Classic Poem

OR ,

Dauids 7. Penitentiall Psalmes; somewhere paraphrastically turned into Verse .

When Dauid by his sinnes had prouoked Gods wrath; and now fell, not onely his hand against him, but also conceineth the heriors of death euerlasting, he desireth fornesse, bewailing that if God tooke him away in his indignation, he shall lacke occasion to praise him as hee was wont to doe, whiles he was among men. Then, sodaindy feeling Gods mercie, he sharply rebuketh his enemies, which reioyced in his affliction.

I n thy iust rage (deare Lord ) reproue me not:
(for, iust it is, sith so vniust I am)
Nor chasten me when thy fierce Wrath is hot,
lest I should be extinguisht yer the Flame .

Let thy strong Grace against my Weaknesse stand;
(thy Grace so strong, as it vpholdeth All )
And heale me (Lord) with thine all-helping Hand;
for, eu'n my bones are bruised with my fall.

My Soule's afflicted more then griefes afflict:
(for griefes but pine; but this doth quite vndoe )
Then, Lord , how long shall I (a poore Relict )
endure these plagues , that paine and pine me too?

O turne thy now auerted Face , to mee
(to me that fades as flowres for want of Sunne )
And let my Soule be safe, and sau'd by thee.
through Grace , that hath to thee most glory wonne:

For Deaths fell torments are so violent,
that they constraine the Sense to minde but them:
Who then in Hell , through hellish discontent,
can once but minde thee, in such paines extreame?

My sorrow hath my Soule so ouer-fed,
that it conuerts mine Eyes to founts of Teares:
For, eu'ry night in teares I rince my Bed,
and drowne my Couch in streames of griefes & feares .

Mine Eyes are so o'ercast with clouds of Cares ,
that they see nought, but through those Water-streames:
My beauty's gone, while I away do weare,
among my Foes , and these confus'd extreames .

But yet I feele thy Grace (Lord) worke with me:
then leaue me, leaue me, yee too idle Crue,
That yet still worke, but worke iniquitie;
for, God hath seene my Teares , and heard me rue.

You are my Foes , that (yet) would seeme my friends ,
but Foe-like friends , and all mine enemies
God will cut off by diuers fearefull ends;
and soone confound you, and your Trecheries.

To God the Father, Sonne , and Holy Ghost ,
three Persons , and one God; all glory be:
As it was, is , and shall be in each Coast ,
thoughout all worlds in all eternitie .

Dauid punished with grieuous sicknesse for his sins, counteth them blessed, to whom God doth not impute their transgressions. And, after that he had confessed his sins and obtained pardon, he exherteth the wicked men to liue godly; and the good to reioyee .

M O st blest are they (howeuer curst they be)
whose Crimes out of Gods Note-Booke cleane are crost;
Whose sins are couer'd so with Clemencie ,
that they are hid; so, seeme they to he lost.

And blest is he to whom the God of Grace
imputes no Sinne , (for, so he shall be cleare
Howe'er defil'd) and in whose sprit no base
deceit shall once so much as but appeare.

For, while I held my peace (that caus'd my Warre;
for Death with Silence in such passion striues)
My bodies Props (my Bones ) consumed are
while all the day I grone in Sorrowes Gines.

For, day and night thy Hand (great God) doth lye
like Lead vpon my weaknesse: who haue bin
Conuerted into selfe- Calamitie
whiles the Thorne prickt me (or, my stinging sin).

But, lo, my faults to thee I haue reueal'd,
& haue not clockt my crimes , which thou dost hide:
But I confesse those Sinnes , thou hast conceal'd
sith my misdeedes shall (so) be fustifide.

Thus shall each pious person pray to thee
in fitting time (yer Mercies Gate be sparr'd)
But when the Inundations swelling be
of many Waters , they from Him are barr'd

My fence (o Lord) lies onely in thy Hands,
when troubles me assaile with fiercest woe:
Then o preserue me from the impious Bands
that me inclose, in death to close me so.

I will salst thou (deare Sweete ) instruet thee still,
and guide thee in thy way (o honied Words )
Thine Eye (thou saist) shall me defend from ill ,
and watch to guard me from my foe mens Swords.

Then be, o be not like an Horse or Mule ,
that are as rude as vnintelligent ;
Lord, bridle them, thy Snafle will not rule,
till they be rul'd or else be made repent.

The Plagues are great (most great) and manifold,
that doe the Sinner euermore attend;
But who with Hands of Hope on God layes hold,
his boundlesse Mercy him will comprehend.

In Him therefore (yee Righteous ) still be glad;
(for, he in Griefe still glads the righteous Soule )
Exult all ye, that for your Sinnes are sad;
and all true Hearts , that stoupe to his controule .

