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.]

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 sits 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 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 ‡ largely drink the tears

Wherewith their cheeks are wet.

6 A strife thou makʼst us and a prey

To every neighbour foe;

Among themselves they || laugh, they || play

And flouts at us they throw.

7 Return us, and thy grace divine,

O God of Hosts, vouchsafe;

* Gnorera. † Gnashanta. ‡ Shalish. ||Jilgnagu.

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 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.

10 With her green shade that cover'd all,

The hills were over-spread;

Her boughs as high as cedars tall

Advanc'd their lofty head.

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 tusked boar out of the wood

Up turns it by the roots;

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Wild beasts there brouze, and make their food 55

Her grapes and tender shoots.

14 Return now, God of Hosts, look down

From Heav'n, 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 consum'd with fire,
And cut with axes down;
They perish at thy dreadful ire,
At thy rebuke and frown.

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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.

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

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In Joseph, not to change,

When as he pass'd through Egypt land;
The tongue I heard was strange.

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

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His hands from pots, and miry soil,
Deliver'd 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 answer'd thee in thunder deep,
With clouds encompass'd round;
I try'd thee at the water sleep
Of Meriba renown'd.

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;

12 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.

13 O that my people would be wise,

To serve me all their days!

And O 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.

Be Sether ragnam.

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 flow'r of finest wheat,

And satisfy them from the rock
With honey for their meat.

PSALM LXXXII.

1 GOD in the great * assembly stands
Of kings and lordly states,

Among the Gods, † on both his hands,
He judges and debates.

2 How long will ye ‡ pervert the right
With judgment false and wrong,
Favouring the wicked by your might,
Who thence grow bold and strong?
S Regard the weak and fatherless,

Dispatch the || poor man's cause;
And § raise the man in deep distress
By just and equal laws.

4 Defend the poor and desolate, And rescue from the hands

Of wicked men the low estate

Of him that help demands.

5 They know not, nor will understand,

In darkness they walk on;

The earth's foundations all are ¶ mov'd,

And ¶ out of order gone.

6 I said that ye were Gods, yea all The sons of God most high;

7 But ye shall die like men, and fall As other princes die.

* Bagnadath-el.

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+ Bekerev. + Tishphetu gnavel Jinimoty.

Shiphtu-dal. § Hatzdiku.