Dixit insipiens

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There is no God as foolish men

Author: Thomas Sternhold
Published in 2 hymnals

Representative Text

1 There is no God, do foolish men
affirm in their mad mood;
Their drifts are all corrupt and vain,
not one of them doth good.

2 The Lord beheld from heaven most high
the whole race of mankind,
And saw not one that sought indeed
the living God to find.

3 They went all wide and were corrupt,
and truly there was none,
That in the world did any good,
no, not so much as one.

4 Is all their judgment so far lost,
that all work mischief still,
Eating my people ev'n as bread,
not one to seek God's will?

5 When they thus rage, then suddenly
great fear on them shall fall,
For God doth love the righteous men
and will preserve them all.

6 Ye mock the doings of the poor,
to their reproach and shame,
Because they put their trust in God,
and call upon his name.

7 But who shall give thy people health?
and when wilt thou fulfill
Thy promise made to Israel
from out of Sion hill?

8 For when thou shalt restore again
such as were captive led,
Then Jacob shall therein rejoice,
and Israel be glad.

Source: The Whole Book of Psalms #XIV

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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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