To God the Father glory be therefore,
and to the Sonne , and their coequall Spirit ,
As it was, is , and shall be euermore
World without end; for, they are infinite!

Domine ne in furore Psal . 38

Dauid lying sicke of some grievous disease; acknowledgeth himselfe to be chastised of God for his sinnes, and therefore prayeth God to turne away his wrath. He vitereth the greatnesse of his griefes by many words and circumstances; os, wounded with the arrowes of Gods ire, forsaken of his friends euill intreated of his enemies. But in the end, with firme confidence he commendeth his cause to God, and hopeth for speedy help at his hand .

L O rd checke me not, vntill thy rage be past,
nor chastise me in thine incensed Ire
For, in my Flesh thy Shafts are fixed fast;
and thy Hand quels me, that would faine aspire.

Thy Wrath hath fill'd my Flesh with all annay ,
(for, Sinne's the sore , the salue, sore-sicknesse is;)
And, in my bones I can no rest enjoy,
because their Marrow them hath mou'd amisse.

For mine ambitious Sinnes climbe o'er my Head ,
and, as a breake neeke Burden , me oppresse:
My wounds (which they haue made) with filth are fed.
and ranckled sore, through my worse foolishnesse .

I am made crooked vnderneath this loade ,
deform'd, and wretched; yea, it breakes my backe;
So, all the day with griefe I make aboad,
or mourning goe, as those that comfort lacke.

For, (ah) my loynes, that lodg'd but Sinne before,
now harbour nought but restlesse Malady
No health is in my flesh; for, all is sore;
so sore that anguish makes me (roaring) cry.

But, Lord, thou know'st the Summe of my desires ,
because my Plaints , still tell it in thine eares ;
My Heart is vext my strength from me retires;
nay, more, mine Eyes are blinded with my teares .

My friends (in sheu when thou didst fauour me)
like foes (in deed ) now me (poore me) withstand;
Nay, those, in bloud that were my neerest, be
now furthest off; and lend nor heart nor hand .

And they that seeke my life lay Traps to take
that life; or (at the least) me to vndoe:
And but of guile and spoile they euer speake;
and put in practise what they speake of too.

But I (poore I) as deafe, would nothing heare:
(for poore Soules must not hear what must offend)
And, as one dumbe, I still my selfe did beare,
that gaue no more reproofes then eare did lend .

Yet is my hope in thee that hearest all
my sighes and grones , sith they increase for Sinne .
Then let mine Enemies ne'er see my fall;
who, when I doe but trip, triumph therein.

I am at point to perish; and my Woes
and cause thereof, I euer beare in minde;
For, I, with griefe, confesse mine ouerthrowes
that lost thy Grace , which now I seeke to finde .

But, still my Foes doe liue, and strong are made,
strong in their friends , their places, purse and armes
And they that hate me ( causelesse ) and inuade
me (forcelesse) many be; the more my harmes .

They (monsters) likewise, that doe ill for good
oppose me still, sith goodnesse I ensue:
Then, haste thee (Lord) to help me (so withstood)
and leaue me not among this cursed crue.

To God the Father (which we doe adore)
and to the Sonne , and to their blessed Spirit ,
All glory be, as it was heretofore,
is and still shall be through Worlds infinite.

Miserere mei Deus. Psal . 51

When Dauid was rebuked by the Prophet Nathan for his great offences, he did not onely acknowledge the same to God, with protestation of his naturall corruption and iniquitie, but also left a memoriall thereof to his posterite. Therefore first he desireth God to forgiue his sinnes, and to renue in him his holy Spirit; with promise that he will not be vnmindfull of those great grace. Finally , fearing lest God would punish the whole Church for his fauls, he requireth that hee would rather increase his graces toward the same .

G R eat God of Gods (whose Mercy is as great)
haue mercy on me (wretch) whose Sin exceeds;
Yet after thy compassion so compleate,
wash out the blots of my too foule misdeedes

O clense me from the filth of mine offence ,
that ranckles in my Conscience , all defilde
With all that may depraue both Soule and Sense ,
that (purg'd) I may to thee be reconcil'd:

For, I acknowledge mine iniquitie ,
sith still my Sinne 's the obiect of my sight ;
And, by the pow'r of mine impiely .
I wrong thy grace and still impugne thy Sprit .

Against thee onely I in sinne abide,
and done what doth condemne me in thy sight:
That in thy Words thou maist be iustifide,
and ouercome when thou art iudg'd vnright.

For, nought but wickednesse prepar'd the way
to my conception , which to worse did passe;
Then, ere I was , I stood at sinfull stay;
and, when I fell to Being , worser was .

