15 10 Of Jacob's land, though there be store, And all within his care. 3 City of God, most glorious things Of thee abroad are spoke; 4 I mention Egypt, where proud kings Did our forefathers yoke. I mention Babel to my friends, Philistia full of scorn, And Tyre with Ethiop's utmost ends, Lo this man there was born: 5 But twice that praise shall in our ear Be said of Sion last, This and this man was born in her, High God shall fix her fast. 6 The Lord shall write it in a scroll That ne'er shall be out-worn, When he the nations doth inroll, That this man there was born. 7 Both they who sing, and they who dance, In thee fresh brooks, and soft streams glance, PSALM LXXXVIII. 1 LORD God, that dost me save and keep, And all night long before thee weep, 2 Into thy presence let my pray'r And to my cries, that ceaseless are, 3 For cloy'd with woes and trouble store My life at death's uncheerful door Unto the grave draws nigh. 4 Reckon'd I am with them that Down to the dismal pit, I am a man, but weak alas, And for that name unfit. pass 5 From life discharg'd and parted quite Among the dead to sleep, And like the slain in bloody fight That in the grave lie deep. Whom thou rememberest no more, Dost never more regard, Them from thy hand deliver'd o'er Death's hideous house hath barr'd. 6 Thou in the lowest pit profound Hast set me all forlorn, Where thickest darkness hovers round, In horrid deeps to mourn. 7 Thy wrath, from which no shelter saves, Thou break'st upon me all thy waves, 8 Thou dost my friends from me estrange, 10 15 20 25 30 Me to them odious, for they change, 9 Through sorrow and affliction great, 10 Wilt thou do wonders on the dead, Shall the deceas'd arise, And praise thee from their loathsome bed With pale and hollow eyes? 11 Shall they thy loving kindness tell 12 In darkness can thy mighty hand Of dark oblivion? 13 But I to thee, O Lord, do cry, Ere yet my life be spent, And up to thee my pray'r doth hie, Each morn, and thee prevent. 14 Why wilt thou, Lord, my soul forsake, And hide thy face from me? 15 That am already bruis'd, and shake With terror sent from thee? Bruis'd and afflicted, and so low As ready to expire, While I thy terrors undergo Astonish'd with thine ire. 16 Thy fierce wrath over me doth flow, Thy threat'nings cut me through: 17 All day they round about me go, Like waves they me pursue. 18 Lover and friend thou hast remov'd, They fly me now whom I have lov'd, 65 70 A PARAPHRASE ON PSALM CXIV.* 5 WHEN the blest seed of Terah's faithful son, 10 * This and the following Psalm are Milton's earliest performances. Warton. 9 recoil] The rhymes probably from Sylvester's Du Bartas, p. 337. 'Ay Satan aims our constant faith to foil, But God doth seal it, never to recoil.' Dunster. Shake, Earth, and at the presence be aghast PSALM CXXXVI. LET us with a gladsome mind Ever faithful, ever sure. Let us blaze his name abroad, For of Gods he is the God: For his, &c. O let us his praises tell, 15 5 Who doth the wrathful tyrants quell: 10 For his, &c. Who with his miracles doth make Amazed heaven and earth to shake: For his, &c. Who by his wisdom did create The painted heavens so full of state: For his, &c. Who did the solid earth ordain To rise above the watery plain: For his, &c. 17 crush] The rhymes from Sylvester's Du Bartas, p. 30. 'And so one humour doth another crush, Till to the ground their liquid pearls do gush.' Dunster. 22 watery plain] P. L. i. 396. 'Rabba, and her watery plain! Todd. 15 20 |