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 LXVIII.]

SALUUM me fac deus: quoniam intrauerunt aque vsque ad animam meam. ¶ Safe me god; for watirs in ȝede in till my saule. ¶ Crist in his passion criand til the fadire says; god make me safe of this perils. for watirs. that is, the strife and the stirynge of wickid iowes, in ȝede in til my saule. that is, thai do that thai may to refe me my life. crist cries to gif vs ensaumpile to cry that we fall not in wickidnes. for drede of pyne or of ded.

2. Infixus sum in limo profundi: & non est substancia. ¶ I am festid in clay of the ground; and thare is na substaunce. ¶ I am festid in body in the clay of ground. that is, of the iwes wickidnes. that is, in the felony of men .i. am done on cross. and thar is na substaunce til me. that is, til pouert .i. come, and .i. hafe na myght in fleyss to fle this ded.

3. Veni in altitudinem maris: & tempestas demersit me. ¶ I come in the heghnes of se; and the storme me drownkynd [S drouyde.] . ¶ That is, .i. come wilfully in till the depnes of this warld & vnwise folke. and the storme. that is, the sual of malicious men. criand my ded, sloghe me.

4. Laboraui clamans, rauce facte sunt fauces me: defe|cerunt oculi mei dum spero in deo meo. ¶ I trauaild criand, hase ere made my chekis: myn eghen faild whils .i. hope in my god. ¶ I trauaild criand, prechand & amonestand thaim. bot it was trauaile, for thai wild not rasayfe me. hase ere made my chekis. that is, thai vndirstode me noght na mare than man may do a hase man. myn eghen faild. that is, .i. am ded, whils .i. hope in my god. that is, for .i. abyde mercy, and .i. shew not my myght.

5. Multiplicati sunt super capillos capitis mei: qui oderunt me gratis. ¶ Multiplide thai ere abouen the hares of my heued: that hatid has me of selfwill. ¶ That is, .i. hafe ma enmys that hatis me withouten cheson. than .i. hafe folowers or lufers. that ere till my fayrehede as haire till my heued.

6. Confortati sunt qui persecuti sunt me inimici mei iniuste: que non rapui tunc exsoluebam. ¶ Confortid thai ere that folowed me my fas vnrightwisly: that .i. not reft than .i. payed. ¶ Louynge of crist and of martirs is in goednes of cheson noght in bitternes of pyne. forthi says he. thai ere confortid in malice that foloud me vnrightwisly. & swa that .i. not reft than [S. U thaim.] .i. payed. aswhasay. noght .i. synned, and the pyne .i. qwit. Adam & eve wild hafe reft the godhede. and lost all the blisfullhede. bot crist made the amendis, for thai ware beggers that had noght.

7. Deus tu scis insipienciam meam: & delicta mea a te non sunt abscondita. ¶ God, thou wate myn vnwisnes: and my trespasis fra the ere not hid. ¶ Aswhasay, god, thou haldis it wisdome that .i. suffire for mannys kynde. the whilke wickid men, that knawis not thi priuete, haldis bot foly. and thai say that .i. am vnwise: and my synnes, the whilke .i. fordo with my ded. thou wate that thai ere not my synnes, bot the synnes of my men, the sorowes of whaim .i. bere.

8. Non erubescant in me qui expectant te domine: domine virtutum. ¶ Shame thai not in me that abydis the lord; lord of vertus. ¶ He will that thai that saghe his myrakils shame not with him. thof thai saghe him dye. for thurgh him anly thai ere in hope to cum til the fadire of heuen.

9. Non confundantur super me: qui querunt te deus israel. ¶ Be thai not confusid on me: that sekis the, god of israel. ¶ That is, na confusion be in thaim that sees me ouer|comen with ded. for .i. do it to make thaim lifand, and verray israel, seand god. And wele aghe thaim to be not shamed. on me.