This (Lord) is true; confessing which, doth moue
thy Grace to me thy Wisedome (hid) to show:
Then sprinckle me with Isop , in thy Loue ;
and so I shall be whiter farre than Snow .

Vnto mine Eares (invred but to heare
what Eares corrupts) thou shalt but Ioy obiect:
So shall the bones , which by thee broken were,
reioyce; and, sinne wherein it ioy'd, reiect.

O then from my foule sinnes thy Face auert;
and wash me from the filth they cast on me;
In me create an vndefiled Heart ,
with such a spirit as may be iust to thee.

And cast me not, o cast me not away
out of the Way still brightned by thy beames ;
Nor, from me take thy Spirit , my Guide and Stay ,
in hardest passages of all Extreames .

Restore to me the gladnesse of thy blisse ,
and, with thy chiefest Spirit , still strengthen me;
Then those Ile teach that now thy wayes doe misse;
so, Sinners shall conuerted be to thee.

Saue me from bloud , that vengeance doth implore;
so shall my Tongue thy lustice highly raise:
But more thy Mercy , sith it glads me more
Then ope my Lips , and they shall shew thy praise .

Had st thou desired Sacrifice , I had
offer'd it to thee; but, thou tak'st delight
In no burnt Offrings; but, are euer glad
to take the Offer of a contrite Spirit .

A Broken Heart , with sorrow but for Sinne ,
thou will , nor canst thou, for thy Word , despise:
Then, let mine, broken so, thy Mercy win;
and, from it still auert thine Angers Eyes .

With Sion , o deale gently; that the Wals
of raz'd Ierusalem rebuilt may be;
And still withstand Hels fiery darts , and Bals ,
to keepe thy Foes out, onely but for tkee .

Then shalt thou take the Sacrifice in gree,
of Iustice in thy Mercy ; then shall they
Offer Oblations still in flames to thee;
and Calues vpon thine holy Alter lay.

To God the Father, praise and glory be ;
and to the Sonne , and to their blessed Sprit ;
(A Trinitie in strictest Vnitie )
as it was, is , and shall be infinite.

Domine exaudi. Psal . 102.

It seemeth that this Prayer was appointed to the faithfull to pray in the Captiuitie of Babilon. A Consolation for the building of the Church: whereof followeth the praise of God to be published vnto ail Posteritie. The Conuersion of the Gentiles: and, the stabilitie of the Church .

A T tend my Prayer (Lord) and let my Cry
ascend to thee, from whom all grace descends:
From my distresse turne not thy Mercies Eye,
but bowe thine Eare to me, that downward bends.

When e'er I call, make answere; for, my dayes
like Vapor vanish; and, my parched bones
Waxe weake and dry, as is the flame that playes
about the Snuffe , at ones.

Th' hast smitten me (as Grasse by Lightning smit)
so that my Heart is wither'd quite away:
And through my griefe, for that, I further it:
for, I forget to eate, for Natures stay.

And through my groning voice , my bones , that burne
to my consuming flesh , will hardly cleaue:
And, like a Pelican alone, I mourne:
or, like an Owle I liue, while life I leaue.

I weare out Time in strictest vigilance,
and, as a Sparrow on the Houses Crest,
I sit alone; to minde my sinnes mischance;
so (idly) resting in the most vnrest.

The while my Foes (backbiting) me reuile;
yea, he that praised me, against me sweares:
But I, as Bread, did Ashes eate the while;
and still my Drinke did mingle with my Teares .

Because thy Wrath grew hot against my sinne :
for, thou hast rais'd me vp, to cast me downe:
My dayes are past, as if they ne'er had bin;
and (like Hay wither'd) I from thee am mowne.

But thou (immortall Spirit ) dost still endure:
And thy Memoriall cuer lasts in prime
Thou shalt arise, and downe thy Mercies poure
(by showers ) on Sion , in this promis'd time .

For, en'n the Stoues of that faire Edifice
delight thy Seruants , and her sacred Ground
They pitty, as they doe her preiudice,
which with the sharpest griefe their bearts doth wound.

So shall, the Heathen feare thine awfull NAME ;
and, all the Kings on Earth thy glory feare
For, Sions Fabricke thou dost still re-frame,
and in thy fullest Glory shalt appeare.

Our LORD the prayers of the meeke approues,
and not dispise their Suites , in wretched case:
So future times to write this, this doth moue,
that Babes vnborne, may praise this God of Grace .

Who, from his high as holy Place , doth vaile
his Eyes to Earth (whereon they still remaine)
To heare poore Captines plaints and such as waile;
and, loose the Sonnes of them (vniustly) slaine.

That they in Sion should diuulge his NAME
and in lerusalem his earned Praise :
Yea, in th' Assemblies celebrate the same,
when Kings consorted, sing sweet Sions Layes .

