thine anger do not reprehend me,

Nor in thy hot displeasure me correct;
Pity me, Lord, for I am much deject,

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 days; Nightly my couch I make a kind of sea ; My bed I water with my tears ; mine eye

Through grief consumes, is waxen old and dark

l' the midst of all mine enemies that mark. Depart, all

ye

that work iniquity, Depart from me ; for the voice of my weeping

The Lord hath heard ; the Lord hath heard my pray'r;

My supplication with acceptance fair
The Lord will own, and have me in his keeping.