10. Quoniam propter te sustinui obprobrium: operuit confusio faciem meam. ¶ fforwhi for the .i. suffird reproue: shame hild my face. ¶ Crist was withouten syn. forthi the reprofe that thai sayd that he had the deuel in him. and that thai spittid in his face, that semes gret shame bifor men to thole, he suffird all for godis luf. we suffire mykil for oure synn.

11. Extraneus factus sum fratribus meis: & peregrinus filijs matris mee. ¶ Strawnge .i. am made til my brethire; and pilgrym til sunnes of my modere. ¶ His brether he kalles the iwes, that held him as strawnge & cumlynge.

12. Quoniam zelus domus tue comedit me: & obprobria

exprobrancium tibi ceciderunt super me. ¶ ffor luf of thi hows has [U as. S hath.] eten me; and the reprofes of vpbraydand til the fell on me. ¶ That is, the grete luf of halikirke was cheson of my ded, and the reprofes of thaim that gaynsayd the [S. U me.] : forthi sum procurd that .i. sould dye.

13. Et operui in ieiunio animam meam: & factum est in obprobrium michi. ¶ And .i. hild in fastynge my saule: & it is made in reprofe til me. ¶ When thai reprofed me .i. hild. that is, .i. held in gastly fastynge, my wreth, that .i. wenge me not on thaim. when thai wild not fede me in thaire luf. and that .i. suffird thaim was reprofe till me, for thai skornyd me, wenand that .i. myght not.

14. Et posui vestimentum meum cilicium: & factus sum illis in parabolam. ¶ And .i. sett the haire my clethynge; and .i. am made til thaim in likynynge. ¶ That is, .i. vggid with thaim for thaire syn, as with the haire that is rughe and sharpe. and swa .i. am made till thaim in likynynge of malison. for when thai wild wery any thai sayd. swa bifall the as til crist bifell. that was done on the cross.

15. Loquebantur aduersum me qui sedebant in porta: & in me psallebant qui bibebant vinum. ¶ Agayns me thai spak that satt in the ȝate: & in me thai sange that dranke the wyne. ¶ In the ȝate, that is apertly, thare [S their.] iustis spak agayns crist. demand him till ded. and thai sange in him. that is, thai hade delite to make hethynge at him, that drank the wyne, that is, thai that had forgetyn god for thaire vile lustis.

16. Ego vero oracionem meam ad te domine: tempus beneplaciti deus. ¶ I sothly my prayere til the, lord [S lorde. U om.] : tyme of goed will, god. ¶ Agayns all there illes he prayes, that we lere forto sett prayers agayns wrangis, noght conteke or flytynge & myssaghe: aswhasay, thai did wickidly with me. bot .i. rightid my prayere til the for thaim. for now is tyme of goed will. that is, tyme of grace, when .i. dye for mannys kynde.

17. In multitudine miserecordie tue exaudi me: in veri|tate salutis tue. ¶ In mykilnes of thi mercy here me: in sothfastnes of thi hele. ¶ The tyme of this goedwill, that is in mykilnes of his mercy, is agayns the mykilnes of mannys syn. forthi here me, suffrand in sothfastnes of thi hele. that is, that .i. fulfyl the hele that thou has hight til man.

18. Eripe me de luto vt non infigar: libera me ab hijs qui oderunt me, & de profundis aquarum. ¶ Out take me of the lare that .i. be not infestid; delyuer me of tha that hatid me and of [S. U om.] the grundis of watirs. ¶ Here he prayes for his lufers, that thaire saule draghe noght til layry thoghtis and erthly ȝern|yngis, and that god delyuer thaim of fendis that hatis thaim. and of the grundis of watirs. that is, of the depe malice of folke.