He, in the way of his great pow'r and grace ,
hath answer'd them: but, shew (Lord) shew to me
How long or short shall be my mortall Race;
that so, for thee, I still may ready be.

And take me not, o take me not away,
(at vnawares) yer halfe my Dayes be done:
As for thy yeeres they stand still at a stay;
but mine more swift then thought away doe runne.

In the Beginning , thou the Earth didst found,
the highest Heauens thy glorious Hands did reare:
But they shall perish; thou continue sound
while they waxe old and like a Garment weare.

And as a Vesture, thou shalt change their Frame ,
and they shall changed be; but thou, alone
Dost still continue One , and aye the same
whose yeeres remaine the same , and euer One!

Thy Seruants sonnes inhabit shall the Land ,
their seede shall be directed in thy Wayes ,
And while they walke therein, they fixt shall stand
in Heau'n and Earth to celebrate thy praise.

To God the Father then, all glory be;
t' his Sonne , and to their Spirit , which wee adore:
(Coequall in their Essence and Degree )
as it was, is , and shall be euermore.

De profundis clamaui. Psal . 130.

The people of God, from their bottomlesse misery, doe ery vnto God, and are heard. They confesse their sins, and flye vnto Gods mercy.

F R om depth of Griefe (wherein my Soule doth lye)
I doe and will (deare Lord) still call on thee;
Then, let thine eares attend mine inward Cry,
and, listen to my Prayers, and to me.

If thou fraile Flesh wilt call to striet account ,
what flesh and bloud , then, in thy sight shall stand?
But Mercy is with thee, as in the Fount :
then, I expect thy Mercyes Helping hand .

My Soule vpon the Faith , which thou hast plight,
hath euer staid; and still doth hope in thee;
Then from the Morning watch , till that of Night ,
let Israel still relie on Thee with me .

For, with this God of Glory and of Grace,
is Grace as much as Glory ; and, therein
He will redeeme the sad in sinfull Case;
with his true Israel , from all their sinne.

To God the Father (which we doe adore)
and to the Sonne , and to their blessed Spirit ,
All glory be, as it was heretofore,
is , and still shall be through Worlds infinite.

Domine exaudi. Psal . 143.

An earnest Prayer for remission of sinnes, acknowledging that the enemies did thus cruelly persuate him by Gods iust iudgement. He desireth to be restored to grace. To be gouerned by his holy Spirit, that hee may spend the remnant of his life in the true feare and seruice of God.

L O rd heare my pray'r with thine all-hearing ears ;
and, for thy truths sake, note mine humble suite :
O heare me in thy Righteousnesse , which heares
All those that mourne , although they still be mute .

And into Iudgement enter not (O Lord)
with me, fradle man: for I, nor none beside,
(Because of sinne which we haue all incurr'd)
in thy cleare sight shall then be lustifide.

For, th enemie (the Fiend , our common Foe )
hath long pursu'd my Soule (that flesh misse-led)
My Life in Earth , his Fury hath brought low;
and hid the same in darknesse, with the dead.

My Spirit (therefore) is vext, my Minde , and Heart
are greatly troubled; yet, I minded still
Thy dayes of old (thy Workes and thy Desert )
which did my Muse with Ioy and Wonder fill.

My hands to thee haue still out-stretched bin,
my Soule that thirsts (as earth that water wants)
For drops of grace , to quench her flames of sinne ,
I lift to thee, the while for grace she pants.

Then (kindest Lord) with speede attend my cryes ,
because my fainting spirit hath failed me;
Auert not from me thy conuerting Eyes ,
lest I be like to those that burying be.

And in the dawning of the long'd for Day ,
(the Day when Iustice Sonne shall comfort giue)
Let me the voyce of mercy heare. I pray;
sith still I hope that thou wilt me relieue.

And sith so many Heads , so many Wayes
are sald to lead to thee, by Heads of Seets
Shew me the Way that straight to thee conueyes,
sith my poore Soule both thee and it affects.

And from my Foes preserue me (weakling) still:
to thee alone I flye in all distresse :
Then teach me to performe thy blessed Will:
for thou art onely all my blessednesse .

Thy Spirit that cannot erre, nor yet decciue,
shall bring me to the Land that Iustice beares;
And, for thy Names sake thou shalt me receiue,
according to thy grace (that neuer weares.)

From Trouble thou shalt bring my Soule to rest;
and, through thy Mercy shalt destroy my Foes :
Yea, all annoy that doe my Soule molest,
sith as thy Seruant I on thee repose.

To God the Father, Sonne , and Holy Ghost ,
three Persons , and one God; all glory be;
As it was, is , and shall be in each Coast ,
throughout all worlds in all eternitie .