The Psalter, or Psalms of David and certain canticles / with a translation and exposition in English by Richard Rolle of Hampole ; ed. from manuscripts by the Rev. H. R. Bramley ... With an introduction and glossary.

[PSALM XVII.]

DILIGAM te domine fortitudo mea: dominus firmamen|tum meum & refugium meum et liberator meus. ¶ I sall luf the lord my strenght; lord my festynynge and my fleynge and my delyuerere. ¶ This psalme contens the sacrament of all chosen men. the whilke doand the laghe of god thurgh the seuen fald grace of the haly gast, fra all temptaciouns and the pouste of ded and of the deuel lesid. this sange thai synge till god and thankis him and says; .i. sall luf the lord, noght a daye or twa bot euermare. my strenght, thurgh whaim .i. am stalworth in thoght: lord my festnynge. that me has festid, that .i. be fast agaynes my faes. and my fleynge, til whaim .i. fle in my anguys. and my de|lyuerere. that .i. be noght like til warldis men.

2. Deus meus adiutor meus: & sperabo in eum. ¶ My god my helpere; and .i. sall hope in him. ¶ That is, he that made me helpis me. and for thi .i. hope in him to be safe.

3. Protector meus & cornu salutis mee: & susceptor meus. ¶ My hilere and horn of my hele; and myn vptakere. ¶ My hilere fra strakys of my faes. and horne of my hele, that is stabil heghnes of my saluacioun. and myn uptakere. fra the luf of this warld in til the luf of the.

4. Laudans inuocabo dominum: & ab inimicis meis saluus ero. ¶ Louand .i. sall incall god; and of myn enmys .i. sall be saf. ¶ Louand, that is, the ioy and the honur of my lord .i. sall seke, and noght myn: i. sall incall god. that he dwell in me lastandly, and swa .i. sall be saf of myn enmys. that is the errour of wickidnes sall noght noy me.

5. Circumdederunt me dolores mortis: & torrentes in|iquitatis conturbauerunt me. ¶ The sorowes of ded has vmgifen me; and the strandis of wickidnes has drouyd me. ¶ The sorowes, noght of this warld. bot of ded. that is the deuel, thurgh whaim is ded in erth. has vmgifen me, if thai myght rauysch me till thaim. and the strandis of wickidnes. that is bolnand wickid|nes, as strandis does in gret rayn. has drouyd me, that is gert [U gret. S gerte.] me haf sorow.

6. Dolores inferni circumdederunt me: preoccupaue|runt me laquei mortis. ¶ The sorowis of hell has vmgifen me; bifore occupid has me. the snares of ded. ¶ The sorowes of hell ere men that er klumst in thaire synn, and comes about rightwis men to angire thaim, the whilke sall be tourmentid in hell. with sorow that thai haf deserued. and ouer that the snares of ded. that is orygynal syn, titere band me than .i. synd of my propire myght.

7. In tribulacione mea inuocaui dominum: & ad deum meum clamaui. ¶ In my tribulacioun .i. incald lord; and til my god .i. cried. ¶ And when .i. was in swa mykil anguys .i. cald & i. crid til my lord: that is remedy syngulere. amange anguysses of this warld.

8. Et exaudiuit de templo sancto suo vocem meam: & clamor meus in conspectu eius introiuit in aures eius. ¶ And he herd of his haly tempile my voice; and my cry in his sight in ȝede in the eris of him. ¶ And he hard my voice fra

heuen, or fra cristis haly body, thurgh whaim haly men has thaire prayere. and my cri, that is the cheson of my rightwisnes that is in his sight, for i. haf it in my consciens whare he sees and na man, inȝede as a trew messangere in the eres of his mercye.

9. Commota est & contremuit terra: fundamenta mon|cium conturbata sunt & commota sunt, quoniam iratus est eis. ¶ The erthe is stirid and it quoke; the grunndis of hilles ere drouyd, stirid thai ere for he is wrethid til thaim. ¶ Lo how god herd: the erthe. that is synfulmen, stirid is withinen til penance: and it quoke withouten for dred of dome. the grundis of hilles, that is the hope of proud men, and thaire vile presumpciouns, ere drouyd and stirid, swa that hope of the warld haf na langere festynge in thaim. for god was wrath til thaim. that is, for he made thaim to wit his wreth: and swa.

