1 O God, give ear, and speedily
hear me, when I do pray,
And when to thee I call and cry,
hide not thyself away:
2 Take heed to me, grant my request,
and answer me again;
With grief I pray, full sore opprest,
sorrow doth me constrain.
3 Because my foes with threats and cries
oppress me thro' despite,
And so the wicked sort likewise
to vex me take delight.
4 For they in council do conspire
to charge me with some ill,
And in their hasty wrath and ire
they do pursue me still.
5 My heart doth faint for want of breath,
it panteth in my breast;
With terror and the dread of death
my soul is much opprest:
6 Such dreadful fear on me doth fall,
that I therewith do quake;
Such horror overwhelmeth me,
that I no shift can make.
7 Oh that I had wings like a dove!
then would I swiftly flee
Away from hence unto a place
where I at rest should be:
8 Lo, then I would go far away,
to fly I would not cease,
And I would hide myself, and stay
in some great wilderness;
9 I would be gone with speed and haste,
and not abide behind,
Till I had safely over-past
these blasts of boist'rous wind.
10 Divide them, Lord, and from them pull
their false and double tongue;
For I have spy'd their city full
of rapine, strife, and wrong.
11 Both day and night they go about
within the city wall,
In midst of her is mischief wrought,
and sorrow great withal:
12 Her inward parts are wicked plain,
her deeds they are most vile,
And in her streets there doth remain
nothing but fraud and guile,
The Second Part.
13 If that my foes did seek my shame,
I might it well abide,
Because from all their check and blame
somewhere I could me hide:
15 But thou it was, my fellow dear,
who friendship didst pretend,
And didst my secret counsel hear
as a familiar friend;
15 With whom I had delight to talk
in secret and abroad;
And we together oft did walk
unto the house of God.
16 Let death in haste upon them fall,
and send them quick to hell;
For mischief doth abide in all
the places, where they dwell.
17 But I unto my God will cry,
to him for aid I flee;
The Lord will help me speedily,
and he will succour me.
18 At morning, noon, and ev'ning-tide,
unto the Lord I pray;
When I so constantly have cry'd,
he did not say me nay.
19 To peace he shall restore me yet,
tho' war be now at hand,
Altho' the number be full great
that do against me stand.
20 The Lord that first and last doth reign,
both now and evermore,
Will hear, when I to him complain,
and punish them full sore.
21 For sure there is no hope that they
to turn will once accord;
For why? they will not God obey,
nor fear the living Lord
22 Upon their friends they laid their hands,
who were in cov'nant knit;
Of friendship to neglect the bands
they do not care one whit.
23 While they have war within their hearts
as butter are their words;
And tho' they were as soft as oil,
they cut as sharp as swords.
25 Cast thou thy care upon the Lord,
and he shall nourish thee;
For in no wise will he accord
the just in thrall to see.
25 But God shall cast them deep in pit
who thirst for blood always;
He will no guileful man permit
to live out half his days.
26 Tho' such be quite destroy'd and gone,
on him is all my stay;
I will depend his grace upon
with all my heart alway.
The Whole Book of Psalms #LV1 O God give eare and do apply,
to heare me when I pray:
And when to thee I call and cry,
hide not thy selfe away.
2 Take heed to me, grant my request
and answer me againe:
With plaints I pray full sore opprest,
great griefe doth me constraine.
3 Because my foes with threats and cries,
oppresse me through despight:
And so the wicked sort likewise
to vexe me take delight.
4 For they in counsell do conspire,
to charge me with some ill:
So in their hasty wrath and ire
they do pursue me still.
5 My heart doth faint for want of breath,
it panteth in my brest:
With terrors and the dread of death,
do work me much unrest.
6 Such dreadfull feare on me doth fall,
that I therewith do quake:
Such horror whelmeth me withall,
that I no shift can make.
7 But I did say who will give me
the swift and pleasant wings
Of some faire Dove, that I may flee,
and rest me from these things.
8 Lo then I would go farre away,
to fly I would not cease:
And I would hide my selfe and stay
in some great wildernesse.
9 I would be gone in all the hast,
and not abide behind,
That I were quit and overpast
these blasts of boisterous wind.
10 Divide them, Lord & from them pull
their divelish double tongue:
For I have spide their city full
of rapine, strife, and wrong.
11 Which things both night & day throughout
do close her as a wall:
In midst of her is mischief stout,
and sorrow eke withall.
12 Her inward parts are wicked plaine,
her deeds are much too file:
And in her streets there doth remaine
all crafty fraud and guile.
The second Part:
13 If that my foes did seek my shame,
I might it well abide:
From open enemies check and blame,
some where I could me hide.
14 But thou it was, my fellow deare,
which friendship didst pretend:
And didst my secret counsell heare,
as a familiar friend.
15 With whom I had delight to talk
in secret and abroad:
And we together oft did walk.
within the house of God.
16 Let death in hast upon them fall,
and send them quick to hell:
For mischiefe raigneth in the hall,
and parlour where they dwell.
17 But I unto my God will cry,
to him for aid I flee:
The Lord will help me by and by,
and he will succour me.
18 At morning, noone, and evening tide,
unto the Lord I pray:
When I so constantly have cride,
he did not say me nay.
19 To peace he shall restore me yet,
though warre be now at hand,
Although the number be full great,
that would against me stand.
20 The Lord that first and last doth raign
both now and evermore:
Will heare when I to him complaine,
and punish them full sore.
21 For sure there is no hope that they
to turn will once accord:
For why? they will not God obey,
nor yet do feare the Lord.
22 Upon their friends they laid their hands
which were in covenant knit:
Of friendship to neglect the bands,
they passe or care no whit
23 While they have war within their hearts,
as butter are their words:
Although their words were smothe as oyle,
they cut as sharp as swords.
25 Cast thou thy care upon the Lord,
and he shall nourish thee:
For in no wise will he accord
the just in thrall to see.
25 But God shall cast them deep in pit,
who thirst for blood alwaies:
He will no guilefull man permit
to live out halfe his daies.
26 Though such be quite destroid & gone
in thee O Lord I trust:
I will depend thy grace upon
with all my heart and lust.
The Whole Booke of Psalmes: collected into English meeter #29b
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