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Quam bonus Deus
Author: Thomas Sternhold Appears in 2 hymnals First Line: How ever it be yet God is good
Quam bonus Deus
Quam bonus Deus
Author: T. S. Hymnal: The Whole Booke of Psalmes #39 (1640) First Line: How ever it be yet God is good Lyrics: 1 How ever it be yet God is good
and kind to Israel:
And to all such as safely keep
their conscience pure and well.
2 Yet like a fool I almost slipt,
my feet began to slide:
And ere I wist, even at a pinch
my steps awry gan glide.
3 For when I saw such foolish men,
I grudg'd with great disdaine,
That wicked men all things should have
without turmoile or paine.
4 They never suffer pangs nor griefe,
as if death should them smite:
Their bodies are full stout and strong,
and ever in good plight.
5 And free from all adversity,
when other men be shent:
And with the rest they take no part
of plague or punishment.
6 Therefore presumption doth imbrace
their necks as doth a chaine:
And are even wrapt as in a robe,
with rapine and disdaine.
7 They are so fed that even for fat
their eyes oft times out start:
And as for worldly goods they have
more than can wish their heart.
8 Their life is most licentious:
boasting much of their wrong
Which they have done to simple men
and eve pr'yed among.
9 The heavens and the living Lord
they spare not to blaspheme:
And prate they do of worldly things,
no wight they do esteeme.
10 The people of God oft times turnback
to see their prosperous state:
And almost drink the self same cup,
and follow the same rate.
The second Part:
11 How can it be that God (say theyP
should know or understand
These worldly things, sith wicked men
be Lords of sea and land?
12 For we may see how wicked men
in riches still increase:
Rewarded well with worldly goods,
and live in rest and peace.
13 Then why do I from wickednesse
my fantasie refraine?
And wash my hands with innocents,
and cleanse my heart in vaine?
14 And suffer scourges every day,
as subject to all blame:
And every morning from my youth
sustain rebuke and shame?
15 And I had almost said as they,
misliking my estate:
But that I should thy children judge,
as folk unfortunate.
16 Then I bethought me how I might
this matter understand:
But yet the labour was too great
for me to take in hand.
17 Untill the time I went into
thy holy place, and then
I understood right perfectly
the end of all these men.
18 And namely, how thou settest them
upon a slippery place:
And at thy pleasure and thy will
thou dost them all deface.
19 Then all men muse at that strange sight,
to see how suddenly
They are destroid, dispatcht, consumed,
and dead so horribly.
20 Much like a dreame when one awakes,
so shall their wealth decay:
Their famous names in all mens sight
shall ebbe and passe away.
The third Part.
21 Yet thus my heart was grieved then,
my mind was much opprest:
22 So fond was I and ignorant,
and in this point a beast.
23 Yet meverthelesse by my right hand,
thou holdst me alwaies fast:
24 And with thy counsell dost me guide
to glory at the last.
25 What thing is there that I can wish
but thee in heaven above?
And in the earth there is nothing,
like thee that I can love.
26 My flesh and eke my heart doth faile
but God doth faile me never:
For of my health God is the strength,
my portion eke for ever.
27 And lo all such as thee forsake,
thou shalt destroy each one:
And those that trust in any thing,
saving in thee alone.
26 Therefore will I draw neare to God,
and ever with him dwell:
In God alone I put my trust,
thy wonders I will tell.
Scripture: Psalm 73 Languages: English
Quam bonus Deus
Truly the Lord is very good
Author: T. S. Hymnal: The Whole Book of Psalms #LXXIII (1790) Lyrics: 1 Truly the Lord is very good
and kind to Israel,
And to all such as safely keep
their conscience pure and well.
2 But as for me, I almost slip'd,
my feet began to slide,
Before that I was well aware
my steps did turn aside.
3 For when I saw such foolish men,
I grudg'd with great disdain,
That wicked men all things should have
without turmoil and pain:
4 They never suffer pains nor grief,
as if death should them smite,
Their bodies are full stout and strong,
and ever in good plight;
5 Always free from adversity
and ev'ry sad event,
With other men they take no part
of plague or punishment:
6 Therefore presumption doth embrace
their necks as doth a chain,
They are ev'n wrapt as in a robe
with rapine and disdain:
7 They are so fed, that ev'n with fat
their eyes oft-times out-start,
And as for worldly goods they have
more than can wish their heart:
8 Their life is most licentious, and
they boast much with their tongue,
How they the poor and simple have
Oppressed with great wrong:
9 They set their mouth against the heav'ns,
and do the Lord blaspheme,
They proudly boast of worldly things,
no one they do esteem.