10. Ascendit fumus in ira eius, & ignis a facie eius exarsit: carbones succensi sunt ab eo. ¶ Reke steghe in the ire of him, and fire brent of his face; coles ere kyndild of him. ¶ Reke, that is a gretyngful [U gret yngful. S gretynge full.] prayere of men that does penaunce. stegh in his wreth, that is when thai wate. that god manaunsid thaim with hell for thaire synn: and sithen eftire thaire penaunce fire of luf brent in thaire hertis of knawynge of him: and swa coles, that bifore ware ded and slokynd fra luf and rightwisnes, ere kyndild and qwikynd agayn. of him comand in til the saule.

11. Inclinauit celos & descendit: & caligo sub pedibus eius. ¶ He heldid heuens and he lightid down; and myrknes vndire his fete [S. U fote.] . ¶ He heldid heuens. that is he mekid his son to take fleisse and blode, and swa he lightid down til vs: and than he mekid heuens: for he made aungels vndirelout til man kynd. and myrknes, that is the deuel, the whilke makis wrechid hertis blak and vile. is vndire his fete: for his myght tredis the deuel in til hell.

12. Et ascendit super cherubyn & volauit: volauit super pennas ventorum. ¶ And he steghe abouen cherubyn and he flow; he flow abouen the fethirs of wyndes. ¶ He stegh abouen cherubyn. that is he passis all manere of conynge. for cherubyn is als mykel as fulnes of conynge: swa that na man may come til him bot thurgh luf. and he flow. that is he shewis til his lufers that

he is incomprehensibile. He flow abouen the fethirs of wyndis. that is he passis the vertus of haly saulis.

13. Et posuit tenebras latibulum suum, in circuitu eius tabernaculum eius: tenebrosa aqua in nubibus aeris. ¶ And he sett myrknesis his tapissynge, in his vmgange his taber|nakile; myrke watere in clowdes of the aeire. ¶ He sett myrk|nesis his tapissynge. that is, in this myrk lyf and dedly, he hid him fra vs, that we may noght se him face til face. bot in luf we ga til him. and in his vmgange is his tabernakile. that is, rightwismen that serues him is next him, and he is ymedis thaim. for he does fauour til ilkan. for myrk watere, that is priue lare and hid, is in the clowdis of the aiere. that is, in the prophetis, and in haly prechours, the whilk ere liftid fra the erth in til contemplacioun, and raynes down godis word till other. Her may we see that nan sould be swa hardy to translate or expound haly writ. bot if he felid the haly gast in him. that is makere of haly writ. for soen sall he erre that is noght led with him.

14. Pre fulgore in conspectu eius nubes transierunt: grando & carbones ignis. ¶ Bifore the shynynge in his syght clowdes passid; haghil and coles of fire. ¶ Mirk is the lare of clowdis, bifore the shynynge, that is, in lykynynge of the shinynge that sall be in his sight in heuen. clowdis passid. that is lerers of godis lare. ȝed fra man til man: and thai passand sithen is haghil [U seen is halighe. S set hen is heyle.] , that is compunccioun [S correccioun.] of synn: and coles of fire, that is werkis of charite.

15. Et intonuit de celo dominus, & altissimus dedit vocem suam: grando & carbones ignis. ¶ And lord thonured of heuen, and the heghest gaf his voice: haghil and coles of fire. ¶ And oure lord thonord, manaunsand [U manaunsed. S manace &.] pyne of hell. til synful men. and the heghest gaf his voice soft, hetand endles ioy till all that forsakis synn: of heuen, that is of the hert of haly man: and swa com haghil and koles of fire: it is sett abouen.