19. Non me demergat tempestas aque: neque absorbeat me profundum, neque vrgeat super me puteus os suum. ¶ Drown me not the storme of watire: ne supe me the grounde, na the pit louke ouer me his mouth. ¶ The storme of watire is the wickid delites of glutiry and lichery and couaitis. forthi he prayes that swilke stormes drown not oure saules. for if it do we forget god, as a drounkyn man that has na wit. and the grounde of syn. that is, depnes in malice, supe vs not in. that we leue to shrife oure syn. and swa the pit of wickidnes sall not louke his mouth ouere vs. for if we shrife vs clene with sorow of hert. we sall lepe out of the deuels chekis [S. clokis.] .

20. Exaudi me domine quoniam benigna est misere|cordia tua: secundum multitudinem miseracionum tuarum respice in me. ¶ Here me lord, for goed is thi mercy; eftere the mykilnes of thi merciyngis loke in me. ¶ The mercy of oure lord is goed and large. forthi eftere that he shewis manyfald dedis of mercy, he lokes in him that suffirs for his luf gladly that bifalles.

21. Et ne auertas faciem tuam a puero tuo: quoniam tribulor, velociter exaudi me. ¶ And torne not away thi face fra thi barne; for .i. am in anguys, swiftly here me. ¶ That is, the presens of thi mercy and help want noght fra the meke and buxsum til me. bot, for .i. am in anguys, here me withouten delay, that na pyne ouercum me.

22. Intende anime mee & libera eam: propter inimicos meos eripe me. ¶ Bihald til my saule & delyuer it: for myn enmys out take me. ¶ My saule abidis the, for thi bihald til it, gifand sikere comforte: and swa delyuer it of ill. and that myn enmys be shamed or conuertid. out take me fra thaire tourmentynge til the ioy of inpassibilite.

23. Tu scis improperium meum, & confusionem meam: & reuerenciam meam. ¶ Thou wate my reprofe and my

shame: and my reuerens. ¶ Worthi is that thou out take me for thou wate that .i. suffire vnrightwisly reprofes and myssaghes, & shame in bofetis and spittyngis. and my reuerens thou wate, that .i. had when .i. was gifen to pilat to be demed as a gilty man.

24. In conspectu tuo sunt omnes qui tribulant me: im|properium expectauit cor meum & miseriam. ¶ In thi sight ere all that angirs me; reprofe abade my hert & wrechidnes. ¶ Aswhasay, as thou wate my purte and myn vnnoyandnes. alswa thou knawis thaire vilte and thaire malice: for .i. abade noght of thaim bot reprofe in wordis and wrechidnes in dedis.

25. Et sustinui qui simul contristaretur, & non fuit: & qui consolaretur, & non inueni. ¶ And .i. suffird whilke samen ware sary, & nane was: and that myght comfort, and .i. noght fand. ¶ Till encresynge of wrechidnes .i. suffird. that is, .i. abade in the maner of men that faris ill. if thare [U thaire. S thor.] hade bene any that ware sary for me, and that had suffird with me samen for mannys saule, bot thare was nane that myght do that. forthi .i. dyed for all. and .i. lokyd if any myght comfort me, and .i. fand nane. for my frendis fled, and my faes droghe nere. this was a hard passion, that was withouten compassion and withouten comfort.

26. Et dederunt in escam meam fel: & in siti mea potauerunt me aceto. ¶ And thai gaf in my mete the gall; and in my threst [U threrst. S thrist.] thai gaf me drynke of aysel. ¶ Crist here calles his mete the clennes and halynes of saules, the whilke he delitis him in. and resayfes in til his body. bot wickid men in this mete gifes the gall, for thai ere ay full of bitternes of synn. and ȝit say thai that thai sall cum til heuen. and in his threst, that is, when crist ȝernys thaire hele. thaim [S thei.] gif him drynke of aysel. that is, thai offire thaim selfe til him ald & soure in wickidnes. bot that he wild not drynke the aysel that the iwes gaf him. namare will he resaife thaim til hys blis.