10 God's people often do turn back
to see their prosp'rous state,
And almost drink the self-same cup,
and talk at the same rate:
The Second Part.
11 How can it be that God, say they,
should know or understand
These worldly things, since wicked men
be lords of sea and land?
12 For we may see how wicked men
in riches still increase,
Rewarded well with worldly goods,
and live in rest and peace;
13 Then why do I so carefully
from wickedness refrain?
And wash my hands in innocence,
and cleanse my heart in vain,
14 And suffer scourges ev'ry day,
as subject to all blame,
And ev'ry morning from my youth
sustain rebuke and shame?
15 Now I had almost said as they,
misliking my estate;
But then I should thy children judge
as most unfortunate.
16 Then I bethought me how I might
this matter understand,
But yet the labour was too great
for me to take in hand;
17 Until the time I went into
thy holy place, and then
I understood right perfectly
the end of all these men:
18 Namely, how that thou settest them
upon a slipp'ry place,
And at thy pleasure and thy will
thou dost them soon deface.
19 Then all men muse at that strange sight,
to see how suddenly
They do consume, perish, and come
to endless misery;
20 Much like a dream when one awakes,
so shall their wealth decay,
Their famous names in all men's sight
shall fail and pass away.
21 Yet thus my heart was grieved then,
my mind was much opprest;
So simple and so ignorant,
ev'n as it were a beast.
22 Nevertheless, by my right-hand
thou hold'st me always fast,
And with thy counsel shalt me guide
to glory at the last.
23 What thing is there, that I can wish,
but thee in heav'n above?
And in the earth there nothing is
like thee, that I can love.
24 My flesh and spirit both do fail,
but God wilt me restore;
For of my heart he is the strength
and portion evermore.
25 But 1o, all such as thee forsake
thou shalt destroy each one,
And those that trust in any thing,
saving in thee alone.
26 Therefore will I draw near to God,
and ever with him dwell;
In God alone I put my trust,
his wonders I will tell. Scripture: Psalm 73 Languages: English
Truly the Lord is very good
Thomas Sternhold
1449 - 1549 Person Name: T. S. Author of "Quam bonus Deus" in The Whole Booke of Psalmes Thomas Sternhold was Groom of the Robes to Henry VIII and Edward VI. With Hopkins, he produced the first English version of the Psalms before alluded to. He completed fifty-one; Hopkins and others composed the remainder. He died in 1549. Thirty-seven of his psalms were edited and published after his death, by his friend Hopkins. The work is entitled "All such Psalms of David as Thomas Sternhold, late Groome of the King's Majestye's Robes, did in his Lyfetime drawe into Englyshe Metre." Of the version annexed to the Prayer Book, Montgomery says: "The merit of faithful adherence to the original has been claimed for this version, and need not to be denied, but it is the resemblance which the dead bear to the living." Wood, in his "Athenae Oxonlenses" (1691, vol. I, p. 62), has the following account of the origin of Sternhold's psalms: "Being a most zealous reformer, and a very strict liver, he became so scandalized at the amorous and obscene songs used in the Court, that he, forsooth, turned into English metre fifty-one of David's psalms, and caused musical notes to be set to them, thinking thereby that the courtiers would sing them instead of their sonnets; but they did not, some few excepted. However, the poetry and music being admirable, and the best that was made and composed in these times, they were thought fit to be sung in all parochial churches." Of Sternhold and Hopkins, old Fuller says: "They were men whose piety was better than their poetry, and they had drunk more of Jordan than of Helicon." Sternhold and Hopkins may be taken as the representatives of the strong tendency to versify Scripture that came with the Reformation into England--a work men eagerly entered on without the talent requisite for its successful accomplishment. The tendency went so far, that even the "Acts of the Apostles" was put into rhyme, and set to music by Dr. Christopher Tye.
--Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872.
Thomas Sternhold