16. Et misit sagittas suas & dissipauit eos: fulgura mul|tiplicauit, & conturbauit eas. ¶ And he sent [S. U sett.] his aruys, and he scatird thaim; leuenyngis he multiplid, and he drouyd thaim. ¶ And he sent his aruys. that is his apostles and haly lerers right fleand. for thai ere fetherid with vertus. and he scatird thaim til

whaim thai ware sent. for some takis godis word and does thar eftere, some despises it: and swa thai ga sere wayes. he multiplid leuenynge, that is he shewyd many myrakils. and he drouyd thaim, that is [S. U om.] some of thaim he stirid til penaunce.

17. Et apparuerunt fontes aquarum: & reuelata sunt fundamenta orbis terrarum. ¶ And the welles of waters ap|pered; and shewid ere the grundis of the erthe. ¶ That is the sothfastnes of prechours is seen, that wetis men with halesome lare. and the prophecies ere vndirstandyn, in whas trouth haly kirke is grundid.

18. Ab increpacione tua domine: ab inspiracione spiritus ire tue. ¶ Of thi blamynge lorde; of the inspiracioun [S inspiraunce.] of the spirit of thi [S. U the.] wreth. ¶ The blamynge of god is. when he makis oure consciens to bite vs. for oure syn. and the inspirynge of his ire is. when he says stilly in oure hert. bot if ȝe lefe ȝoure syn and doe penaunce ȝe be tynt men.

19. Misit de summo & accepit me: & assumpsit me de aquis multis. ¶ He sent fra heghest 'and he toke me' [S. U om.] ; and he toke me fra many waters. ¶ That is he sent fra heuen his son, and he toke me til his spouse: and fra many waters. that is, he chese me fra many lost men. for many ere cald and fa chosen.

20. Eripuit me de inimicis meis fortissimis: & ab hiis qui oderunt me, quoniam confortati sunt super me. ¶ He reft me out fra my faes stalworthest; and fra tha that hatid me, for thai ere strenghid abouen me. ¶ That is he lesid me of vices and synn. as with maystri; for there enmys mast noyis vs. and agayns thaim haf we ned of stalworthest standynge. for if thai ouere come vs we be dampned: other enmys that hatis vs ere ill men and fendes, the whilk ware strenghid abouen vs whils we ware noght lufand crist. and alswa.

21. Preuenerunt me in die affliccionis mee: & factus est dominus protector meus. ¶ Thai bifore come me in day of my tourment; and made is lord my hilere. ¶ That is thai noyed me first in the tyme of my anguys: for fendis and ill men has oft sith leue of god to pyne goed men. in thaire fleyss, noght in saule. for thi says he, in day of my tourment. for all this lyf he haldis bot tourment, whils he is fra the syght of god. bot in day of his ioy,

that is, in the tother warld, he comes bifore thaim. for god is made his hilere fra all wrechidnes.

22. Et eduxit me in latitudinem: saluum me fecit, quo|niam voluit me. ¶ And he out led me in breed: he made saf me, for he wild me. ¶ When we suffire fleysly straytnes. he ledis vs in gastly breed, til brennynge and ioy of his luf: and swa oure meryt waxis. & we ere safe fra ded: and all this is for he wild vs or we wild him: and lufid vs in his goednes, noght for oure seruys.

23. Et retribuet michi dominus secundum iusticiam meam: & secundum puritatem manuum mearum retribuet michi. ¶ And lord [U lor.] sall ȝeld til me eftere my ryghtwisnes; and eftere the purte of my hend he sall ȝeld til me. ¶ That is, god sall ȝeld til me on domes day ioy and honur amange the aungels of heuen. eftere that i. am rightwis in trowth and luf and goed will. and eftere the clennes of my werkis: and alswa god in this warld ȝeldis gastly goed til his lufers, as swetnes in his luf & perseuerans.

24. Quia custodiui vias domini: nec impie gessi .a. deo meo. ¶ ffor .i. kepid the wayes of lord; .i. bare me noght wickidly fra my god. ¶ Rightwis he is that kepis godis wayis, that is, his comaundmentis: and he is clen that beris him noght wickidly, departand fra his god with ill thoght or ill delite.