27. Fiat mensa eorum coram ipsis in laqueum: & in retribuciones, & in scandalum. ¶ Made be the bord of thaim bifor thaim self in snare: and in ȝeldyngis, and in sklandire. ¶ As|whasay, crist will not eite thaire gall, na drynke thaire aysel. bot thai sall ete that thaim self, & etand thai sall be gildird. that is, thaire aghen malice sall be til thaim snare of endles ded. and swa it is til

thaim sclandire, that thai fall fra syn til syn, and sithen in ȝeldynge of dampnacioun.

28. Obscurentur oculi eorum ne videant: & dorsum eorum semper incurua. ¶ Mirkid be thaire eghen that thai not see: and the bak of thaim ay inkroke. ¶ That is, thaire leders, as prelates and prynces, be swa blynde that thai vndirstand noght to conforme thaim til 'crist. and swa thou crist ay inkroke. that is, put doun. for the birthyn of synnes and couaitis. thaire bake. that is, thaire sugetis. that ere folouers of thaire soueraynes.

29. Effunde super eos iram tuam: & furor ire tue com|prehendat eos. ¶ Hell on thaim thi wreth: and the wodenes of thin ire thaim take. ¶ That is, for thai do swa mykill wickidnes, suffire thaim to be desayued in vices withouten tale. & the woednes of thin ire, that is, the straitest dampnacioun of hell. take thaim. that thai on na syde flee.

30. Fiat habitacio eorum deserta: & in tabernaculis eorum non sit qui inhabitet. ¶ Thaire wonyng stede be made desert: and in thaire tabernakils nane be that won. ¶ That is. thai sall be put fra all the delites and riches, the whilke thai luf mare than god. and thaire howsynge sall not be bot as desert til thaim.

31. Quoniam quem tu percussisti persecuti sunt: & super dolorem vulnerum eorum addiderunt. ¶ ffor [S. U om.] whaim thou smate thai foloud in ill: and abouen the warkynge of thaire woundes thai did til. ¶ Crist, whaim the fadere smate. that is, punyst with passibilite, the iwes foloud in ill, doand on the cross. and fals cristen men, feghtand agayns him in ill thoghtis and ill dedis. and abouen the warkynge of [S. U &.] thaire woundis. that is, abouen the synnes that thai do agayns god, thai did till syn of cruelte in thaire neghbure.

32. Appone iniquitatem super iniquitatem eorum: & non intrent in iusticiam tuam. ¶ Sett til wickidnes abouen wickidnes of thaim; and entire thai not in til thi rightwisnes. ¶ That is, thai ere synful, and ȝit lat thaim be synfulere: swa that thai be not takyn in till the felaghship of rightwismen.

33. Deleantur de libro viuencium: & cum iustis non scribantur. ¶ Away be thai done of the boke of lifand; and with the rightwis be thai not writen. ¶ The boke of life is the

knawynge of god, in the whilke he has destaynd all goed men to be safe. forthi vndirestand not that he writes any man in this boke. whaim eftereward he dos of. bot vndirstand it thus. away be thai done of the boke. that is, fall thai fra that hope that thai wene thaim writen in heuen. in thaire aghen presumpcioun. noght in godis ordynaunce ere thai thare: for thi ere thai lightly done away. and with the rightwis that lastes [S. U h—.] in goednes til thaire ded, be thai not writen. that is, shewid be it. till thaim. that thai ere not destaynd to won with tha that lifes with god. wha is that may be sikere, ore life withouten drede, that heris this wordis, when naman wate what his endynge sall be. Noght all that sumtyme ere rightwis and dos wele dwellis in the boke of life. bot anly tha that endis in rightwisnes.

34. Ego sum pauper & dolens: salus tua deus suscepit me. ¶ I am pore and sorowand: thi hele god vptoke me. ¶ I sall not be done away, for .i. am pore, withouten ȝernynge of erthly thynge, and fleyssly lust, and soroand the syn of this life, and the dalayinge fra heuen. bot thi hele god. that is, thi medicyn heland my sares, vptoke me fra seknes of saule.

