Classic Poem

From depth of dole, wherein my soul doth dwell,
From heavy heart, which harbors in my breast,
From troubled sprite, which seldom taketh rest,
From hope of heaven, from dread of darksome hell,
O gracious God, to thee I cry and yell:
My God, my Lord, my lovely Lord, alone
To thee I call, to thee I make my moan.
And thou, good God, vouchsafe in grace to take
This woful plaint
Wherein I faint;
Oh! hear me, then, for thy great mercy's sake.

Oh! bend thine ears attentively to hear,
Oh! turn thine eyes, behold me how I wail!
Oh! hearken, Lord, give ear for mine avail,
Oh! mark in mind the burdens that I bear;
See how I sink in sorrows everywhere.
Behold and see what dolors I endure,
Give ear and mark what plaints I put in ure,
Bend willing ears; and pity therewithal
My willing voice,
Which hath no choice
But evermore upon thy name to call.

If thou, good Lord, shouldst take thy rod in hand,
If thou regard what sins are daily done,
If thou take hold where we our works begun,
If thou decree in judgment for to stand,
And be extreme to see our — scuses scanned;
If thou take note of every thing amiss,
And write in rolls how frail our nature is,
O glorious God, O King, O Prince of power!
What mortal wight
May thus have light
To feel thy power, if thou have list to lower?

But thou art good, and hast of mercy store,
Thou not delight'st to see a sinner fall,
Thou hearkenest first, before we, come to call,
Thine ears are set wide open evermore,
Before we knock thou comest to the door;
Thou art more prest to hear a sinner cry
Than he is quick to climb to thee on high.
Thy mighty name be praised then alway,
Let faith and fear
True witness bear,
How fast they stand which on thy mercy stay.

I look for thee, my lovely Lord, therefore
For thee I wait, for thee I tarry still,
Mine eyes do long to gaze on thee my fill,
For thee I watch, for thee I pry and pore,
My soul for thee attendeth evermore.
My soul doth thirst to take of thee a taste,
My soul desires with thee for to be placed.
And to thy words, which can no man deceive,
Mine only trust,
My love and lust,
In confidence continually shall cleave.

Before the break or dawning of the day,
Before the light be seen in lofty skies,
Before the sun appear in pleasant wise,
Before the watch, (before the watch, I say,)
Before the ward that waits therefore alway,
My soul, my sense, my secret thought, my sprite,
My will, my wish, my joy, and my delight,
Unto the Lord, that sits in heaven on high,
With hasty wing
From me doth fling,
And striveth still unto the Lord to fly.

O Israel! O household of the Lord!
O Abraham's sons! O brood of blessed seed!
O chosen sheep, that love the Lord indeed!
O hungry hearts! feed still upon his word,
And put your trust in Him with one accord.
For He hath mercy evermore at hand,
His fountains flow, his springs do never stand;
And plenteously He loveth to redeem
Such sinners all
As on Him call,
And faithfully his mercies most esteem.

He will redeem our deadly, drooping state,
He will bring home the sheep that go astray
He will help them that hope in Him alway,
He will appease our discord and debate,
He will soon save, though we repent us late.
He will be ours, if we continue his,
He will bring bale to joy and perfect bliss;
He will redeem the flock of his elect
From all that is
Or was amiss
Since Abraham's heirs did first his laws reject.