25. Quoniam omnia iudicia eius in conspectu meo: & iusticias eius non repuli a me. ¶ ffor whi all the domes of him ere ay in my syght; and his rightwisnesis .i. put noght fra me. ¶ That is .i. bihald lastandly the medis of rightwismen, the pynes of dampnabil men. the fallyngis [S fallyngs. U flalyngis.] of amendabil men. the tempta|ciouns of proued men. he that thynkis ay in all there domes .i. wate neuer how he sould haf wille. to ga fra god, or to put his right|wisnes fra him. and torn til synn.

26. Et ero immaculatus cum eo: & obseruabo me ab iniquitate mea. ¶ And .i. sall be vnwemmyd with him; and .i. sall kepe me fra my wickidnes. ¶ That is .i. sall draw til god in luf, and swa be with him clen of dedly synn. ffor na man is in erthe that synnes noght venyally: and .i. sall kepe me that .i. fall namare in wickidnes.

27. Et retribuet michi dominus secundum iusticiam meam: & secundum puritatem manuum mearum in con|spectu oculorum eius. ¶ And lord sall ȝeld til me eftere my

rightwisnes: and eftere the purte of my hend in syght of his eghen. ¶ That is eftere my [S. U his.] welwillynge that is in my saule. whare he sees and nan other.

28. Cum sancto sanctus eris: & cum viro innocente in|nocens eris. ¶ With haly thou sall be haly; and with man innocent innocent thou sall be. ¶ Thou, ilke cristen man, with crist that is haly. thou sall be haly: that is traist in him that he will halighe the, and help the in halines. and with crist innocent, that noyes na man. bot ilkan is bonden in thaire awn synn, thou sall be innocent, thurgh his help, noyand til nane.

29. Et cum electo electus eris: & cum peruerso per|uerteris. ¶ And with chosen chosen sall thou be; and with the wickid thou sall be wik. ¶ Crist is chosen, and with him dwell|and thou sall be chosen til his blis. and the wickid, that is the deuel. if thou be with him in synn, thou sall be wik. for swilke ere all that ere with him: and thaire maners ere fourmed of samen lifynge.

30. Quoniam tu populum humilem saluum facies: & oculos superborum humiliabis. ¶ ffor thou sall make safe meke folke; & the eghen of proude thou sall meke. ¶ All that ere verraly meke god saues thaim in heuen. and all that dyes in thaire pride he mekis thaim in til the lawe pitt of hell.

31. Quoniam tu illuminas lucernam meam domine: deus meus illumina tenebras meas. ¶ ffor thou lightnys my lantern lord; my god, lighten my myrknesis. ¶ That is lord thou kyndils my hert. with the fire of luf: for thi my myrknes, that .i. suffire here, light thaim, takand me out of this lif in til thi rike, whare ay is light and neuere myrknes.

32. Quoniam in te eripiar a temptacione: & in deo meo transgrediar murum. ¶ ffor in the .i. sall be outreft fra fandynge; and in my god .i. sall ouerpasse the wall ¶ In the, that is thurgh the. noght by my self, .i. sall be reft fra the deuels fandynge. and in vertu of my god .i. sall ouerpasse the wall. that is obstakil of synn; that is made. itwix synful men and heuen. swa that bot if thai will passe that wall til heuen cum thai neuere.

33. Deus meus inpolluta via eius, eloquia domini igne examinata: protector est omnium sperancium in se. ¶ My god vnfiled the way of hym. the wordis of lord examynd in fire; hilere he is of all hopand in him. ¶ God comys in till oure hertis

by a clen way. for thi vs bihoues make clen with luf the way of trewth, that he won in vs. his wordis ere proued in fire of tribula|cioun. and he hiles fra synn all that hopes in him, when thai ere proued in anguys.

34. Quoniam quis deus preter dominum: aut quis deus preter dominum nostrum. ¶ ffor whi wha is god bot the lord; or wha is god bot oure lord. ¶ That is at say, na god is bot the lord of heuen. and erth. that is oure lord, cristen mennys god.

35. Deus qui precinxit me virtute: & posuit inmacu|latam viam meam. ¶ God that beltid me with vertu; and sett vnfiled my way. ¶ That is, he armed me that i ware stalworth agaynes couatis: and wickid lustes he beltid vp, that thai lettid me noght in his luf: and swa he sett my way clen. that is charite, by the whilke i. come til him. as he come til me bi the way of trowth.

