Classic Poem

Psalm XLIX

O Ye people, hear and ponder
 In your ears and in your mind,
All that dwell in homes or wander
 Thro' the world of human kind.

You of high or low gradation
 To my words alike attend,
Men as well of wealth and station
 As the poor without a friend.

I will speak of things essential
 To the folk that would be wise,
And with words and thoughts prudential
 Heart and mouth I will advise.

My harmonius ear inclining
 To the great mysterious verse,
And with harp and hand divining,
 I will oracles rehearse.

Wherefore in these times flagitious
 Should I my good courage lose,
When with practices pernicious
 Guile prepares my heel to bruise?

Some there are that have affiance
 In the goods they get by stealth,
And grow proud by vain reliance
 On the rust of worldly wealth.

But for brotherly affection,
 That in pride and pomp is lost;
Could they buy the Lord's protection,
 They would scruple of the cost.

Deeds of charity and kindness,
 Which would tend their souls to save,
They thro' vice and carnal blindness
 Must relinquish to the grave

Yea and that tho' God has lengthn'd
 The duration of their years,
And their fleshly veil has strengthn'd
 From the dread sepulchral fears.

For they see the gen'ral sentence,
 Fools and wise together die,
And the rich in late repentance
 With their hoards an heir supply.

Yet they think that their succession
 Shall not be extinct at all;
And the places at discretion
 After their own names they call.

Yet is man from his beginning
 Weak, nor honour long retains,
And degrades himself by sinning
 To the brutes o'er which he reigns.

Thus it is with self-deceivers,
 Fools which heav'nly hope defeat,
And a race of unbelievers
 Praise and practise the deceit.

Such like rotten sheep infected
 Worms their beauty shall devour,
And o'er them the saints elected
 In eternal peace shall tow'r,

But from out the dreary mansion
 God my spirit hath set free,
Height sublime and free expansion,
 Bliss celestial are for me.

Be not daunted at the lustre
 Of thy neighbour's countless store,
At his glory, and the cluster
 Of dependents at his door.

For his wealth and gaudy splendor
 Shall not wait upon his bier;
Pomp and all he must surrender
 When the train of death appear

While he liv'd, in his adherence
 To the world, he thought him blest:
Long as thou support'st appearance,
 Busy tongues will speak the best

Soon his father he shall follow,
 In the greedy grave to rot,
And the gulph his soul shall swallow,
 If repentance save him not.

Men of honour and promotion,
 Which of carnal things have far'd,
Model'd to the vulgar notion,
 With the beasts are well compar'd.