Ad Dominum

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In trouble and in thrall

Author: Thomas Sternhold
Published in 2 hymnals

Representative Text

1 In trouble and in thrall
unto the Lord I call,
And he doth me comfort;
Deliver me, I pray,
From lying lips alway,
and tongues of false report.

2 What 'vantage or what thing
gett'st thou thus for to sting,
Thou false and flatt'ring liar?
Thy tongue doth hurt, it's seen,
No less than arrows keen,
or hot consuming fire.

3 Alas! that I am fain
in those tents to remain,
Which Kedar are by name;
By whom the flock elect,
And all of Isaac's sect,
are put to open shame.

4 With them that peace do hate
I came to meditate,
And set a quiet life:
But when my mind was told,
Causeless I was controul'd
by them that loved strife.

Source: The Whole Book of Psalms #CXX

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Author: Thomas Sternhold

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 "Athe… Go to person page >

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