36. Qui perfecit pedes meos tanquam ceruorum: & super excelsa statuens me. ¶ He that made perfite my fete as of hertis; and on hegh stabiland me. ¶ That is my luf, on the whilke .i. ga til him, he made perfite as of hertis, that .i. lepe ouer all the 'thorny and the lairy besynes [S thorne & the cley of bisines.] ' of this warld: and on heghe in heuen he stabild the entent of my hert.

37. Qui docet manus meas ad prelium: & posuisti vt arcum ereum brachia mea. ¶ He leris my hend til bataile; and thou sett as a brasen bow. myn armes. ¶ That is he leris to werke that .i. ouercum the deuel and synnes in gastly feghtynge. for thai aforce thaim to close the way of heuen fra me: and thar agayn thou sett myn armes as a bow of brasse, that is thou has gifen me vnwery brennynge to wirke the goed and put away slawnes.

38. Et dedisti michi proteccionem salutis tue: & dex|tera tua suscepit me. ¶ And thou gaf til me hilynge of thi hele; and thi righthand vptoke me. ¶ That is thou hilid me til endles hele: and the fauour of thi grace toke me fra synn.

39. Et disciplina tua correxit me in finem: et disciplina tua ipsa me docebit. ¶ And thi disciplyne amendid me in end; and thi disciplyne that sall lere me. ¶ That is at say. thi chas|tiynge suffirs me noght to [S att.] erre fra the end, to cum til the, to quem the, to luf the: and that disciplyn sall lere me to last thare in. and na anguys of body lettis. for

40. Dilatasti gressus meos subtus me: & non sunt infir|mata

vestigia mea. ¶ Thou made brade my gatis [S weys.] vndire me; and thai ere noght febild my steppis. ¶ ffor thou made charite brade in me til tha that ere vndire me, that is, ill men vndire me in merit bifor god: whaim .i. luf, thof thai doe me harme. and my steppis, that is, my gate til the, is noght febild. na waike, bot ay waxand in stalworthnes.

41. Persequar iuimicos meos & comprehendam illos: & non conuertar donec deficiant. ¶ I sall folow myn enmys and .i. sall take thaim; and .i. sall noght be turnyd til that thai faile. ¶ There enmys ere fleysly affecciouns and ydel thoghtis, that he folows to sla. and takis thaim, that is distrois thaim. that thai distroy noght him: and .i. sall noght be turnyd fra that entent til that thai faile. and wite away and leue thaire rebellynge. Many will noght thus last. bot for thai fynd hard bataile. at the first tyme thai faile, are thai haf halfe doen. swa doe i noght. for

42. Confringam illos, nec poterunt stare: cadent subtus pedes meos. ¶ I sall brek thaim, thai sall noght mow stand; fall thai sall vmdire my fete. ¶ That is, i. sall swa litell make thaim; that thai sall haf na myght agaynes me. and thai sall be troden vndire my luf that ledis me til god.

43. Et precinxisti me virtute ad bellum: & supplantasti insurgentes in me subtus me. ¶ And thou beltid me with vertu til bataile; and thou supplantid rysand in me vndire me. ¶ That is, all my vile desires thou restreynde [S. U rest—.] with vertu of luf. and risand agayns me. thou made thaim to be desayued in thaire aghen ill. swa that thai ware vndire me that wild hafe ben abouen me. for .i. despise that thai luf.

44. Et inimicos meos dedisti michi dorsum: & odientes me disperdidisti. ¶ And myn enmys thou gaf bake til me; and the hateand me thou scatird. ¶ That is thou gert my faes fle fra me, that thai tempte me na mare than .i. myght suffire: and hateand me thou lost, or scaterd fra thaire purpos. for na goed man has enmy bot that is ill. and in thaire scaterynge.

45. Clamauerunt, nec erat qui saluos faceret: ad do|minum, nec exaudiuit eos. ¶ Thai cried, nane was to safe thaim: til lord, he herd thaim noght. ¶ Many cries when thai fare ill, bot thai fynd nane to safe thaim. for na man may. and oure lord will noght. to whiles thai dwell in thaire malice and synn.