35. Laudabo nomen dei mei cum cantico: & magnificabo eum in laude. ¶ I sall loue the name of my god with sange; and .i. sall worschip him in louynge. ¶ Lo what he dos that is helid. he louys the name of .ihū. with sange. noght formed in notes of men. bot in sown of heuen, that he rasaifes in his hert. that perfitly lufis this name ihū. in the whilke sange is faire louynge and perfite. that nowre is bot in aful deuote gaste. and .i. sall worschip him in louynge. that is. louand .i. sall tell. that he is merciful, and forthi mykil louely.

36. Et placebit deo super vitulum nouellum: cornua producentem & vngulas. ¶ And it sall pay till god abouen the new kalf; forth bryngand hornes & nayles. ¶ And this oste of louynge sall be mare payand til god than the offrynge of the kalfe in the ald laghe. that bare the figure of this newhed: the whilke calf broght forth hornes, in puttynge away of thaire enmys. & nayls, in excitynge of slaw men.

37. Videant pauperes & letentur: querite deum & viuet anima vestra. ¶ The pore se and be fayn; sekis god and ȝoure saule sall life. ¶ Pore men, that forsakis this warld. and couaits [S couetyse.]

to folow crist. vndirstand thai that is sayd. and be fayn. that is, with ioy beris thai godis ȝoke. & that it be swa, sekis god in all ȝoure hert. and nane other thynge. and than in him youre saule sall liffe, here and in heuen.

38. Quoniam exaudiuit pauperes dominus: & vinctos suos non despexit. ¶ fforwhi the pore lord herd; and his bunden he noght dispisid. ¶ The pore men, that lufis not this warld. he harde, gifand thaim that tha seke, endles life. for thof thai be now in mykil wrechidnes. ioy and rest that na tunge may tell is halden for thaim. he says noght that he herd riche [S. U om.] men. for thai seke him noght. and his bunden. that ere tha that ere vndirloute til him. in wisdome & lufe, and feitird in dedly body. he despisid noght. bot lesid thaim. of thaire feters, and led thaim til heuen.

39. Laudent illum celi & terra: mare & omnia reptilia in eis. ¶ Loue him heuen and erth: the se, and all crepand in thaim. ¶ Heuen he calles contemplatife men, that ere bright in life, and heghe in godis luf. the erth is actife men, that ere laghe for warldis nedis. the se is tha that ebbis and flowis in fleyssly likyngis. all krepand in thaim ere the bestiall [S bestely.] wrechis that has ay thaire wambe til the erth. he couaitis that all there loue god. that is, that thai lede swilke life that be godis louynge.

40. Quoniam deus saluam faciet syon: & edificabuntur ciuitates iude. ¶ ffor god sall make safe syon: and edified sall be the cites of iude. ¶ Syon is ilke perfite saule, that thynkis on the ioy of heuen, noght of erth. the whilke god sall make safe in endles rest eftire this trauaile. and the cites of iude. that is, the kirkis of cristen men. sall be edified with lifand stanes, that is, haly men.

41. Et inhabitabunt ibi: & hereditate adquirent eam. ¶ And thai sall won thare: and in heritage thai sall get it. ¶ That is, all that lufis god ouere all thynge sall won in the cite of god. and thai sall get it with vertus and gode [S. U gede.] werkis in heritage. that thai be fed and lif thar of.

42. Et semen seruorum eius possidebit eam: & qui diligunt nomen eius habitabunt in ea. ¶ And the sede of his seruauntes it sall welde: and that lufis the name of him sall

won in it. ¶ The sede of his seruauntes is folowers of apostils. the whilke sall weld that heritage: and that lufis the name of ihū, assiduelly haldand it in thaire mynde with delite and brennand deuocioun, sall won in it, seand god in ioy withouten end.