46. Et comminuam eos vt puluerem ante faciem venti: vt lutum platearum delebo eos. ¶ And .i. sall lesse thaim as dust bifore the face of wynd; as layre [S cley.] of wayes .i. sall for doe thaim. ¶ This is the voice of crist in his person. .i. sall lesse thaim as dust. that is .i. sall refe thaim all vertus, swa that thai sall have na myght to stand agayn any temptacioun. And as layre [S cley.] of wayes, that is, as licherous and couaitous that gas by the brade way til hell, .i. sall fordoe thaim, that thai haf na parte amange rightwismen.

47. Eripies me de contradiccionibus populi: constitues me in caput gencium. ¶ Thou sall out take me fra the gayn|saiyngs of folke; thou sall sett me in heued of genge [S menne.] . ¶ That is, thou takis me fra the iwes and settis me kynge of cristen men. Alswa when we ere lesid of the noys of thoghtis and the flytynge of ill consciens. than god makis vs maystirs of vices.

48. Populus quem non cognoui seruiuit michi: in auditu auris obediuit michi. ¶ ffolke that .i. knew noght serued til me; in herynge of ere he boghed til me. ¶ That is, the folke that .i. visitid noght with bodily presens seruyd and bowed til me. at the prechynge of my men.

49. Filij alieni mentiti sunt michi: filij alieni invete|rati sunt & claudicauerunt a semitis suis. ¶ Othere sonnes leghid til me; other sonnes eldid ere, and thai haltid fra thaire stretis [S stighes.] . ¶ Sunnes noght myne bot other, that is the deuels sonnes. for he has getyn thaim in synn. leghid til me: for thai wild noght doe as thai hyght. and thai ere eldid, that is in thaire ald synful lyf: and thai halt fra thaire stretis [S stighes.] . for if thai doe a thynge right thai doe foure wrange. and ȝit in that thynge that thai wen thai doe wele thai halt, for [S. U fra.] nathynge is wele doen withouten the luf of god.

50. Viuit dominus & benedictus deus meus: & exal|tetur deus salutis mee. ¶ Lord lifes, and blissid [S ins. 'be.'] my god; and heghed be god of my hele. ¶ Lord lifes in my hert, whaim .i. fele: & loued be my god of his giftis, and heghid be god of my hele. that is i pray him that he gif me hele of heuen, noght of erth. for .i. hope to hafe of him hegh hele.

51. Deus qui das vindictas michi, & subdis populos sub me: liberator meus de inimicis meis iracundis. ¶ God that gifes vengaunce til me, and makis vndirloute folk vndire

me; my delyuerere of myn enmys yrous [S irus.] . ¶ That is the vengaunce that he gifes, that he makis myn enmys vndirlout til me, that thai be at my will: and my delyuerere fra enmys yrous. for the mare that the ill is, the mare is the ioy of him that safes me there fra.

52. Et ab insurgentibus in me exaltabis me: a viro iniquo eripies me. ¶ And fra risand in me thou sall hegh me; fra wickid man thou sall out take me. ¶ Sa mykil is he the heghere bifore god that suffirs, that his enmys rise heghere in ire.

53. Propterea confitebor tibi in nacionibus domine: & nomini tuo psalmum dicam. ¶ Tharfore i. sall shrife til the in nacyons lord; and til thi name psalme .i. sall say. ¶ Tharfor, that is for thou thus has doen with me, .i. sall shrif til the, that is .i. sall loue the in naciouns: that is in conuersyon of synful men. and til the honur of thi name ihū i. sall gif ensampile of goed werkis.

54. Magnificans salutes regis eius & faciens miserecor|diam xpo suo dauid: & semini eius vsque in seculum. ¶ Wor|schipand heles of his kynge, and doand mercy til his crist dauid; and til the sede of him in til the warld. ¶ God the fadere wor|schipes heles: that is worschipful makis the heles of crist. that is the men the whilke crist has saued & bryngis til endles hele. and he does mercy til his crist dauid: for he does it til his sede, that is til all cristes lufers, withouten end.